Document: LID-3-28-9

A pilot program for engaging students in ecological research: Studies of succession in urban environments.

YOSHIDA, L.C.* and J.D.BEVER

University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-2525 USA ¹

Abstract:
We are developing a pilot program entitled, "Engaging Students in Ecological Research: Studies of Succession in Urban Environments" (ESER) to enhance the biological science curriculum in California high schools. The ESER program focuses on the ecological processes involved in succession and revegetation within highly disturbed urban areas in southern California. We are developing a teaching unit in ecology and will be presenting it to teachers in a summer workshop. The teachers can then conduct ecological investigations with their science students during the following year. The content of this teaching unit engages students by building on their existing experiences with urban environments and by directly involving them in all aspects of scientific investigation of the processes influencing these environments. Topics in this curriculum include Mediterranean climate and vegetation types, California biodiversity and ethnobotany experimental design, disturbance, succession and invasion, soil microorganisms and mycorrhizal fungi. Our goal is to increase the number of University of California-eligible students from California high schools by improving math, science and critical thinking.

Keywords: science education, soil ecology, mycorrhizal fungi

This abstract is being presented at: 3:30 PM in session:
Poster Session #3: Education.