In this video, students will learn how the symbiotic relationship between certain plants and a fungus, Curvularia protuberata, allows both organisms to survive in extreme-heat conditions.
Students will learn that scientists believe that fungi might be able to lessen the impacts of climate change on food crops.
Teaching Tips
Positives
This video shows why biodiversity is so important for living systems, particularly if environmental conditions are changing or becoming more extreme.
The resource includes links to related articles.
A full transcript of the video is available.
Additional Prerequisites
Students should have some basic knowledge about cells and microorganisms.
Differentiation
Teachers could use the transcript to create discussion questions or a quiz.
Science classes could use this video for lessons about symbiotic relationships, decomposition, the carbon cycle, photosynthesis, homeostasis, or biogeochemical cycles.
Other resources on this topic include this video on interdependent relationships in ecosystems, this Hot Mess video on humans and the environment, and this Vox video on the race to preserve endangered foods.
Scientist Notes
This resource presents a novel research, the discovery is particularly important to build plant resilience to respond to droughts and heat stress conditions. Although more research is needed for replications and scientific validations, the resource is ideal for classroom.
Standards
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
HS-ESS3-4 Evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems.
LS2: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
MS-LS2-2 Construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among organisms across multiple ecosystems.
HS-LS2-6 Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning that the complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem.
HS-LS2-7 Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.
