Abstract:
Varied biotic and abiotic factors associated with different latitudes fosters biodiversity within a given taxa.  This activity defines what these biotic and abiotic factors are and how they influence biodiversity of a group of organisms.  Students will research the geography and climate of a specific biome and develop a profile of the area.  Using their profile, they will describe its affect on an organism.  The class will choose a taxa by concensus, based upon their preliminary research into the diveristy of life of their chosen biome.

Process:

• Teams of 3-4 will choose a latitude coordinate with a varience of 20 degrees in either the northern or southern hemisphere.
• Identify the specific biome(s) that your latitude includes.
• Your research should include the following:
average rainfall
average temperature
average length of day/season
geography of the biome, (landforms, soil types, water source, topography)
general description of flora and fauna
• Generate a list of interesting organisms found in your biome
• As a class, you will reach concensus of a taxa that will be the concentration for our research efforts.
• In researching your taxa the following characteristics should be included:
size
behavior
reproductive
social
diet
picture/diagram
# of similar groups
niche
unique attributes