They want to know how many of a species live in a certain area so they can figure out if there are environmental problems that are affecting its ability to survive. For example, ecologists want to know if a species is endangered in its natural habitat so that they can protect it. The numbers and types of species in a certain habitat, and their relationship to the environment, is called biological diversity . David Stockwell, a scientist at SDSC, has developed a tool to help ecologists map populations of birds and animals in different parts of the world. They can use the maps that the tool creates to decide where species might be having problems and then work with other researchers to come up with ways to protect the animal or bird.
Instructions Click on the picture to start the mapping project.
Follow the instructions to make maps for the cerulean warbler, red warbler, and Sierra Madre sparrow. Click on the cerulean warbler to start mapping bird habitats.