lesson 37.1

lesson 37.2

CHAPTER 37: Ecosystem Dynamics

37.1 ECOSYSTEM STRUCTURE

Patuxent Wildlife Research Center

This federal research center monitors wildlife populations, particularly those of species at risk and invasive species. Patuxent is a great resource to find detailed information about birds in different parts of the United States.

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37.2 ENERGY LEVELS

Ocean Color Viewed from Space

How much biomass do phytoplankton and land plants produce in different parts of the Earth? NASA uses satellites to observe greenness and ocean color to see which parts of the Earth are most productive.

DDT and Birds of Prey

Who first discovered that the eggshells of some wild birds were thinning? How was the link between the insecticide DDT and thin eggshells shown conclusively? This article from the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center shows the graph of eggshell thickness that took a stunning dive in 1945 and explains the experiments that led to the ban on DDT.

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37.3 CHEMICAL CYCLES

The Water Cycle

What are the stages of the water cycle? This description starts with evaporation and ends with groundwater, tracing water from the sky, through the earth, and through plants. It comes from the Environmental Protection Agency.