Finding Balance in Contentious Issues

It is Scientists' jobs to manage populations of threatened species, or pest species, and prevent certain species becoming pests or becoming threatened.  Yet often their suggestions can become highly debated in the public and political sphere.

Your assignment will be to write a letter to the relevant policy maker on one of the following questions.  

Click on the link to view the assignment and the required readings.  A sample letter is also available, or you can use your own.

Brumbies: Should they be culled out of the NSW Snowy Mountains?

Deer: Should they continue to be protected in Tasmania?

Foxes: Should we continue to pour millions of dollars into keeping Tasmania fox free?

Cats: Should they be confined 24/7?


How on Earth do I get started?
1. Start by reading (or listening) thoroughly to one of the resources.
2. Take notes from this resource.  It might help to draw up sections in your book about each topic required (ie scientific facts, experts, other views etc). so you can keep track of the ideas better
3. Read (or listen) to one more resource.  Take notes.
4. Do you have enough information now to fill in some of the sections of your letter?  Focus just on completing the sections you know you can do.
5. Keep going until you have enough info for all the sections.


How Am I Getting Assessed?
You are primarily getting assessed on your capacity to understand the issues at hand through researching, and effectively communicate these in a real world context.
The rubric can be found here


Short Option
Choose one issue.  Look at one resource (or two).
1. Summarise the issue > what is being argued here? Three or four sentences
2. What are the scientific facts? Dot point with references
3. What are the conflicting community views? Dot point with references 
4. What would you do, if you got to make this decision?  Make sure you back up your view with reason.

Limiting Factors: Swift Parrots

What are the limiting factors influencing Swift Parrots?
Have a scan through these sites and consider the questions below:

BirdLife Australia Swift Parrot Profile > Swift Parrot Fact file


Learn a little bit about Swift Parrots here  > ABC Catalyst short video


Learn a little bit more about Swift Parrots > Australian National University video


First Dog on the Moon is very funny and excellent. Read his cartoon about Swifties here
> FDOTM cartoon


Q1. What are the density dependent factors that might be limiting the Swift Parrot population?

A density dependent factor is one that limits how members of a population live, due to the number of members within that population

Q2. What are the density independent factors that might be limiting Swift Parrot population?

A density independent limiting factor  is one that limits how members of a population live – but is caused by a factor outside of population numbers alone 

Q3. What are some of the actions Scientitsts are taking to manage Swift Parrot population?

Ecosystem Dynamics

Ecosystem Inputs These are the critical factors required for an ecosystem to function	Internal Ecosystem Dynamics This is the way living organisms interact within an ecosystem.  The way these factors interplay will directly impact how species survive within an ecosystem	Ecosystem Outputs These are the ‘services’ a functioning ecosystem provides.
1. Energy: usually from the sun and utilised by producers 2. Nutrients: usually from the soil, decomposition or from other ecosystems 3. Water: From rainfall, creeks, runoff, lakes etc. 4. Atmosphere: The balance of oxygen and CO2 in the air is vital for survival of almost all living organisms 5. Biodiversity: This means the range of organisms interacting in an ecosystem. Generally, the greater the biodiversity, the more likely an ecosystem is to thrive and be resilient to change.	1. Predator-Prey relationships: The transferal of energy around the food web 2. Decomposition: The recycling of nutrients 3. Interspecific competition: This is the competition between different species of organisms.  It is often between species who share similar food sources, habitats, or other resources. An example is between rabbits and bandicoots. Weeds and pest animals often reproduce faster than native species, meaning that they ‘out-compete’ the locals. This can cause localised extinctions or push species to adapt to new habitats or food sources. 4. Intraspecific Competition: This is the competition between individuals of a species.  It includes competing for mates, habitats, food and other resources.  Each environment has a specific ‘carry capacity’ of how many individuals of a species it can hold.  Exceeding this number can cause populations to plummet.  5. Symbiotic Relationships This is where different species depend on other species within their ecosystem. Examples are bees pollinating flowers (mutualistic), ticks parasitising a rabbit (parasitic) or birds nesting in trees (commensal)	1. Heat energy: most of the sun’s energy is passed onto the environment via the heat caused by organisms’ metabolising 2. Nutrients: Nutrients are recycled in an ecosystem, but can also flow on ‘down-stream’ to another area via erosion, water movement or through the air 3. Water: Via transpiration from trees and by leaching through soils 4. Atmosphere: Ecosystems aid in the regulation of atmospheric gases  5. Biodiversity: Healthy ecosystems encourage further biodiversity by producing genetic diversity, adaptations in species, etc.  From this new species develop.

Symbiotic Relationships:
Watch this and take notes:
Crash Course: Community Ecology Dynamics
Symbiosis Made Simple

Questions to Consider for Your Assignment:
1. What species would you consider 'a key-stone' for the Taroona ecosystem? That is, which species would you consider is the most important, effectively holding the rest of the ecosystem together?

2. What species are playing a role in decomposition? You don't need the species specific name, just the general terms.

3. What sort of relationships might be occurring out there? See if you can think of a mutalistic, commensal and parasitic relationship.