| Key Concepts | Key Skills/Competencies | Standards/Eligible Content |
|---|---|---|
| Air, soil, water, and indoor pollution affect human health in a variety of ways. | ||
| Wetlands play an important part in pollution control, water quality and human health issues. | ||
| The misuse of natural resources can negatively affect the sustainability of society. | ||
| There are costs and benefits associated with cleaning up contaminants. | ||
| Diverse biomes exist in Pennsylvania. | ||
| The biotic and abiotic components within an ecosystem interact. | ||
| Organisms have specific roles in ecosystems. | ||
| Specific habitat management practices influence the success or failure of species. | ||
| Scientists use specific criteria to categorize organisms as threatened, endangered or extinct. | ||
| Scientists use a variety of physical, chemical and biological parameters to determine water quality. | ||
| Land use within a particular watershed will influence water quality. | ||
| A wide variety of wetland types exist within Pennsylvania. | ||
| Wetlands serve a number of beneficial functions for humans, plants, animals, and the environment as a whole. | ||
| Watershed boundaries can include a variety of habitats, ecosystems, and human influences. | ||
| Biotic and abiotic components within a habitat change, or differ, based on their location and topography. | ||
| Natural and human events can affect aquatic, terrestrial, and wetland environments in a variety of ways. | ||
| Organisms within an ecosystem interact with other biotic components, abiotic components and within populations. | ||
| Abiotic components are critically important for maintaining an ecosystem’s homeostasis. | ||
| Limiting factors affect the carrying capacity of an ecosystem. | ||
| Ecosystems and their components change over time. | ||
| A variety of cycles exist within an ecosystem and each helps maintain balance within the ecosystem. | ||
| Every living organism is uniquely suited to fulfill a role within its ecosystem. | ||
| Biological diversity directly impacts the stability of an ecosystem. | ||
| Species must be able to adapt to changes within their ecosystem in order to survive. | ||
| The degree of specialization of a species can cause it to become threatened, endangered, or extinct. | ||
| Animal species can be classified as generalists or specialists in their eating habits. | ||
| Habitat destruction can lead to species loss or termination. | ||
| The intervention of humans has influenced the survival of species through management practices. | ||
| Human endeavors and changes in natural cycles have caused species to become threatened, endangered, or extinct. | ||
| Environmental laws and regulations have been implemented in an attempt to protect species diversity. | ||
| Human health is affected by pollution. | ||
| Pollution sources can be categorized as either point or non-point. | ||