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Students survey biocontrol agents in the field and examine the damage they cause to weeds.

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

  • Identify biocontrol agents for gorse and broom.
  • Use appropriate methods to sample biocontrol agents.
  • Record observations and manipulate data about biocontrol agents found in the field.
  • Make informed guesses aboutthe probable impact of biocontrol agents based on observations.

Suggested prior lessons

  • What is a weed?
  • Choose your weapon
  • Adventures in biocontrol

Curriculum Connections

Science, levels 5-8

Vocabulary/Concepts

carrying capacity, density dependent factors, density independent factors, exponential growth, logistic growth, population,sample.

Time

1-3 hr in the field, plus possible 1 hr classroom follow-up

Materials

  • clipboards / pencils
  • paper or data sheets
  • Gorse and broom biocontrol agents handouts
  • calculators (optional)

Resources