Earth and Environmental Science - Module 4 - Human impacts

Inquiry questions

Outcomes:

Content:

Cross Curriculum Priorities:

• Sustainability

Activity 1 - Abiotic components of the ecosystem 

Students use scientific field testing equipment to assess various abiotic parameters of the local ecosystem.

Activity 2 - Vegetation transect and habitat assessment 

Students use our site-specific dichotomous key iBook to identify plant species and graph them along a transect. Students conduct a habitat assessment of the local ecosystem.

Activity 3 - Nest box camera survey

Students use a map and GPS to navigate to a selection of our species-specific nest boxes. They then use innovative remote cameras to view inside nest boxes and record use or evidence of use.

Activity 4 - Camera traps and human impacts

Students view, analyse and record footage from our wildlife camera traps and conduct a human impacts assessment of the bush. If time allows, students can upload data to the Atlas of Living Australia citizen science database.

Pre and post-excursion lessons are available in the student workbook (link below).

Your task is:

• to create a specific inquiry question relating to the impact of foxes on the Australian environment.
• predict/hypothesise the outcome of your field study based on your research of fox populations on native fauna
• complete a firsthand investigation as part of a field trip to collect primary and secondary data.
• process and analyse the data to help solve the problem presented by your inquiry question.
• communicate your scientific findings using a medium of your choice.

Pre-excursion tasks

The pre-excursion tasks are found on page 3 of the worksheet. The links below will assist in the completion of these tasks.

Human Impacts

• Download a glossary of ecological terms
• Invasive species strategy

Red Fox information

• Pests and weeds – Foxes
• Foxes and tiger quolls
• Fox threat abatement plan 2010
• Fox biology, impact and management
  
• Management concerns – 1080 poison

The study site

The site is located at Sackville North on a ridge above the Hawkesbury River.  The natural vegetation of the area has been modified by farming practices, school buildings and rural residential properties.

The land was originally inhabited by the Darug Aboriginal nation and was farmed and hunted using traditional methods for 30-50,000 years.  The Sackville – Windsor area was considered suitable for farming and was settled in 1810.  The vegetation was severely modified following settlement.  This was initially restricted to the flood plain immediately adjacent to the river.

Sackville North Public School was located on the site from 1878-1972. Brewongle Field Studies Centre was opened officially in 1979 after the site was used for camping in the interim. It is now called Brewongle Environmental Education Centre and is a facility that hosts other schools on day and camp visits.

The site has been classified as having the vegetation community of Sydney Sandstone Gully Forest and Shale Sandstone Transition Forest with dominant tree species including Grey Gum (Eucalyptus punctata), and Grey Myrtle (Backhousia myrtifolia).

Utilise the Google Map to help you.

Student Worksheet     

Assessment Task     

You can view your data and other historical Nest Box survey data on the Hollows as Homes website. This may provide you with an idea of animal distribution.

Recent and historical camera trap footage can be viewed on our YouTube channel and flora and fauna observations of Brewongle EEC can be seen on the Atlas of Living Australia website. The fauna observations may assist you as evidence of food for the target species and shows animal distribution.

Download the assessment task depth study EES.