OCELOTS

Description

Overview of Module:

This module gives us an exciting overview of how functional traits influence ecological processes and how they can be evaluated to consider them in restorations. By presenting a restoration experiment in an invaded lowland wet forest in Hilo, Hawai’i, the authors show how to use both native and non-native species according to their functional traits and how hybrid ecosystems work. Finally, this module demonstrates that hybrid ecosystems need to be discussed and identifies the tradeoffs in terms of biological desires and economic realities.      

Summary of implementation plan and teaching notes.  

Dealing with the functional traits of species in tropical forests can be very enriching. In addition to composing the ecology of a system, it allows us to understand how different communities/societies (human and non-human) use these tools and helps to explain how to solve problems for the future maintenance of ecosystems. I am a PhD student and have not been teaching any courses involving Tropical Ecology/Biology. However, I had permission to give a 4-hour class to 20 undergraduate students from Biological Sciences, Agricultural Engineering, and Agroecology courses. I saw this module as an opportunity to introduce students to more complex problems within restoration than simply planting trees. I wanted to demonstrate that there is a logic when choosing species and that we cannot neglect the ecological function of each group of species.

First, I needed to summarize the module, taking the main points and analogies and trying to bring them mainly to the local focus of the class (Brazilian tropical forests). I quickly translated the module and content into Portuguese to implement it in the Brazilian classroom. To start the class, I implemented Worksheet 1, presented in the module, and induced the students to think about how functional traits can be developed in different restoration treatments using the problem-based learning technique. I have tried to add the climate change context and relate that with the functional traits in tropical forests, e.g., how functional traits can be a good guide to knowing which group of species will be more adaptable to climate change. Also, I added the print version of the suggested papers in the ‘Before class’ topic for the students to write in and highlight the figures and graphs we want them to interpret. At the end of the class, I created a hook for reflecting on the Brazilian role, with its tropical forests, in the context of adapting to climate change. I have finished the class implementing Worksheet 2 and asking them what the “muddiest point” or most confusing part of a lesson or topic was. Having quality content, wherein creators prioritize facilitation access to knowledge through analogies, was crucial in helping students truly grasp the concepts and processes involved. Therefore, students’ understanding of the proposed concepts was satisfactory. Analyzing the answers in Worksheets 1 and 2, it was possible to observe that the students could distinguish the concepts and functions of exotic and invasive species after class. Regarding the muddiest point, the most expressive aspect was the amount of content in one single class. The students agreed that a course with all the best topics broken down would be ideal.

• The file attached is: Functional traits in different Brazilian tropical phytophysiognomies – papers carried out in Atlantic Forest, Brazilian savannas (Caatinga and Cerrado), and Amazon Forests as a case of study regarding functional traits. That’s important for the Brazilian students to associate the class’s subject with their local ecosystems.

Support was provided by: A grant from the United States National Science Foundation (DBI-RCN-UBE 2120141).

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