Introduction
You've decided to apply for a summer job as student assistant at the
Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife employees and volunteers have been working on
thousands of acres at the refuge to revive plants, insects, birds and
animals that thrived on Iowa's southern plains centuries ago. The staff
is trying to re-create what the prairie looked like in the 1830s before
there were farms and cities in Iowa.
 The
U.S. Fish and Wildlife biologist is looking for a student assistant who
searches, reads and understands information quickly. The first step of
the interview process is a prairie scavenger hunt.
Directions
Working with a partner, read each question about the tallgrass prairie.
Review the list of websites below and select those where you think you
might find the answer. You will need to read carefully to find the answer.
Number a word processing document from 1 to 8 and record your answers.
| Useful Tip: If you are using Netscape, under the "File" Menu,
select "New Window" and move it to the right of your screen so that
you can look at the questions while you are searching for information.
|
Questions
- Why is plant diversity important to the ecosystem of a tallgrass prairie?
- How does plant dominance affect the tallgrass prairie?
- Why are bison significant in the history of tall grass prairies?
- Why have the number of prairie dogs and bison diminished over the
years and how has this affected other wildlife?
- How did fires renew the tallgrass prairie?
- What's the importance of the enormous root system of some prairie
plants?
- Why are controlled burns an important part of prairie conservation
efforts today?
- How can you make a difference with prairie conservation efforts?
Internet Resources
 The
Vanishing Prairie
Plants on the Prairie
Animals on the Prairie
Prairie Grass Management
Prairie Preservation
|
Quick
Facts
