488 Natural Resources Systems Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. STEM and Academic Activities 1. Science. Set up a study quadrat to research wildlife species at or near your school. What species of trees, shrubs, grasses, weeds, animals, and insects can you identify? If you do not see living species, what evidence do you have that wildlife has been present in the environment. What could be done to improve the habitat for plants and animals? Report your observations and counts and make comparisons between different study quadrats in your community. 2. Technology. Using aerial approaches to studying wildlife habitat minimizes human-animal interactions. Obtain a small scale drone or contact your local environmental protection agency and obtain aerial pictures of your community. Looking at the pictures, what areas would make good habitat for species and which are at risk? Come up with rationale to determine if your community is good for animals based on these pictures. Explain your reasoning. 3. Engineering. Engineering is extremely important in monitoring animal populations. There are tracking sensors small enough to place on butterfl y wings. Research the history of animal sensors and see how these have changed over time. What is currently being done to make sensors longer lasting and less invasive? 4. Math. Data analysis is one of the keys to determining populations of wildlife. Design an experiment to calculate the population of individuals in your school. Mark a population at the beginning of the day and record the number of students marked. Then take a second sampling counting both the number of marked and unmarked individuals in the second sample. P = M × C R P = Total population M = Number counted and marked in fi rst sample C = Total number counted in second sample R = Number of marked population in the second sample only Have multiple groups run this experiment at the same time. Each group should use different types of marks. Do any groups get close to the total school population? What can be done to make this method more accurate? Does it make a difference if you are researching older or younger wildlife?