EVR2001: Introduction to Environmental Science Project 1 Invasive Species An invasive species (can be a plant or animal) is a species that is introduced to an area, whether accidentally or on purpose, that can severely disrupt native species in a given ecosystem. When allowed to proliferate, they can kill off indigenous plant or animal life, causing whole natural habitats to change. This project will explore invasive species and the consequences of their introduction and presence in non-native ecosystems. This project is designed to be creative! FORMAT CONFIRMATION DUE: By 11:59PM on September 11, 2018 FULL PROJECT DUE: By 11:59 p.m. on October 2, 2018 INSTRUCTIONS: • Choose an invasive species (plant or animal) to research. o National Invasive Species Information Center: http://www.invasivespecies.gov/ o Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health: http://www.invasive.org • Describe the invasive species in detail. • Provide background on the species and its native environment. • Describe the non-native ecosystem in which the invasive species is found. • Describe some techniques being used to manage the species. • Explicitly state whether more or less should be done to manage the species. o Support your position • Some questions to think about: o Where did the species originate? o What are the species’ defining characteristics? o Does it have any natural predators? o Where has the invasive species spread? o How was it introduced to the non-native environment? o What are the consequences/rewards of the invasive species inhabiting the new environment? o What kind of impacts has the invasive species had on the non-native ecosystem? o What effects has it had on other wildlife and the biodiversity of the ecosystem? Humans? The economy? FORMATS: Research Paper • MLA format • 3-4 pages (Not including Works Cited section) • Times New Roman font • Double-spaced • 1-inch margins • 12-point font • No more than 2 sentences or 3 lines of quotations. • Indent each paragraph • No extra spacing between paragraphs • .doc, .docx, or .pdf format • Paper written as a research paper and not a series of short-answer questions • Will only accept submissions to Canvas/Turnitin o Will not accept writing projects sent to me through email or Canvas message attachments • Must work alone Poster/Brochure/Pamphlet • • • Use diagrams, photos, and images to present information about your invasive species. Posters can be made in PowerPoint by making the slide size 20 inches x 30 inches Must include 1.5-2.5 pages of information text using the formatting guidelines from the research paper above to be submitted through Canvas as a .doc, .docx, or .pdf file. o This information can be sized/displayed however you would like on your poster/brochure/pamphlet, but a document with only the text must also be provided. • Make it visually appealing and interesting! • You can work in pairs o Both need to submit files on Canvas with both names at the top. Video/Recorded Lecture • Record a video (7-10 minutes long) o Can be giving a lecture o Can be a general video • Must include a transcript of text using the formatting guidelines from the research paper above to be submitted through Canvas as a .doc, .docx, or .pdf file. • You can work in pairs, but both of you must be featured in the video fairly equally. REFERENCES/CITATIONS: • All projects must use in-text citations and a “Works Cited” page • Include a “Works Cited” page o Must have at least 3 non-Wikipedia sources o Does not count towards page count. • Use in-text citations for any information obtained from sources o Use Author-Date citations (Harvard Method) SUBMISSION: • Must submit written component through Turnitin on Canvas. • Digital files can be attached to your Canvas submission as a comment. • Videos can be uploaded as a YouTube video with the link provided as a comment to the Canvas submission. • Late submissions receive -20 points per day after deadline o Technical difficulties or problems with Canvas are no excuse for not turning in writing projects on time. • Must fill out survey notifying me what format you will be using. o 15 points will be subtracted from your final project if you do not • 5 points will be subtracted if you submit the wrong file to Canvas/Turnitin USEFUL WEBSITES: • Guide to writing a research paper o http://www.aresearchguide.com/1steps.html • MLA Format Guidelines o http://www.bibme.org/mla • In-Text Citations o https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parenthetical_referencing • Generating References/Works Cited o http://www.citationmachine.net/mla/cite-a-website • Writing Help (USF Writing Center) o https://www.lib.usf.edu/writing/ • Turnitin Guidelines o https://guides.turnitin.com/03_Integrations/Turnitin_Partner_Integrations/Canvas/Turnitin_LTI _1.0/Student/03_Submitting_a_Paper o https://guides.turnitin.com/01_Manuals_and_Guides/Student_Guides/Turnitin_Classic_(Deprecat ed)/09_Submitting_a_Paper RESEARCH PAPER RUBRIC: (100 points total) • Explain the species (15 points) o Physical description (5 points) o Background information about the invasive species (5 points) o Information about its native environment (5 points) • Issues surrounding the species (15 points) o How it was introduced (5 points) o What impact it has had on native species since introduction (5 points) o Role the species plays in the ecosystems to which it has been introduced (5 points) • Remedies (30 points) o At least one current method of eliminating the species is described (15 points) ▪ Including any positive or negative environmental impacts associated with it o Valid argument for why the species is or is not a great enough threat to prompt immediate (and potentially costly) action (15 points) ▪ Not an evaluation of whether you have chosen the ‘correct’ point of view ▪ Evaluation of how well you defend your position • Citations & References (20 points) o In-text Citation (10 points) o List of references (10 points) • Syntax & Organization (20 points) o Proper spelling & grammar (5 points) o Clear & concise thesis statement (2 points) ▪ Something simple like “This species is a problem because of X.” or “This paper looks at the effects species Y has caused on its introduced habitat.” o Paper flows smoothly from topic to topic (10 points) o Only uses 3 lines or fewer of quotations (3 points) POSTER/BROCHURE/PAMPHLET RUBRIC: (100 points total) • Explain the species (15 points) o Physical description (5 points) o Background information about the invasive species (5 points) o Information about its native environment (5 points) • Issues surrounding the species (15 points) o How it was introduced (5 points) o What impact it has had on native species since introduction (5 points) o Role the species plays in the ecosystems to which it has been introduced (5 points) • Remedies (15 points) o At least one current method of eliminating the species is described (15 points) ▪ Including any positive or negative environmental impacts associated with it • Citations & References (20 points) o In-text Citation (10 points) o List of references (10 points) • Presentation (35 points) o Proper spelling & grammar (5 points) o Well-Organized (10 points) o Visually appealing (20 points) VIDEO/RECORDED LECTURE RUBRIC: (100 points total) • Explain the species (15 points) o Physical description (5 points) o Background information about the invasive species (5 points) o Information about its native environment (5 points) • Issues surrounding the species (15 points) o How it was introduced (5 points) o What impact it has had on native species since introduction (5 points) o Role the species plays in the ecosystems to which it has been introduced (5 points) • Remedies (15 points) o At least one current method of eliminating the species is described (15 points) ▪ Including any positive or negative environmental impacts associated with it • Citations & References (20 points) o In-text Citation (10 points) ▪ On slide or animations for information o List of references (10 points) • Presentation (35 points) o Proper spelling & grammar (5 points) o Clear speaking (15 points) o Appealing (15 points) EVR2001: Introduction to Environmental Science Writing Project 1 Invasive Species Master Rubric General Rubric • Explain the species (15 points) o Physical description (5 points) o Background information about the invasive species (5 points) o Information about its native environment (5 points) • Issues surrounding the species (15 points) o How it was introduced (5 points) o What impact it has had on native species since introduction (5 points) o Role the species plays in the ecosystems to which it has been introduced (5 points) • Remedies (30 points) o At least one current method of eliminating the species is described (15 points) ▪ Including any positive or negative environmental impacts associated with it o Valid argument for why the species is or is not a great enough threat to prompt immediate (and potentially costly) action (15 points) ▪ Not an evaluation of whether you have chosen the ‘correct’ point of view ▪ Evaluation of how well you defend your position • Citations & References (20 points) o In-text Citation (10 points) o List of references (10 points) • Syntax & Organization (20 points) o Proper spelling & grammar (5 points) o Clear & concise thesis statement (2 points) ▪ Something simple like “This species is a problem because of X.” or “This paper looks at the effects species Y has caused on its introduced habitat.” o Paper flows smoothly from topic to topic (10 points) o Only uses 3 lines or fewer of quotations (3 points) • SHORT ANSWER EXAMPLE Invasive Species Description They have brown or maroon, and white stripes covering their complete bodies and head. They have pectoral fins like fans. They also have fleshy tentacles above their head and below their mouths. And long separated dorsal spines. Adults grow until 18 inches, while the younger ones grow 1 inch or less. Background Information Most of them live in the warm waters of the tropics. They are predatory fish; the younger ones eat invertebrates like crustaceans. But when they become adults they eat other fish. More than 70 species of local fish of the Atlantic and the Caribbean are Lionfish prey. Native Environment They are native from the South Pacific and Indian Oceans. In an area that extends from the coasts of Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and Japan to the waters of French Polynesia and the Pitcairn Islands. They were introduced in the Atlantic waters possibly intentionally, because they are popular ornamental fish. The first sighting was in 1985, and in the beginning of the 2000’s the species began to be seen regularly. Now they live in the southeast coast of the United States and the Caribbean. Remedies Governments are trying to implement the human consumption of lionfish as a more mainstream thing. They also pay trained divers to capture the fish and also host derbies for divers to catch a large number of them. Another preventive measurement is monitoring the growth patterns and sponsoring the research of the lionfish prey and possible predator species like the grouper. Other measures are collaborating with other nation’s governments and partnerships with the fishing and tourism industries. Organizations Organizations like: (NOAA Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research) are interested in reports of sightings and would also like to receive specimens in the Gulf of Mexico. The Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) receives online forms about sightings. The dive community professional and recreational also help remove the fish. Opinion Lionfish consume over 50 economically and ecologically important species. Which has a negative effect in the reefs because they eat the fish that feed themselves on the algae, which stops the growing of these on the reefs. They also can have an impact on the biodiversity. I think that the species is a big treat because it does not have as much value to keep destroying. It does not have predators, eats all the important fish, reproduces massively, it’s not consumed much and its only value is in aquariums. It causes more damage than it should and its affecting more important species. . Works Cited Morris, J. A. 2011. "Invasive Lionfish Facts." Silver Spring, MD: NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science. Lasso-Alcalá, Oscar M., and Juan M. Posada. "Presence of the invasive red lionfish, Pterois volitans (Linnaeus, 1758), on the coast of Venezuela, southeastern Caribbean Sea." Aquatic Invasions 5.1 (2010): 53-59. Elise, Simon, et al. "No detectable effect of lionfish (Pterois volitans and P. miles) invasion on a healthy reef fish assemblage in Archipelago Los Roques National Park, Venezuela." Marine biology 162.2 (2015): 319-330.
Purchase answer to see full attachment