In this lesson, students will study plant growth in soils with different nutrients and physical compositions. By examining data, students will come to understand the effects of nutrient depletion in the Amazon and the impact of tree and plant removal from Amazon soils.

Discipline
Earth and Space Sciences
Grade Level
6-8
9-12
Lesson Type
Lab Experiment
Lesson Keywords
Amazon
nutrient depletion
nutrient
Soil Erosion
slash and burn
Soils and Climate
Soils and Agriculture

Next Generation Science Standards

Grade Discipline Core Idea
6-8 ESS2.A: Earth materials and systems

Energy flows and matter cycles within and among Earth's systems, including the sun and Earth's interior as primary energy sources. Plate tectonics is one result of these processes.

6-8 ESS3.A: Natural resources

Humans depend on Earth's land, ocean, atmosphere, and biosphere for different resources, many of which are limited or not renewable. Resources are distributed unevenly around the planet as a result of past geologic processes.

6-8 ESS3.C: Human impacts on Earth systems

Human activities have altered the biosphere, sometimes damaging it, although changes to environments can have different impacts for different living things. Activities and technologies can be engineered to reduce people's impacts on Earth.

6-8 LS2.A: Interdependent relationships in ecosystems

Organisms and populations are dependent on their environmental interactions both with other living things and with nonliving factors, any of which can limit their growth. Competitive, predatory, and mutually beneficial interactions vary across ecosystems but the patterns are shared.

6-8 LS2.C: Ecosystem dynamics
6-8

Energy flows and matter cycles within and among Earth's systems, including the sun and Earth's interior as primary energy sources. Plate tectonics is one result of these processes.

6-8

Energy flows and matter cycles within and among Earth's systems, including the sun and Earth's interior as primary energy sources. Plate tectonics is one result of these processes.

9-12 ESS2.A: Earth materials and systems

Feedback effects exist within and among Earth's systems.

9-12 ESS3.A: Natural resources

Resource availability has guided the development of human society and use of natural resources has associated costs, risks, and benefits.

9-12 ESS3.C: Human impacts on Earth systems

Sustainability of human societies and the biodiversity that supports them requires responsible management of natural resources, including the development of technologies. 

9-12 LS2.A: Interdependent relationships in ecosystems

Ecosystems have carrying capacities resulting from biotic and abiotic factors. The fundamental tension between resource availability and organism populations affects the abundance of species in any given ecosystem.

9-12 LS2.C: Ecosystem dynamics
9-12

Feedback effects exist within and among Earth's systems.

9-12

Feedback effects exist within and among Earth's systems.