This video is broken up into two halves; please watch the entirety of the Part 1 and up to 3:57 of Part 2 for the selection I think would fit well into this lab course.
The video I have chosen has shows real life examples of factors discussed in the lab I taught on Aquatic Ecology: Abiotic Components. It shows how agricultural and urban runoff affects water quality, our health, and the health of aquatic ecosystems in the Santa Monica Bay and the Mississippi River Basin. The video ties in perfectly with the Aquatic Ecology lab, as both speak of how excess nutrients can cause alterations in ecology.
In the video, ocean dead zones are shown to be the alterations caused, an example that students can see and instantly grasp its effects. The scientific information presented is provided by both the Environmental Protection Agency and the Weather Channel, who in cooperation are able to intricately show the first hand consequences of runoff from our cities.
However, the video begins with a somewhat weak introduction of the repeated question, “what is a watershed?” This is weak in that it seems to be appealing towards a younger audience. By removing such wasted time on the bewilderment of people being asked a question, the video could be vastly improved. Another appreciated addition would be an expanded explanation on how dead zones are created, detailing what chemicals we use most that help create dead zones, how many other dead zones exist, and how watersheds can be alleviated of the problems that plague them today.
