Analyzing Patterns in the

Savanna L andscape Scientists at Work

Student Worksheet

OVERVIEW

This worksheet complements the short video “Analyzing Patterns in the Savanna Landscape” from the Scientists

at Work series.

PROCEDURE

1. Prior to watching the film, read the questions below. 2. Watch the film. 3. If working with a partner or in a small group, discuss and answer the questions below. If working alone,

think about and answer the questions below.

QUESTIONS

1. Patterns occur regularly in nature. List three examples of patterns found in nature:

2. Provide one piece of evidence from the film to support each of these claims:

a. Termite mounds enhance ecosystem productivity.

b. Termite mounds enhance ecosystem stability.

3. Technology has changed the way scientists do research. Provide two pieces of evidence from the film to support the claim that “Technology is crucial for Dr. Tarnita’s ecological patterns research in Gorongosa National Park.”

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Scientists at Work Patterns in the Savanna Landscape Analyzing Student Worksheet

4. The following photo is a portion of the savanna showing a Voronoi diagram overlaid on a landscape of termite mounds:

a. Using a magic marker, place a dot in the center of 20 random mounds that don’t touch the edge of

the figure.

b. For each mound you marked, count the number of neighbors and record the data in this table. Be

sure to keep track of which mounds you have and have not counted.

Mound Number of Neighbors

Mound Number of Neighbors

Mound Number of Neighbors

Mound Number of Neighbors

1 6 11 16

2 7 12 17

3 8 13 18

4 9 14 19

5 10 15 20

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Scientists at Work Patterns in the Savanna Landscape Analyzing Student Worksheet

c. Using the grid, construct a histogram frequency distribution of each number of neighbors. Be sure to properly label the axes and include a title for the graph.

d. Calculate mean, median, and mode of the dataset from part b. Record them here:

Calculations Calculated based on the number

of neighbors counted for 20 termite mounds.

Hint/Reminder:

Mean To calculate mean, calculate the average number of neighbors of the 20 termite mounds.

Median

The median is the middle value in a data set that is listed in numerical order. If there is an even number of data points, the mean between the middle two points should be calculated.

Mode The mode of a data set is the value that occurs most frequently in the set.

e. In the film, Dr. Corina states that the termite mounds “maximized the available space in the

ecosystem.” Do the data from the Voronoi diagram you collected support her statement? Justify

your answer.

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Scientists at Work

Analyzing Patterns in the Savanna Landscape Student Worksheet

5. Climate change models predict water stress in some savanna ecosystems. Provide two reasons why

conservation efforts should be devoted to retaining termite populations.

6. If you joined the research team in the film, what new scientific question would you like to try to

answer?

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