Organisms and Environmental Changes Essay
Although it is general, Farb (1963) describes ecology as a concept that focuses on the relationship between living organisms and their environment. It is crucial to acknowledge that this environment comprises of both the biotic and non-biotic factors affecting organisms.
This concept develops another aspect of ecosystem that is defined as self-sustaining systems of biological communities. These communities found within a with physical and chemical factors in the ecosystems.
However, the chemical and physical factors fluctuate according to the prevailing conditions that can be triggered by humans among other factors.
These fluctuations causing drastic interference with the ecosystem must be controlled to restore the aspect of a self-sustaining system (Dickinson & Murphy, 2007). This implies that living organisms must respond to the changes that are imposed on them. As a result, this paper will focus on how organisms respond to environmental changes.
The introduction part has stated that ecosystems experience changes in terms of physical and chemical factors (Brennan & Withgott, 2010). However, the elements of these changes can be triggered by the environment resulting in environmental change. Instead of focusing on general change impacting on an ecosystem, we will describe the environmental change that is caused by environmental factors like climate.
Essentially, changes caused by environmental factors are more important than other changes because they occur in a manner that is not controlled by human factors. For example, the volcanic eruption in Iceland was not controlled by human beings. Also, the volcano could not be stopped by the human factors that prevailed around the area. This means that the change in the ecosystem, which comprises human beings, could not be evaded.
As a result, the people moved from the affected area and closed all human activities like airports. Most of the air flights were canceled as a result of the disruption that was caused by the volcanic eruption. This cancellation is a perfect example of an ecosystem responding to environmental change to restore the original sustainability.
In another example, in river Mississippi polluting the entire ecosystem due to the in the water (Landau, 2011). Some living organisms, which can swim in and frogs, moved away from the polluted part of the river resulting in a dead zone. This implies that living organisms found in an ecosystem respond to environmental change to restore the aspect of a self-sustaining system.
It is, therefore, necessary to conduct an experimental activity that could be conducted in a laboratory under regulations to determine the responses. The experimental determination will provide the basis of making broader inferences.
The goals of this topic refer to the lessons that students should learn after handling this topic. From a general point of view, the goal of this laboratory activity is familiarizing the students with the practical part of environmental science. In this case, the practical application of theories enables students to experience the real situation found in the environment (Douglas, 1925).
The experience obtained by observing the real environmental situation enables students to approach issues from a realistic point of view rather than an ideal perspective. As a result, the students become all rounded, unlike their counterparts who might have learned theories alone (Douglas, 1925).
Previous researches have shown that a student cannot execute a theory in the field without practicing it in class. It, therefore, implies that the laboratory activity will equip a student with the necessary courage enabling them to tackle practical issues (Douglas, 1925).
Secondly, this activity aims at helping the students to determine whether an ecosystem responds to environmental changes. This will help to understand that they cause changes in the environment and lead to the ecosystems responses that can affect them positively or negatively.
This will form the basis of advising the student about the changes they should induce in the environment to obtain positive responses. On the contrary, it will teach students that they should avoid negative inductions to prevent negative implications to the ecosystems surrounding them. This implies that the activity will provide a rationale for environmental conservation improving the standards of the environment.
Also, the experiment is designed to strengthen the theoretical opinions that explain the ideology of the ecosystems responses. In this case, the introduction has provided a theoretical opinion about the responses of ecosystems. The theories are not effective without a practical experience that demonstrates the validity of the theories. It implies that the experiment will confirm the validity of the theories learned in class and strengthen them.
Also, the activity aims at providing an opportunity that helps a student to acquire skills such as observation, recording, interpretation, and answering questions among others. The skills help students to improve their class performance due to the improvement of diligence. For example, there could be a question at the end of the laboratory activity to test observance and ability to answer questions.
The quiz will be revised in class to guide the students about the art of answering questions. After the activity, the skills that have been attained by the students could be used during the entire class work enabling them to in their studies.
In light of this activity, the students will experiment to demonstrate the responses that take place in an ecosystem. The experiment directed by the teacher before starting the activity will involve aquatic worms that have been subjected to regulated conditions. These conditions are regulated in a manner reflecting the real ecosystem that they live.