For this project, we were tasked with choosing an endangered species to help to the best of our abilities. After an extensive research phase with great effort and thought, our group selected the amur leopard. Located primarily in northeastern Russia, these beautiful animals are one of the most threatened creatures in the world with less than one hundred individuals across the globe. Our group found this species to be one that more people needed to learn about, considering how organizations have just begun to help within the last ten years. Due to lack of legal enforcement of prevailing trade and poaching methods, accompanied by climate change, the amur leopards could quite possibly go extinct if we continue down the path we are currently slowly but steadily following.
My group wanted to assist the wonderful organizations adamantly working in Russia through this project located all the way in California. As we studied these leopards, we also researched their Arctic tundra habitat in order to completely comprehend the reasoning of why the population has drastically reduced in number so quickly. Pondering how to work around this distance, we decided the optimal ways to make a difference from so far away was to work locally through spreading awareness, creating a public service announcement and directing donations to these charities. Below you will find our work!
My group wanted to assist the wonderful organizations adamantly working in Russia through this project located all the way in California. As we studied these leopards, we also researched their Arctic tundra habitat in order to completely comprehend the reasoning of why the population has drastically reduced in number so quickly. Pondering how to work around this distance, we decided the optimal ways to make a difference from so far away was to work locally through spreading awareness, creating a public service announcement and directing donations to these charities. Below you will find our work!
How do humans impact our world & how can we work to help?
Content
Ecosystem: a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment. This project revolved entirely around the amur leopard and its community within the Russian cold.
Climate: the weather conditions prevailing in an area in general or over a long period. This aspect of the leopard's endangerment was vital as global warming drastically reduced the territory fit for the animal, forcing the species to adapt when already dwindling in number.
Habitat: the natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism. Similar to climate, this factor is constantly changing as the temperatures of the Arctic tundra climb, reducing levels of snowfall.
Trophic Levels: each of several hierarchical levels in an ecosystem, comprising organisms that share the same function in the food chain and the same nutritional relationship to the primary sources of energy
Ecological Succession: process of change in the species structure of an ecological community over time.
Abiotic Factors: non living things (snow, sunlight, etc.)
Biotic Factors: Any living component that affects another organism, or shapes the ecosystem (humans, trees, etc.)
10% Rule: When energy is passed in an ecosystem from one trophic level to the next, only ten percent of the energy will be passed on.
Carrying Capacity: the number of people, other living organisms, or crops that a region can support without environmental degradation
Energy Cycle: The cycle of how energy travels through an ecosystem. The energy starts at the autotrophs (plants) who make the energy through photosynthesis. Then the energy moves up when an organism eats another organism at a lower trophic level.
Carbon Cycle: the series of processes by which carbon compounds are interconverted in the environment, chiefly involving the incorporation of carbon dioxide into living tissue by photosynthesis and its return to the atmosphere through respiration, the decay of dead organisms, and the burning of fossil fuels. In Russia, logging and other means of pollution has a horrible effect on the leopards' habitat and overall ecosystem.
Biomes: a large naturally occurring community of flora and fauna occupying a major habitat (ie. Arctic tundra) grouped together based on community to form the overall biosphere
Food Chain: a hierarchical series of organisms each dependent on the next as a source of food.
Food Web: a system of interlocking and interdependent food chains
Population Density: measurement of population per unit area or unit volume that are made up of independent (uneffected by density) and dependent (effected by density of population in area) factors
Niches: a position or role taken by a kind of organism within its community. The amur leopard takes a top ranking predator position within its' ecosystem, making the animal a significant figure within the Russian food web.
Biodiversity: the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem
Ecology: the branch of biology that deals with the relations of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings
Climate: the weather conditions prevailing in an area in general or over a long period. This aspect of the leopard's endangerment was vital as global warming drastically reduced the territory fit for the animal, forcing the species to adapt when already dwindling in number.
Habitat: the natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism. Similar to climate, this factor is constantly changing as the temperatures of the Arctic tundra climb, reducing levels of snowfall.
Trophic Levels: each of several hierarchical levels in an ecosystem, comprising organisms that share the same function in the food chain and the same nutritional relationship to the primary sources of energy
Ecological Succession: process of change in the species structure of an ecological community over time.
Abiotic Factors: non living things (snow, sunlight, etc.)
Biotic Factors: Any living component that affects another organism, or shapes the ecosystem (humans, trees, etc.)
10% Rule: When energy is passed in an ecosystem from one trophic level to the next, only ten percent of the energy will be passed on.
Carrying Capacity: the number of people, other living organisms, or crops that a region can support without environmental degradation
Energy Cycle: The cycle of how energy travels through an ecosystem. The energy starts at the autotrophs (plants) who make the energy through photosynthesis. Then the energy moves up when an organism eats another organism at a lower trophic level.
Carbon Cycle: the series of processes by which carbon compounds are interconverted in the environment, chiefly involving the incorporation of carbon dioxide into living tissue by photosynthesis and its return to the atmosphere through respiration, the decay of dead organisms, and the burning of fossil fuels. In Russia, logging and other means of pollution has a horrible effect on the leopards' habitat and overall ecosystem.
Biomes: a large naturally occurring community of flora and fauna occupying a major habitat (ie. Arctic tundra) grouped together based on community to form the overall biosphere
Food Chain: a hierarchical series of organisms each dependent on the next as a source of food.
Food Web: a system of interlocking and interdependent food chains
Population Density: measurement of population per unit area or unit volume that are made up of independent (uneffected by density) and dependent (effected by density of population in area) factors
Niches: a position or role taken by a kind of organism within its community. The amur leopard takes a top ranking predator position within its' ecosystem, making the animal a significant figure within the Russian food web.
Biodiversity: the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem
Ecology: the branch of biology that deals with the relations of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings
Reflection
Overall, this project went rather well. I found that I personally did rather well in taking a leadership position as I constructed most of the website, as well as worked with my group to assist them with what I could. I also felt my group worked well together in terms of participation as all members took on responsibilities that we all managed to follow through with. However, I felt as if I could work on my time management as I had to scramble to finish the website on time due to my absences. Another improvement that I feel my group could easily make in the future could have been communication. Due to my group never seeming to be at school at the same time, we had to work extra hard in order to complete this project, considering we had little idea of what other members were doing because of the staggered attendance. These are all simple adjustments that could be made in order to make the next assignment even better!