Real-World Ecology: Alligator Suitability Index Problems

Engage your students with this hands-on ecology and data analysis activity! In the Alligator Suitability Index worksheet, students apply ecological knowledge and graph interpretation skills to decide where to build while minimizing environmental impact on alligator nesting sites.

The Alligator Suitability Index worksheet invites students to step into the role of environmental consultants making a real-world decision: where to build in a way that minimizes harm to alligator populations. Using real ecological data and a provided suitability equation, students analyze multiple potential building sites and determine which location offers the best balance between human needs and wildlife conservation.

Through this activity, students:

Apply their understanding of ecology, habitats, and human impact on ecosystems.

Practice reading and interpreting graphs and data tables.

Use quantitative reasoning to evaluate environmental trade-offs.

Develop critical thinking and communication skills by justifying their final site recommendation.

The worksheet includes:

A clear explanation of the Alligator Suitability Index and how to use it.

Data-driven problems that require students to input information into the Index.

A guided equation-based analysis to calculate suitability scores.

An answer key.

This activity works well for middle school, high school, or college environmental science or biology classes, especially during units on ecosystems, human impact, or conservation planning. It can be completed individually, in pairs, or as a class discussion.