Activities
The initial questions are just to get students thinking about climate change and it’s effects on Welsh weather. Then comes the mind-map exercise, linking these effects to possible changes in RESIDENT, SUMMER and WINTER Welsh Birds.
From then on students need access to the website.
The worksheet, available as 4 sides of instructions & questions or separate instructions and questions guides the students through the website and some of the problems which Welsh Birds have trying to come to terms with.
At the end of each section (RESIDENT / SUMMER / WINTER) students have to add / modify their original mind-map with what they have learnt.
Hopefully at the end of the exercise students will appreciate that Climate Change is having drastic effects on our birds and that it is not just linked to milder winters and warmer summers, but includes:
- Reduced winter mortality in Wales, but increased winter mortality in those species that winter in Africa – linked to desertification.
- Changes in breeding behaviour – earlier egg-laying, reduced clutch sizes – with greater effects on migratory species that may not be in a good condition to breed so early.
- Earlier migration to Wales for the summer, but later migration for Welsh winter visitors.
- Potentially reduced numbers of winter visitors.
- Asynchronisation with prey – leading to earlier breeding, but in the case of some summer migrants this is not possible, leading to population declines.
- Colonisation of Wales of new species.
- Loss of a few species.
- Competition from other species that are increasing due to climatic changes.
- Changes in the oceans, linked to changes in ocean currents altering foodchains.
