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Fishing for Answers in the Gulf of Mexico's Dead Zone

By Kristina Hannam

Fishing for Answers in the Gulf of Mexico's Dead Zone


 

Abstract

This “clicker case” addresses the eutrophication of aquatic systems caused by human activities. "Susan" is a biology student working at a seafood restaurant on the Gulf of Mexico. She discovers that the restaurant doesn't serve locally caught shrimp because shrimp populations are in decline. While searching for an explanation, Susan learns about the nitrogen cycle as well as interactions between species, the abiotic and biotic environment, and multiple ecosystems (terrestrial and aquatic). Developed for a large introductory biology course, the case combines the use of student personal response systems ("clickers") with case teaching methods and formats. It is presented in class using a series of PowerPoint slides (~3.8MB) punctuated by questions that students respond to using their clickers. The case could be adapted for use without these technologies.

   

Date Posted

03/24/2010

Overview

Objectives

  • Understand that human activities can alter nutrient cycles, biological communities and interactions among ecosystems.
  • Understand the process of eutrophication and stratification of aquatic systems.
  • Use data to evaluate support for multiple hypotheses.
  • Appreciate that ecological knowledge is important to making decisions that impact our lives.

Keywords

Eutrophication; nitrogen cycle; nitrate flux; nutrients; fertilizer; algae; dissolved oxygen; aquatic hypoxia; watershed; pollution; sediment plume; fishing; shrimping; Dead Zone; Gulf of Mexico; Mississippi Basin

  

Subject Headings

Biology (General)
Botany / Plant Science
Ecology
Environmental Science
Marine Science / Oceanography

EDUCATIONAL LEVEL

High school, Undergraduate lower division

  

FORMAT

PDF, PowerPoint

   

TOPICAL AREAS

N/A

   

LANGUAGE

English

   

TYPE/METHODS

Clicker, Interrupted

 

 

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