Background
Wetlands are among the most productive and diverse ecological systems on earth. They support an enormous variety of plants and animals, such as water birds, insects, frogs, crustaceans and invertebrates. Grassy woodlands are another diverse ecosystems which include a number of different plant species, including trees, shrubs and grasses, which provide habitat for a number of animals such as reptiles, mammals, birds and invertebrates.
Both these ecosystems are represented in the habitat at Ecolinc. Classification is an important tool for understanding and organising the variety of organisms that inhabit these ecosystem, and the interactions between them. Living things are classified into groups based on their structural and functional similarities or differences. At Ecolinc you will investigate the wetland and grassy woodland ecosystems to explore classification systems for the animal and plant kingdoms.
Prior Knowledge
No prior knowledge required.
Learning Intentions
In this activity students will:
- Learn how to use different dichotomous keys to identify and distinguish species.
- Learn to construct a dichotomous key by identify discriminating features in a selection of species and incorporating them into the key.
- Understand the importance of classification and its applications.
Activities
The students will:
- Use different dichotomous keys and the Ecolinc Macro ID tool to identify a range of macroinvertebrates.
- Use a dichotomous key to identify Ecolinc’s aquatic plants.
- Create a dichotomous key to identify different species of Ecolinc’s Eucalypts.
Victorian Curriculum
- There are differences within and between groups of organisms; classification helps organise this diversity (VCSSU091) [1]
- Construct and use a range of representations including graphs, keys and models to record and summarise data from students’ own investigations and secondary sources, and to represent and analyse patterns and relationships (VCSIS110) [2]
Outreach
Ecolinc offers the following outreach option:
