This activity explores the concepts and research presented in the short film From Ants to Grizzlies: A General Rule for Saving Biodiversity, which explores the species-area relationship and its applications for conservation.

The species-area relationship is a general ecological principle, or “rule,” that describes how the number of species in a habitat changes with area. This film demonstrates how this knowledge has been applied to the conservation of protected areas and highlights the work of several scientists: Edward Wilson and Daniel Simberloff, who tested the species-area relationship on mangrove islands; Kellen Gilbert, who studied how this relationship applies to forest fragments in the Amazon; and Jodi Hilty and Whisper Camel-Means, who are working to connect the fragmented habitats of large mammals.

The “Student Handout” probes students’ understanding of the key concepts addressed in the film. The “Educator Materials” document provides suggested pause points in the film with questions for students, background information, and detailed discussion points; a list of related resources and references; and an answer key for the “Student Handout.”

The “Resource Google Folder” link directs to a Google Drive folder of resource documents in the Google Docs format. Not all downloadable documents for the resource may be available in this format. The Google Drive folder is set as “View Only”; to save a copy of a document in this folder to your Google Drive, open that document, then select File → “Make a copy.” These documents can be copied, modified, and distributed online following the Terms of Use listed in the “Details” section below, including crediting BioInteractive.