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Cashes Ledge: Jewel of the Gulf of Maine

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How do scientists measure biodiversity? Trek through a tropical rainforest and explore the incredible diversity of species that call it home.

A Video with a Problem-Solving Scenario

In addition to showcasing live footage from a unique ecosystem, each of the three videos in the Exploring Ecosystems series features an opportunity for students to actively participate in a problem-solving scenario based on an ongoing research project of an Academy scientist.

As you watch the video, be prepared to pause at key points to participate fully!
The Tropical Rainforest Diversity video investigates the following questions:

How does the biodiversity within an ecosystem influence the stability of that ecosystem?

How can we make rainforests more resilient to change and human-induced disruptions like deforestation and climate change?

What are the four main layers of the rainforest, and how are the conditions within each allowing certain species to thrive?

Check for Understanding

Which of the three hypothetical rainforest communities was most diverse, and why is that important? Connect your answer to the ideas of species richness and species abundance, being sure to differentiate the two.

Key Scientific Terms

abiotic: non-living

biodiversity: the variety of life on Earth or some other specified geographic region of the planet; the diversity of life occurs at the genetic level, at the species level, at the ecosystem level, and in evolutionary lineages

ecosystem: the community of different species in a particular geographic area and all of their interactions with each other and the physical environment; ecosystems are also called ecological networks

photosynthesis: the process of capturing the energy in sunlight to create energy-rich organic molecules from inorganic molecules; organisms that photosynthesize are called photosynthesizers

species: a distinct type of organism

species richness: the number of different species in a given geographic area

Connections to High School Standards

AP Biology
(1) Justify the selection of mathematical routines to solve problems.
(2) Apply mathematical routines to quantities that describe natural phenomena.
Essential knowledge 4.C.4: The diversity of species within an ecosystem may influence the stability of the ecosystem.
Next Generation Science Standards
DCI: LS2.C: Ecosystem Dynamics, Functioning, and Resilience
Crosscutting Concepts: Patterns; Stability and Change
Science and Engineering Practices: Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking

Related Reading

Weighing the Rainforest
Can you weigh a rainforest? Scientists at the Woods Hole Research Center tell us how they estimate the biomass of rainforests from space in an effort to preserve them.

Toucans in the Forest Ecosystem
From the smallest microbe to the fiercest predator to the tallest tree, each species contributes to making its community healthy. Learn how every organism plays a part in ecosystems.

Enter a kelp forest and explore the various threads that connect species together in food webs.

Dive beneath the ocean waves and explore the unique and diverse relationships found on a coral reef.

Give the gift of science! (Image: penguins, ice, and snowflakes)

Close

Think outside the (gift) box!

Academy memberships fit everyone on your list-and benefit the museum you love.

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Trek through a tropical rainforest and explore the incredible diversity of species that call it home.

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It seems JavaScript is either disabled or not supported by your browser. To view this site, enable JavaScript by changing your browser options and try again.

Jump to main content

How do changes in the ecosystem effect the community? Enter a kelp forest and explore the various threads that connect species together in food webs.

A Video with a Problem-Solving Scenario

In addition to showcasing live footage from a unique ecosystem, each of the three videos in the Exploring Ecosystems series features an opportunity for students to actively participate in a problem-solving scenario based on an ongoing research project of an Academy scientist.

As you watch the video, be prepared to pause at key points to participate fully!
The Coastal Food Web video investigates the following questions:

How do you predict the effects of a change in the community's populations on the community as a whole?

How will a change in an ecosystem affect energy flow, nutrient cycling, population growth, or community structure?

How will loss of an organism from a food chain or web affect flow of energy?

Check for Understanding

Describe two concrete examples of community interactions, being sure to describe the relationships between species.

Key Scientific Terms

community: two or more different species occupying the same geographical area and interacting in some way

ecosystem: the community of different species in a particular geographic area and all of their interactions with each other and the physical environment; ecosystems are also called ecological networks

herbivore: an animal that eats plants; also called a primary consumer

population: all the individuals of a particular species that live in a specific geographic area; a species may be made up of one or more populations

predator: an organism that hunts, catches, kills, and eats other animals

prey: an organism that is caught, killed and eaten by a predator

species: a distinct type of organism

Remember: Food Webs are Dynamic

There are many different ways the removal of sea otters could impact species in the food web featured in the video. The example shown is meant to represent just one of those potential trophic cascade scenarios.

When discussing with your students, encourage them to think about the complexity of food webs, which are formed and impacted by a multitude of abiotic and biotic factors. As such, each time the system is disturbed, a different result may occur. That's not to say scientists can't make conclusions based on data, such as the classic example presented in this video: when a top predator like the sea otter is removed we know that sea urchin populations explode and their predation reduces kelp populations.

If you'd like to know more about the example shown in the video, check out this scientific paper by Steneck et al., which Academy educators used as a reference for the content in the video.

Connections to High School Standards

AP Biology

LO 4.13: The student is able to predict the effects of a change in the community's populations on the community.

(1) Interpreting graphs and other quantitative data that represent community and ecosystem interactions.

(2) Reading curves that represent community interactions (e.g., predator-prey) and using them to infer relationships between species.

(1) Working with ecological models and using them to predict how a change in an ecosystem will affect energy flow, nutrient cycling, population growth, or community structure.

(2) Predicting how loss of an organism from a food chain or web will affect flow of energy.

Next Generation Science Standards

DCI: LS2.C: Ecosystem Dynamics, Functioning, and Resilience

Crosscutting Concepts: Energy and Matter; Stability and Change; Systems and System Models

S cience and Engineering Practices: Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking; Using Models

Trek through a tropical rainforest and explore the incredible diversity of species that call it home.

Dive beneath the ocean waves and explore the unique and diverse relationships found on a coral reef.

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Year-End Resilience Drive

All Gifts Matched 5x!

This year's closures are having a devastating effect on the Academy. But until Dec. 31, all gifts will be matched 5x, up to $200,000, to support our scientific research, education programs, and care and conservation of our animals.

Please help the Academy with a tax-deductible gift today.

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Year-End Resilience Drive

All Gifts Matched!

This year's closures are having a devastating effect on the Academy. But until Dec. 31, all gifts will be matched, up to $100,000, to support our scientific research, education programs, and care and conservation of our animals.

Please help the Academy with a tax-deductible gift today.

Match my gift

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Our doors are closed...

...but our penguins are still counting on you. Make a matched Giving Tuesday gift to support the care and conservation of the Academy's animal residents.

All gifts up to $50,000 will be doubled to make twice the impact for our penguin colony - but only until midnight on December 1.

Match My Gift

Learn more about our closure.

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Welcome back!

The Academy is open to the public. All guests must reserve tickets in advance.

Please do your part to keep our community safe. Failure to follow any health and safety rules, posted signage, or staff instructions may result in your removal from the museum:

Masks must be worn properly by all guests ages 3+ at all times.

6' of physical distancing is required.

Some exhibits, including the planetarium, remain temporarily closed.

Reservations are required for the rainforest and Shake House.

Click the link below to view complete safety information and reserve timed-entry tickets. We hope to see you soon!

Ready, Set, Science!

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The Academy is temporarily closed.

The health and safety of our guests and staff is our top priority. In accordance with local and state public health guidelines, the Academy is closed to the public until further notice. We look forward to welcoming you back soon.

Learn more Make a gift

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Enter a kelp forest and explore the various threads that connect species together in food webs.

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3 Animals That Keep Their Whole Ecosystem Together

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Salt marshes: Nature’s ‘guardians of the coast’

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Claw Size and Competition: Behaviors of Male Fiddler Crabs | PBS LearningMedia

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Learn about competitive behaviors in fiddler crabs, and see how claw size seems to shape where crabs choose to burrow and who to call a friend or foe in this resource from the series NATURE. Additional support materials are available, including discussion questions, vocabulary, and activities to help expand students' knowledge of animal behavior and natural selection.

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Trophic Cascades in Salt Marsh Ecosystems | HHMI BioInteractive Video

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Countless women have played pivotal roles in the study and protection of the environment. Read on to learn about 12 women who have worked tirelessly to protect the world's trees, ecosystems, animals, and atmosphere.

Wangari Maathai

If you love trees, then thank Wangari Maathai for her dedication to planting them. Maathai is almost single-handedly responsible for bringing trees back to the Kenyan landscape.

In the 1970s, Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement, encouraging Kenyans to replant trees that had been cut down for firewood, farm use or plantations. Through her work planting trees, she also became an advocate for women's rights, prison reform, and projects to combat poverty.

In 2004, Maathai became the first African woman and the first environmentalist to win the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to protect the environment.

Eileen Kampakuta Brown and Eileen Wani Wingfield

In the mid-1990s, Australian Aboriginal elders Eileen Kampakuta Brown and Eileen Wani Wingfield led the fight against the Australian government to prevent the dumping of nuclear waste in Southern Australia.

Brown and Wingfield galvanized other women in their community to form the Kupa Piti Kung ka Tjuta Cooper Pedy Women's Council which spearheaded the anti-nuclear campaign.

Brown and Wingfield won the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2003 in recognition of their success at stopping a multi-billion dollar planned nuclear dump.

Susan Solomon

In 1986, Dr. Susan Solomon was a desk-bound theoretician working for NOAA when she embarked upon an exhibition to investigate the possible ozone hole over Antarctica. Solomon's research played a vital role in ozone hole research and the understanding that the hole was caused by human production and the use of chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons.

Terrie Williams

Dr. Terrie Williams is a professor of Biology at the University of California at Santa Cruz. Throughout her career, she has focused on studying large predators both in marine environments and on land.

Williams is possibly best known for her work developing research and computer modeling systems that have allowed ecologists to better understand dolphins and other marine mammals.

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Countless women have played pivotal roles in the study and protection of the environment. Read on to learn about 12 women who have worked tirelessly to protect the world's trees, ecosystems, animals, and atmosphere. If you love trees, then thank Wangari Maathai for her dedication to planting them.

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Why I Do Science: Edward O. Wilson - KQED QUEST

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Silent Spring Summary (Animated) — The Book That Single-Handedly Started an Environmental Revolution

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It seems JavaScript is either disabled or not supported by your browser. To view this site, enable JavaScript by changing your browser options and try again.

Jump to main content

How do species interact on a coral reef? Dive beneath the ocean waves and explore the unique and diverse relationships found on a coral reef.

A Video with a Problem-Solving Scenario

In addition to showcasing live footage from a unique ecosystem, each of the three videos in the Exploring Ecosystems series features an opportunity for students to actively participate in a problem-solving scenario based on an ongoing research project of an Academy scientist.

As you watch the video, be prepared to pause at key points to participate fully!
The Coral Reef Symbiosis video investigates the following questions:

How do species interact on a coral reef?

What are the effects of abiotic and biotic interactions?

How do these interactions influence patterns of distribution and abundance within this ecosystem as a whole?

Check for Understanding

Describe two concrete examples of mutualistic relationships found on a coral reef, being sure to describe what each organism gets out of the deal.

Key Scientific Terms

abiotic: non-living

commensalism: a type of symbiosis where one organism benefits and the other is not affected in a positive or a negative way

ecosystem: the community of different species in a particular geographic area and all of their interactions with each other and the physical environment

mutualism: a type of symbiosis where both organisms benefit

parasitism: a type of symbiosis where one organism (the parasite) benefits and the other (the host) is harmed

symbiosis: a long-term relationship or interaction between individuals from two different types of species; the symbiotic relationship has a positive, negative or neutral impact on the participants

Connections to High School Standards

AP Biology

EK 4.A.5: Communities are composed of populations of organisms that interact in complex ways.

EK 2.D.1: All biological systems are affected by complex biotic and abiotic interactions.

Next Generation Science Standards

DCI: LS2.C: Ecosystem Dynamics, Functioning, and Resilience

Crosscutting Concepts: Cause and Effect; Stability and Change

Science and Engineering Practices:Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking

Related Reading

Cleaner Wrasses
​In this brief article by Luiz Rocha, the scientist featured in the video, you'll learn why these fish are known as the "nurses" of the sea!

Ecosystems and Ecological Networks
In this extensive article from our Biodiversity course, you'll dive deeper into a variety of common ecological interactions, such as predation, competition, and symbiosis.

Enter a kelp forest and explore the various threads that connect species together in food webs.

Trek through a tropical rainforest and explore the incredible diversity of species that call it home.

Give the gift of science! (Image: penguins, ice, and snowflakes)

Close

Think outside the (gift) box!

Academy memberships fit everyone on your list-and benefit the museum you love.

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Exploring Ecosystems: Coral Reef Symbiosis

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Dive beneath the ocean waves and explore the unique and diverse relationships found on a coral reef.

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Effect of Extra Nutrients on Salt Marshes

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Effect of Extra Nutrients on Salt Marshes

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Fiddler crabs and their above-ground sedimentary structures [Portuguese subtitle & 日本語字幕]

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The case of the vanishing honeybees - Emma Bryce

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Warming temperatures have devastating impact on coral reefs

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First Look at Jane | National Geographic

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Women in Science | National Geographic https://youtu.be/kUqIrVWilmg National Geographic https://www.youtube.com/natgeo Sylvia Earle & Simran

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In Her Words: Sylvia Earle on Women in Science | National Geographic

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Read the article on National Geographic News : http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2013/06/14/in-her-words-sylvia-earle-on-women-in-science/ ➡ Subscribe: http://bit.ly/NatGeoSubscribe About National Geographic: National Geographic is the world's premium destination for science, exploration, and adventure. Through their world-class scientists, photographers, journalists, and filmmakers, Nat Geo gets you closer to the stories that matter and past the edge of what's possible.

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Pistol Shrimp and Gobi Fish Team Up to Elude Giant Eel

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How Cleaner Shrimp Evolved to Clean Fish

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Pearlfish hides inside a sea cucumber - Natural World 2016: Episode 2 Preview - BBC

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Shark Suckers (HD) | JONATHAN BIRD'S BLUE WORLD

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Decorator Crabs Make High Fashion at Low Tide | Deep Look

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Incredible footage of hermit crab changing shells with anemones!

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Titan Triggerfish Aggressively Defends Coral Reef | Wild Thailand | BBC Earth