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Exploring the population dynamics of wintering bald eagles through long-term data

Author(s): Jennifer Apple

SUNY Geneseo

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Summary:
This is an FMN participant modification of the TIEE module "Exploring the population dynamics of wintering bald eagles through long-term data" authored by Julie Beckstead, Alexandra N. Lagasse, and Scott R. Robinson in 2011.
Contents:

Description

The module was implemented at SUNY Geneseo, Department of Biology by Jennifer L. Apple. 

  • Course: BIOL 203 - Principles of Ecology 
  • Course Level: Generally sophomores; biology majors (but minors may take course too)
  • Instructional Setting: Lecture
  • Implementation Timeframe: 1 50-minute class period near the middle of the semester

Notes

I changed and shortened the original module substantially so that the activity could fit within a single class session. I reorganized the data into two data files – one with peak eagle numbers, December temperature, and salmon numbers (like original guided approach file), and one with departure date, mean winter temperatures, and mean winter snowfall. I combined elements of the guided approach and the open-ended approach suggested in the original module. Students were asked to develop hypotheses to 1) explain variation in peak eagle numbers, and 2) explain variation in departure date from site, and to use the available data to test their hypotheses.

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