Mussel Contribution to River Ecosystem

In addition to filtering water, the mussel is a keystone species in the Mississippi River, providing critical benefits to the river ecosystem.

Video

Dubuque

MS-LS2-4

Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations

Driving Question

Students could:

Brainstorm how organisms survive and grow in a river ecosystem.
Organize and analyze data showing different populations that live in a river ecosystem.
Make predictions based on data about relationships in a river ecosystem.
Research the history of mussel populations in Iowa's rivers.
Make a hypothesis about any changes in mussel populations in Iowa' rivers.
Compare and contrast changes in river systems with numbers of mussels in Iowa's rivers over time.

PBS LearningMedia | Iowa Land and Sky: Scientists Study Endangered Species in Iowa's Big Sand Mound Nature Preserve: With 510 acres, Big Sand Mound is home to undisturbed prairies, shallow ponds and woodlands, and it has the highest concentration of threatened and endangered species in the state
Nature International Journal of Science | Prepare River Ecosystems for an Uncertain Future: This June 2019 article explains what is happening to river ecosystems and how change can be implemented and sustained.
US Department of Agriculture | Ecosystem Matters: This contains ecosystem curriculum for high school, middle school, and elementary school.
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) | Ecosystem Services: This resource defines ecosystems and explains what researchers are doing to maintain ecosystems.

Submitted by Chantel Karns and Olivia Tebben as part of their Iowa STEM Teacher Externship experience at Iowa PBS.

Media produced for Iowa Land and Sky by Iowa PBS.