The Future of Life, To The Ends Of The Earth
Terms and Concepts: Appreciate what the term "biosphere" means and its fragile position on Earth. Understand how living organisms can survive even under the most hostile conditions. Use the McMurdo dry valley as an example of these extremophile organisms. Understand why Wilson has suggested that these organisms may be involved in the spread of life to or from other planets. Appreciate the significance of the SLIME ecosystem and what this assemblage represents. Know the four principles Wilson states that describe how the number and size of species are distributed in the biosphere. Understand the concept of biodiversity and the relationship of this term to these four principals. Now what the term "Gaia" means and how this term has been used to describe the global interdependence of species and their ecosystems. Understand the differences and similarities between scientist who call themselves "ecologists" or "systematists." Appreciate the work they do and how their work complements one another.
- First Draft Due: 16 October.
- Comments Due: 20 October.
- Final Draft Due: 23 October.
Essay: Write a one-page essay on the following topic. Define the term "ecosystem." Use Wilson's work to formulate your definition. Be sure to use specific examples from the book to support your thesis. Use the McMurdo dry valley and the SLIME community to describe specific examples of an ecosystem. All essays you write for this course must be posted to our class blog.
The McMurdo Dry Valley. Picture from the National Science Foundation, www.nsf.gov
SLIME bacteria growing on rock. From Life Underground by G. Jeffery Taylor in Planetary Science Research Discovery at http://www.psrd.hawaii.edu/Dec96/LifeUnderground.html
