Mar 192012
Purple loosestrife, photo by EHS
In this lesson, students will examine herbivory on exotic vs. native tree species planted into plantations in the Kellogg Forest. We will use our data to test the Enemy Release Hypothesis, which posits that exotic species escape from specialized natural enemies in their invaded range, contributing to their success. Students
will develop predictions, design experimental sampling methods, collect data, and create graphs to summarize data.
At the conclusion of the lesson, students will be able to:
- Give reasons why invasive species are so successful in their introduced range and can displace native species
- Compare ecosystem processes acting on native and exotic species
- Identify new plants species and different types of herbivore damage
- Present data in visual format for interpretation
Resources:
Lesson plan created by GK-12 Fellow Elizabeth Schultheis & teacher Marcia Angle, 2010