My Sediments Exactly! – Can Mangrove Forest Sediments Keep up With Rising Sea Level?
The scientists in this study wanted to identify which mangrove forests, growing in various conditions, were keeping up with sea level rise.
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The question you will answer in this FACTivity is: How do mangrove forests compare with salt marshes? Materials: A blank piece of paper Provided poem (Optional: access to library or...FACTivity – My Sediments Exactly
The question you will answer in this FACTivity is: How do mangrove forests compare with salt marshes? Materials: A blank piece of paper Provided poem (Optional: access to library or...
Glossary
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Joko Purbopuspito
My favorite science experience is doing something unusual and at the border of things. In the following three paragraphs, see if you can identify the borders at which I have...View Profile -
Richard MacKenzie
When I was little, I used to come home from the creek behind our house covered in mud. I still do. I love that I get to study fish, insects,...View Profile
Standards addressed in this Article:
Social Studies Standards
- Culture
- Global Connections
- People, Places, and Environments
- Science, Technology, and Society
- Time, Continuity, and Change
Note To Educators
The Forest Service's Mission
The Forest Service’s mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. For more than 100 years, our motto has been “caring for the land and serving people.” The Forest Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), recognizes its responsibility to be engaged in efforts to connect youth to nature and to promote the development of science-based conservation education programs and materials nationwide.
What Is the Natural Inquirer?
Natural Inquirer is a science education resource journal to be used by students in grade 6 and up. Natural Inquirer contains articles describing environmental and natural resource research conducted by Forest Service scientists and their cooperators. These scientific journal articles have been reformatted to meet the needs of middle school students. The articles are easy to understand, are aesthetically pleasing to the eye, contain glossaries, and include hands-on activities. The goal of Natural Inquirer is to stimulate critical reading and thinking about scientific inquiry and investigation while teaching about ecology, the natural environment, and natural resources.
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Meet the Scientists
Introduces students to the scientists who did the research. This section may be used in a discussion about careers in science.
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What Kinds of Scientist Did This Research?
Introduces students to the scientific disciplines of the scientists who conducted the research.
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Thinking About Science
Introduces something new about the scientific process, such as a scientific habit of mind or procedures used in scientific studies.
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Thinking About the Environment
Introduces the environmental topic being addressed in the research.
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Introduction
Introduces the problem or question that the research addresses.
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Method
Describes the method the scientists used to collect and analyze their data.
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Findings & Discussion
Describes the results of the analysis. Addresses the findings and places them into the context of the original problem or question.
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Reflection Section
Presents questions aimed at stimulating critical thinking about what has been read or predicting what might be presented in the next section. These questions are placed at the end of each of the main article sections.
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Number Crunches
Presents an easy math problem related to the research.
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Glossary
Defines potentially new scientific or other terms to students. The first occurrence of a glossary word is bold in the text.
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Citation
Gives the original article citation with an internet link to the original article.
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FACTivity
Presents a hands-on activity that emphasizes something presented in the article.
Science Education Standards
You will find a listing of education standards which are addressed by each article at the back of each publication and on our website.
We Welcome Feedback
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Contact
Jessica Nickelsen
Director, Natural Inquirer program -
Email
Education Files
Project Learning Tree
If you are a Project Learning Tree educator, you may use “Watch on Wetlands” or “Soil Stories” as an additional resource.
Related Resources from the Natural Inquirer
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Mangrove forests include trees and shrubs found in the tropics that have large root structures and create barriers that help protect coastlines. The mangrove forests provide protection for the villages,...Mangrove Mania: How Elevation Change and Sea-Level Rise Affect Mangrove Forests
Mangrove forests include trees and shrubs found in the tropics that have large root structures and create barriers that help protect coastlines. The mangrove forests provide protection for the villages,... -
Chemicals from auto emissions, industrial processes, and urban development are found in most urban areas. Two of the chemicals found most abundantly in urban areas are calcium and lead. The...Sediment-al Journey: Measuring Metal Concentrations in Soil Beside Urban Waterways
Chemicals from auto emissions, industrial processes, and urban development are found in most urban areas. Two of the chemicals found most abundantly in urban areas are calcium and lead. The... -
Scientists investigated how typhoons impacted the importance of microorganisms in sesarmid crab diets. The scientists also wanted to discover whether the mangrove leaves were a more important food source than...Welcome to McMangrove’s – Determining the Importance of Mangrove Leaves in a Tree Crab’s Diet
Scientists investigated how typhoons impacted the importance of microorganisms in sesarmid crab diets. The scientists also wanted to discover whether the mangrove leaves were a more important food source than... -
In this study, the scientists wanted to test a method of calculating the amount of carbon stored by plants across a large area of land. They chose the island of...Beam Me Down, Scotty: The Use of Airborne and Satellite Technology to Measure Carbon in Hawaiian Forests
In this study, the scientists wanted to test a method of calculating the amount of carbon stored by plants across a large area of land. They chose the island of... -
The scientists in this study were interested in environmental changes occuring in the Southern United States. The scientists were interested in changes occuring over a long time. In particular, the...Everything but the Carbon Sink: Carbon Storage in the Southern United States
The scientists in this study were interested in environmental changes occuring in the Southern United States. The scientists were interested in changes occuring over a long time. In particular, the...
Additional Resources
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"Mighty Mangroves: Forest Service Researchers Help Conserve Coastal Guardians in Micronesia"
Read ArticleRead more about Rich MacKenzie’s research on mangroves.
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National Geographic: Sediment
Visit WebsiteLearn more about sediment.
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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: Is sea level rising?
Visit WebsiteRead some quick facts about sea level rise.
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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: What is a mangrove forest?
Visit WebsiteLearn more about mangrove forest from NOAA.
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National Environmental Education Foundation: Marshes, Estuaries, and Mangroves, Oh My!
Visit WebsiteLearn more about these different types of ecosystems from NEEF.