Ecosystems - Jane Austin and Hives

You can look at Ecosystems through big ideas, or follow the lives of a particular species like bees.  Both ways bring together structure and content for a deep insight into the Science of Life's home.

But first some key terms..........

Eco - Home

Systems - Mechanics behind how something works, components and how they work together. Systems have inputs outputs and controls. - Novels, Stories, and Sports have systems that are communicated so we can understand how characters and players interact and we watch how the system evolve. We can empathize with characters and players, placing ourselves in their shoes. Their actions will determine their relationships in the system and the health of they system. It is my opinion that the current generation appear to be less committed but are in fact deal makers with a keen sense of systems.

The world of Elizabeth Bennett in Pride and Prejudice was set in the social system of 1800's England.  

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that any man ...."

ology - love or study of

Ec + ology - study of (our or an living organism's) home

Eco + systems - mechanics working behind the scenes to create an animals home

Population - the number of a species (type of animal or plant) living in an Environment

Bioindicator - Something you see in the environment that tells you how it is going. Animal behavior can be incredibly sensitive.


Things to get you thinking. Watch this ecosystem we build for bees.  See how the keepers put in a metal "Queen excluder" that imprisons her in the third story of the hive, but allows worker to feed her and tend the young. This keeps the hive put, and means that lower floors have no eggs and larvae and honey only for clean harvesting.



( you many like to install www.youtube.com/html5 to view at different speeds)

European honey bees have been introduced to the Australian environment.

Australian bees are stingless and keep unusual spiral honey combs. (http://www.aussiebee.com.au/keepingstinglessbees.html)