Seed dispersal is a Complex Adaptive System. Seed germination is leaderless, patterns may arise based on environment (soil, moisture, sun exposure, temperature) which is determined by simple rules based on parameters of seed survival.
The concept of evolution that demonstrates how species could change over generations could be used as an example of a Complex Adaptive System.
The human body is a complex adaptive system. It is difficult to understand (complex) how each of it’s systems work together when taken as a whole. However, if we were to look at how each of the systems perform their individual jobs you can see how they together work together to accomplish homeostasis.
Human Body systems is a complex adaptive system where the cells , tissues , organs and the organ systems perform there individual functions which helps the organisms function as a one system.
The combination of atoms and elements forms the basis for chemical reactions and also arrangement of molecules in solid , liquids and gases.
I believe an example of a complex system would be ecosystems. All the plants and animals within that ecosystem contribute to the community in order for all to grow and thrive.
Just the discussion of all of these Science opinions working together on a single topic of CAS is an ultimate example of CAS and we don’t know what will come out of it either.
This hits my content directly. We have spent this last quarter studying systems and how they function. I am loving how he few things that I have seen so far could be brought into my class tomorrow. I am loving the fact that the concept of systems is so accessible to students, and in the same breathe you are able to challenge and push their thinking.
I see ecosystems as a CAS. There are patterns that emerge from how organisms interact and how populations change.
I am thinking that a complex adaptive system would be a food chain
I also love the idea of teaching with the concept of systems in mind. I think especially for EL students this helps them to pull information together and have it organized in such a way that it is easier for them to understand.
The Nitrogen Cycle is a complex adaptive system in Middle School Science. There is no leader, but the cycle follows patterns which are influenced by each other.
In science, looking at the mechanism of evolution through genetics represents a complex system.
A little closer to home, we could look at the movement of students through our cafeteria during any given lunch period as a Complex Adaptive System.
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in the biology section I teach in 7th grade integrated science we talk about natural selection. I can see how we could look at the behaviors of a population of one species in a system and the behavior of a competing population of another species. after we put both populations into a system we might see just how natural selection works in a model.
I completely agree with you! looking at all the living organisms as individuals then together we can see how they all have a place in finding balance to that ecosystem.
My son (who is enjoying watching these videos over my shoulder) suggests that swarming gnats must be participating in a CAS. I was wondering if non living matter could be part of a CAS. Could the behavior of electrons disappearing than reappearing when they “decide” to jump from on energy level to another be a CAS? Board games or the people interacting with the rules of the board game might be another example.
Thinking through my curriculum I notice several that are CAS. Heat transfer, microorganisms and their ecosystems, universe, moon phases. All of which would not behave the same without the other aspects of the system.
I’m at a science conference now and am seeing this come alive in person and it is such a great way to visualize it and to organize it thus making it more accessible for students.
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I teach 8th grade science and one of the new NGSS is human impact. We studied energy this last year and the affects it has on the environment it would be interesting to see a simulation of what would happen over time instead of just hypothesizing about it.
I think the process of weathering and erosion, as rocks break down due to wind, water, move with gravity, and are deposited. An adaptive system in which rocks on a mountain become sand at the beach.
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