|
An ecosystem is defined as a place having unique physical features,
encompassing air, water, and land, and habitats supporting plant
and animal life. EPA protects ecosystems through regulations and
voluntary programs that reduce pollution. Protecting an ecosystem
like a watershed means considering all pollution sources and habitats.
On this page you can learn about different ecosystems and strategies
for restoring them, as well as the effects of pollution.
About
Estuaries
What is an estuary? Why are estuaries important? Why protect estuaries? Learn
the answers to these questions and more on this in-depth, easy to understand
website. Includes links to sites on related material.
www.epa.gov/nep/about1.htm
Adopt Your Watershed
Learn about what groups in your area are doing to protect watersheds, and find
out how you can help.
www.epa.gov/adopt
America's Wetlands
This site will give you a better understanding of the rich variety of wetlands,
their importance, how they are threatened, and what can be done to conserve
them for future generations.
www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/vital/toc.html
Animals and Plants in the Chesapeake
Bay 
The Chesapeake Bay and its surrounding watershed provide the ideal habitat
for many plant and animal species. Learn about the diverse inhabitants of this
ecosystem and examine environmental indicators and data related to the Bay.
www.chesapeakebay.net/baybio.htm
Chesapeake Bay Program
The Chesapeake Bay Program is a regional partnership that directs and conducts
the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the United
States.
www.chesapeakebay.net/program.htm
Conservation of Marine
Mammals and Endangered Species
Learn what the National Marine Fisheries Service is doing to protect animals
that live in the sea.
www.nmfs.noaa.gov/prot_res/prot_res.html
Coral Reef Protection
This site explores why coral reefs are important and what is being done to
protect them.
www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/coral/about.html
Ecosystem Exhibits
Here you can view beautiful pictures of ecosystems throughout the United States.
You will also learn about the endangered species that inhabit these areas.
endangered.fws.gov/esysgal.html
Great Lakes Ecopages
This site provides information on the biodiversity of the Great Lakes and the
partnerships and habitat restoration techniques being implemented to conserve
Great Lakes biodiversity.
www.epa.gov/glnpo/ecopage
Journey
to Planet Earth
A PBS educational program that explores the fragile relationship between people
and the world we inhabit. Includes videos, teaching guides and internet resource
links.
http://www.pbs.org/journeytoplanetearth/
Nature Net
Detailed materials about natural resources that the National Park Service maintains,
including biology, geology, air, and water. Includes issues related to
wetlands, coral reefs, and other aquatic ecosystems.
www.nature.nps.gov
NOAA Education Web Site
Explore this site to find the information you need about weather, climate change,
estuaries, and oceans. You'll find activities, background information,
and much more!
www.education.noaa.gov
Research Vessel Lake Guardian
on the Great Lakes
This site provides information on research that is being done on this vessel
to help solve environmental problems not only in the Great Lakes but in fresh
waters throughout the world.
www.epa.gov/glnpo/guard/ship.html
Southwest Florida Water Management District Interactive Education
Resources
Great virtual, interactive field trips that will help you to teach
about wetlands and watersheds. Explore Florida's Green Swamp, Hillsborough
River and Springs Coast Watershed. Includes lots of other neat
resources too such as educational tabloids, teacher's guides, and
comprehensive educational kits.
www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/infoed/educators/interactive.htm
Stream
Corridor Project
This site provides an explanation of the structure of streams and their role
in the environment. It also discusses stream restoration.
www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/wacademy/acad2000/stream
Surf Your Watershed
A service to help you locate, use, and share environmental information on your
watershed or community.
www.epa.gov/surf
Virtual Watershed
Tour
Learn about and view photographs of watersheds on this informative virtual
tour.
ohiowatersheds.osu.edu/cbwm/virtualwatershed
Visualizing the Great Lakes: Images of
a Region
This site offers images representing topical issues surrounding the Great Lakes
and the environment.
www.epa.gov/glnpo/image
Watershed Academy
2000 Self Test
Take a test to help you learn about stream corridor restoration.
www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/wacademy/frans/fran.htm
World Water
Monitoring Day
World Water Monitoring Day helps watershed leaders, educators and trained volunteers
to educate students and citizens how the actions of individuals in a watershed
can impact environmental quality and human health.
www.worldwatermonitoringday.org
Animals
and Plants in the Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay and its surrounding watershed provide the ideal habitat
for many plant and animal species. Learn about the diverse inhabitants of this
ecosystem and examine environmental indicators and data related to the Bay.
www.chesapeakebay.net/baybio.htm
Environmental Inquiry
Developed by Cornell University to help students conduct environmental science
research and participate in communities of fellow student scientists.
ei.cornell.edu/student
EPA Environmental Indicators Initiative
Reports on the status of and trends in environmental conditions
and their impacts on human health and the nation's natural resources.
/www.epa.gov/indicators
Global Water Sampling
Project
A collaborative project that allows participants to compare water quality of
local water streams, lakes, etc. with other fresh water sources around the
world.
www.ciese.org/curriculum/waterproj
World Water
Monitoring Day
World Water Monitoring Day helps watershed leaders, educators and trained volunteers
to educate students and citizens how the actions of individuals in a watershed
can impact environmental quality and human health.
www.worldwatermonitoringday.org
Acid
Rain Source Book
This site is a student source book on acid rain, including information on the
causes and effects of acid rain and how to measure it. Science experiments
and things you can do to learn more about acid rain are also included.
www.epa.gov/airmarkets/acidrain
Cleanup for Kids
NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) designed this site to
teach you about oil spills and other hazardous chemical accidents. You
will find information about how oil spills can occur and how NOAA works
to help clean them up. You'll also find experiments you can do to demonstrate
the hazards of oil spills.
response.restoration.noaa.gov/kids/kids.html
Environmental Effects of
Acid Rain
Fact sheets that define acid rain, its causes, and its effects on our planet.
www.epa.gov/airmarkt/acidrain/effects
Global
Warming/Climate Change
All about global warming -- what it is, what it can do, and what's being done
about it.
yosemite.epa.gov/oar/globalwarming.nsf/content
Oil Spill Learning Center
Learn about oil behavior, how to clean up oil, and the effects of an oil spill.
In addition, you will find image files and experiments for all ages.
www.epa.gov/oilspill/eduhome.htm
Science of the Earth System
Learn about the questions NASA is researching on earth science, including how
the global ecosystems are changing.
www.earth.nasa.gov/science
Animals
and Plants in the Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay and its surrounding watershed provide the ideal habitat
for many plant and animal species. Learn about the diverse inhabitants of this
ecosystem and examine environmental indicators and data related to the Bay.
www.chesapeakebay.net/baybio.htm
BirdCast
Funded by EPA, BirdCast is an exciting new collaboration that enables anyone
to track migrating birds as they move through the Mid-Atlantic region.
www.birdsource.org/birdcast.html
Conservation of Marine
Mammals and Endangered Species
Learn what the National Marine Fisheries Service is doing to protect animals
that live in the sea.
www.nmfs.noaa.gov/prot_res/prot_res.html
Coral Reef Protection
This site explores why coral reefs are important and what is being done to
protect them.
http://www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/coral/about.html
Creature Features
This site will provide you with information on numerous endangered and threatened
species. You can find detailed summaries, as well as drawings and photographs.
endangered.fws.gov/kids/spp_mnth.htm
Ecosystem Exhibits
Here you can view beautiful pictures of ecosystems throughout the United States.
You will also learn about the endangered species that inhabit these areas.
endangered.fws.gov/esysgal.html
Endangered Species Program
Link to the Endangered Species Act (which is administered by the Fish and Wildlife
Service) as well as information and educational materials on endangered
and threatened species.
endangered.fws.gov
Frogwatch
This website explains the role of amphibians in our ecosystem and how they
are affected by our changing world. It provides information about volunteering
and educational opportunities.
www.nwf.org/frogwatchUSA
National Marine Fisheries
Service Office of Protected Resources
Learn what this office of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
is doing to protect marine mammals and endangered species.
www.nmfs.noaa.gov/prot_res/prot_res.html
Resources to Learn More About Endangered
Species
From the Fish and Wildlife Service, a list of materials that may give you some
ideas to help a species near you get on its road to recovery, because recovery
is the ultimate goal for each threatened and endangered species.
endangered.fws.gov/education
Tour
of the Biomes
Do you know how rainy a rain forest is? Or how dry is a desert? This is your
chance to find out, and also to learn what kinds of plants and animals make
their homes in these, and other, places.
www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/biomes.html
Wildlife Fact Sheets
From the Fish and Wildlife Service, basic information about species of regular
public interest.
species.fws.gov
Adopt
Your Watershed
Learn about what groups in your area are doing to protect watersheds, and find
out how you can help.
www.epa.gov/adopt/
America's Wetlands
This site will give you a better understanding of the rich variety of wetlands,
their importance, how they are threatened, and what can be done to conserve
them for future generations.
www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/vital/toc.html
American
Forests
From the U.S. Forest Service comes this Primer on Forest Ecosystem Health,
focusing on seven general concerns including loss of biodiversity and pollution.
www.fs.fed.us/foresthealth/fh_update/update97/primer.html
Animals and Plants in the Chesapeake
Bay
The Chesapeake Bay and its surrounding watershed provide the ideal habitat
for many plant and animal species. Learn about the diverse inhabitants of this
ecosystem and examine environmental indicators and data related to the Bay.
www.chesapeakebay.net/baybio.htm
Ecosystem Exhibits
Here you can view beautiful pictures of ecosystems throughout the United States.
You will also learn about the endangered species that inhabit these areas.
endangered.fws.gov/esysgal.html
Journey
to Planet Earth
A PBS educational program that explores the fragile relationship between people
and the world we inhabit. Includes videos, teaching guides and internet resource
links.
http://www.pbs.org/journeytoplanetearth/
Nature Net
Detailed materials about natural resources that the National Park Service maintains,
including biology, geology, air, and water. Water topics include issues
related to wetlands, water quality, water rights, and water resources planning/conservation.
www.nature.nps.gov/
Prairie
Information from Fermilab
Web sites about prairies, sources of seeds and restoration tips, general agricultural
information and virtual weather.
www-ed.fnal.gov/ntep/f98/projects/fnal/student/bkgrd.shtml
Southwest
Florida Water Management District Interactive Education Resources
Great virtual, interactive field trips that will help you to
teach about wetlands and watersheds. Explore Florida's Green Swamp,
Hillsborough River and Springs Coast Watershed. Includes lots of
other neat resources too such as educational tabloids, teacher's
guides, and comprehensive educational kits.
www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/infoed/educators/interactive.htm
Surf Your Watershed
A service to help you locate, use, and share environmental information on your
watershed or community.
www.epa.gov/surf/
Tour of
the Biomes
Do you know how rainy a rain forest is? Or how dry is a desert? This is your
chance to find out, and also to learn what kinds of plants and animals make
their homes in these, and other, places.
www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/biomes.html
Virtual Watershed
Tour
Learn about watersheds on this informative virtual tour.
ohiowatersheds.osu.edu/cbwm/virtualwatershed/
Watershed Academy
2000 Self Test
Take a test to help you learn about stream corridor restoration.
www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/wacademy/frans/fran.htm
The Alaska
Native Knowledge Network: Sustainable Resource Management
The Alaska Native Knowledge Network is designed to serve as a resource for compiling
and exchanging information related to Alaska Native knowledge systems and ways
of knowing. The resources at this site provide examples of how Alaska Native
knowledge systems can contribute to the sustainable management of Alaska's natural
resources and ways in which schools can participate in that effort.
http://www.ankn.uaf.edu/resmgmt.html
The Alaska Native Knowledge Network: Traditional Ecological Knowledge
The Alaska Native Knowledge Network is designed to serve as a resource for compiling and exchanging information related to Alaska Native knowledge systems and ways of knowing. This site provides documentation related to the ways in which Native people acquire and utilize knowledge related to the ecological system in which they are situated.
http://www.ankn.uaf.edu/tek.html
Animals
and Plants in the Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay and its surrounding watershed provide the ideal habitat
for many plant and animal species. Learn about the diverse inhabitants of this
ecosystem and examine environmental indicators and data related to the Bay.
www.chesapeakebay.net/baybio.htm
Creature
Features
This site provides information on numerous endangered and threatened species.
You can find detailed summaries, as well as drawings and photographs.
endangered.fws.gov/kids/spp_mnth.htm
Ecosystem Exhibits
Here you can view beautiful pictures of ecosystems throughout the United States.
You will also learn about the endangered species that inhabit these areas.
endangered.fws.gov/esysgal.html
Endangered Species Program
Link to the Endangered Species Act (which is administered by the Fish and Wildlife
Service) as well as information and educational materials on endangered
and threatened species.
endangered.fws.gov
Surf Your Watershed
A service to help you locate, use, and share environmental information on your
watershed or community.
www.epa.gov/surf
Virtual
Watershed Tour
Learn about and view photographs of watersheds on this informative tour.
ohiowatersheds.osu.edu/cbwm/virtualwatershed
Visualizing the Great Lakes: Images of
a Region
This site offers images representing topical issues surrounding the Great Lakes
and the environment.
www.epa.gov/glnpo/image
|
