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A Collective Effort to Help Eelgrass Adapt to Climate Change
Provided by: The Nature Conservancy |Published on: January 29, 2024
Articles/Websites
9101112AP
Synopsis
This article and video discuss current research studying the resiliency of different eelgrass populations in a changing climate in hopes of restoring eelgrass populations along the coast of Long Island.
Students will learn about this effective carbon sink, which provides an essential habitat for marine species and many ecosystem services, and how human impacts threaten it.
This article includes examples of similar research related to assisted migration and geographic variation in species, providing excellent options for further study.
The video describes the issues facing eelgrass succinctly and shows the duties of a marine science researcher.
Since eelgrass is an important carbon sink, this could lead to a conversation about prioritizing ecosystems for protection and restoration in a rapidly changing climate.
Additional Prerequisites
Students should be familiar with basic ecological terms and concepts such as species range, migration, tolerance, growing conditions, genetic diversity, carbon sinks, and different geographic populations of species.
Differentiation
Have students watch the video in pairs before reading the article, and have them write down and discuss two things they would like to learn more about.
Consider reading the article as a class with a map of Long Island pulled up on the board and stop after every few paragraphs to discuss.
Ask students if they think common gardens are an effective solution for finding heat-tolerant eelgrass variants and if researchers could use citizen scientists to help with eelgrass restoration.
Scientist Notes
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About the Partner Provider
The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is a global environmental nonprofit working to create a world where people and nature can thrive. The Nature Conservancy has grown to become one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world.
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