Student activity d.2
Developmental

Exotic vs native fish

Outcome

Science: Life and Living (3.2, 3.3, D3.4, 4.1, 4.2)

SOSE: Place and Space (4.2)

Focus

This activity provides an opportunity for students to study the similarities and differences between an exotic pest fish and a selected native fish species.

Estimated time: 2 x 45 minutes

Materials

• access to student material to be used during the course including:
  • DPI publications and posters. See Brochures, booklets and posters.
  • the Internet (see Links)
  • Student resource i.2 - Priority species

Teaching strategies

Background:

Exotic pest fish impact on natural ecosystems in various ways. They often occupy the same ecological niche as native fish, which places stresses on living and non-living inputs and processes in the system. In some instances they degrade the physical attributes of the watercourse (e.g. carp roiling leads to increased turbidity and less light penetrates the water resulting in reduced photosynthesis and a corresponding reduction in dissolved oxygen levels).

Working scientifically

(I: collecting information, U: making comparisons, C: creating presentations)

1. Students work in groups of three or four. Each group selects two species to study, one exotic (e.g. tilapia, carp or gambusia) and one native (e.g. barramundi, Australian bass, golden perch, eel-tailed catfish, Murray cod, northern saratoga, rainbow fish, jungle perch, sooty grunter, silver perch, Mary River cod, mangrove jack, Barcoo grunter), and then discusses the similarities and differences between them.
   
   
2. Differences and similarities may relate to their:
   
   
   • distribution
   • habitat tolerances (tolerance to low dissolved oxygen content, pH, temperature, salinity etc.)
   • physical position in water column (surface, benthic etc.)
   • reproductive mechanisms
   • diet preferences
   • position in food chain/web
   • significance to humans.
     
     

The teacher should ensure that students understand the categories and terms listed above.

3. Each group should list at least five similarities and five differences between the two species and present this information in a variety of ways (e.g. written lists, diagrams, and pictures with captions).
   
   
4. Each group presents its findings to the class. As a class, establish whether any generalisations can be made from the comparison about the differences between native and exotic fish.

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