User:Greenham22/sandbox

Article Evaluation

Polar Ecology

This article has quite a few grammatical issues. In a number of instances, the author switches between plural and singular verbs to describe a subject, and there are incomplete sentences as well. Additionally, throughout sections of the article there is repetition and some unnecessary information. This article could be edited to be more concise and clear.

Article Selection

Patterned Vegetation

This article is not organized by category but all in one big paragraph, making navigating the article difficult. This also makes it seem as if the author is going off on tangents throughout the article. It also touches on a number of points that could be expanded upon, such as types of patterned vegetation.

Freshwater Biology

This article is very short. The information included is incredibly general overall, but at times very specific. For example, the author mentions the UK Freshwater Biological Association and this takes up almost a third of the whole article. This association is not as integral to the field as this article would have you believe, based on the time spent on it. Overall, many points can be expanded upon. Additionally, there are a number of spelling and grammatical errors that should be fixed as well.

Autogenic Succession

This article does not explain its points enough. Under one heading, there is only a single bullet point with four words next to it. The article clearly needs to be expanded upon. It may also be beneficial to include images depicting autogenic succession, and maybe a diagram as well. There are only two sources for this article, and only one link works. More sources need to be referenced.

Bibliography

Freshwater Biology Citations:

Investigation methods include Physical Methods, such as the measuement of tempertaure, flow rate, and substrate particle size, as well as Chemical Methods, including measurement of pH, CO2, Alkaliniity, in Calcium in the water. Zooplankton and Phytoplankton can be used to ascertain the health of a freshwater ecosystem. Ciliated Protozoa can be used as biological indicators in freshwater biology as well.

Reflective Essay

Working on this Wikipedia Assignment has really been eye an opening experience. Going through this process, it became apparent how much work goes into creating and reviewing articles, as well as generally ensuring that Wikipedia is a credible source that the public can go to for reliable information. I also found it interesting how much of a community exists between article creators, reviewers and editors. Reading through positive constructive feedback and helpful insights into a particular topic really brought to light how much of a collaborative effort the maintenance of this wiki is.

When critiquing articles, I looked for a number of features. I tried to improve and give feedback on areas where these qualities were not being met. In particular, I looked at how organized and easily maneuverable the article was, how understandable and clear the language was (particularly the overview at the beginning of the article), as well as how well balanced it was - if enough weight was given to parts of the topic that were most important. Generally, the two aspects I saw the most to be lacking in articles were the author not enough or inappropriate sources, and using biased or informal language.

When peer reviewing, I held my peers’ work to the same standard as the other Wikipedia articles I read, looking at the same common areas of weakness. I found that students would at times not have enough sources for their work, citing the same source for a large amount that they wrote. As well, it seemed all too easy to use biased language when speaking about issues within a topic. At times it was apparent that an opposing view needed to be included to provide an unbiased overview of the situation. In addition to providing feedback, I was lucky enough to receive feedback from my peers as well. Most of the feedback I received had to do with the clarity of my writing, and avoiding flowery language - for example, saying “to” instead of “in order to.” It was also suggested that I use multiple sources to back up some points that I had, to strengthen the credibility of my article. While I was given some minor feedback that I disagreed with, such as how to organize my article more effectively, overall I really appreciated all the feedback I received. I have come away from this experience with a better understanding of how to improve the clarity of my work - and have a better article as well.

As a whole, I enjoyed completing the Wikipedia assignment. In writing an article I felt like I was adding to the general public’s knowledge base by making the understanding of niche topics more easily accessible, which is rewarding. This is different than any assignments I’ve done previously, as generally the work I produce is only seen by the person grading it. I have never completed something that could potentially reach such a wide audience. I think that Wikipedia and platforms like it are incredibly important. They make information easily accessible, helping to bridge the gap between science, which can be hard to maneuver, and the general public, keeping us all a little more well-informed.

Veterinary Cordon Fences

Map of Veterinary Fences in Southern Africa

Veterinary fences are used to control the spread of disease by separating populations of animals. As diseases can often be transferred between wildlife and livestock, contact with wildlife can be dangerous both for the well-being of the livestock and have commercial ramifications as well.

The majority of veterinary fences in South Africa were erected the early 1970s, when the European Union decided South African beef exporters had to control the movement of wildlife into its beef herds to continue trade. As beef was a large export at the time, these fences were quickly erected in strategic places.

Veterinary Fences are typically supported by state or international funding. In particular, the beef export industry is supported by subsidies from the European Union, promoting the continued use and maintenance of these fences.

There are however environmental ramifications associated with veterinary cordon fences. Before they were erected, Environmental Assessments were not carried out. This has resulted in limitations on the extent to which wildlife populations can move to use areas of primary productivity. For example, migration routes of species such as wildebeest and zebra are cut off by these fences, resulting in thousands of deaths as these animals are unable to access water and grazing areas. Environmentalists have urged both governments and landowners to reevaluate the use of these fences as a way of mitigating disease .