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Serengeti: Nature’s Living Laboratory

Topic

  • Ecology
  • Populations
  • Communities
  • Ecosystems

Resource Type

  • Videos
  • Short Films

Level

High School — GeneralHigh School — AP/IBCollege

Duration

00:39:45
Saved By
52 Users
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Description

This film explores the foundational research in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, that uncovered many of the ecological principles that govern how animal populations and communities are regulated.

This is the story of how ecologists Tony Sinclair, Simon Mduma, and Grant Hopcraft spent five decades piecing together the mystery of what makes the Serengeti the way it is and the central role wildebeest play. The film is divided into three main chapters. Chapter 1 explores the phenomenon of the sudden increase in wildebeest and buffalo populations and connects to the concepts of top-down and bottom-up regulation and carrying capacity. Chapter 2 explores how migration allows wildebeest to reach enormous numbers. Chapter 3 explores how wildebeest indirectly affect many other components of the ecosystem, making them a keystone species. The film can be watched in its entirety or as standalone chapters.

An audio descriptive version of the film is available via our media player.

Key Terms

bottom-up regulation, buffalo, carrying capacity, keystone species, migration, population dynamics, rinderpest, top-down regulation, trophic cascade, wildebeest

Terms of Use

Please see the Terms of Use for information on how this resource can be used.

Accessibility Level (WCAG compliance)

PDF files meet criteria. Video files meet criteria.

Version History

Date Published 10.08.19
Date Updated 10.21.19

NGSS (2013)

HS-LS2.A, HS-LS2.C, HS-LS2.D

AP Biology (2019)

ENE-4, SYI-1, SYI-2, SYI-3

IB Biology (2016)

4.1, C.1, C.2, C.5

AP Environmental Science (2020)

Topic(s): 1.1, 1.11, 2.5, 2.7, 3.4, 3.5

IB Environmental Systems and Societies (2017)

2.1, 2.2, 2.5

Vision and Change (2009)

CC5

Materials

Download HD (M4V) 1.5 GB
Download HD (WMV) 1.25 GB
Download SD (M4V) 330 MB
Download SD (WMV) 338 MB
Download Transcript (PDF) 278 KB

Use This Resource With

Activity Resource
Population Regulation in the Serengeti
Activity Resource
Wildebeest Populations
Interactive Media Resource
Interactive Video Builder
Activity Resource
Investigating Science Practices in Serengeti: Nature’s Living Laboratory
Activity Resource
Using Three-Dimensional Learning Cards in the Science Classroom

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