Field Study Project
Pictures: week 1
pictures: week 3
pictures: week 5
Objective: To explore and understand my designated area and be knowledgeable about the plants and animals that inhabit it.
Site Description:
Observations: The majority of the site is in shade, either direct or scattered because of the trees. Sunlight does break through the canopy on occasion when the wind rustles the branches.There are signs of spiders due to the webs that they have built across many of the fallen tree limbs. There is a lot of tree branches and stumps on the floor of the site. Moss and fungi have come and called theses places their home.
Observation: "afternoon" new animal scat, possibly from squirrels. plenty of shade created by the tree canopy and low sun. insects could be heard in the bushes nearby. There was a slight breeze as the sun set.
Predictions: My site may change slightly but not anything drastic. The trees will most likely stay healthy and green. The fallen trees will still rot but should not change too much over the summer.
Site Description:
Observations: The majority of the site is in shade, either direct or scattered because of the trees. Sunlight does break through the canopy on occasion when the wind rustles the branches.There are signs of spiders due to the webs that they have built across many of the fallen tree limbs. There is a lot of tree branches and stumps on the floor of the site. Moss and fungi have come and called theses places their home.
Observation: "afternoon" new animal scat, possibly from squirrels. plenty of shade created by the tree canopy and low sun. insects could be heard in the bushes nearby. There was a slight breeze as the sun set.
Predictions: My site may change slightly but not anything drastic. The trees will most likely stay healthy and green. The fallen trees will still rot but should not change too much over the summer.
3. The food chain is, plants -> bugs -> frogs -> snakes -> owls.
Week 2:
1. Two impacts on the environment is the erosion from hikers and trash.
2. A limiting factor for the plants are the tall trees blocking out the sunlight.For animals, there isn’t that much food, and my site does not have room tosupport big animals
WEEK 3:
1. Bacteria are important for plants because they decompose dead plantmaterial so the nutrients can go into the ground and new plants can grow.For soil bacteria fertilizes it. Bacteria helps animals in their gut by breakingdown food. Bacteria helps the whole ecosystem in many ways.
2. Fungi is everywhere in trees, the ground, and on humans. They help breakdown things through decomposition.
3. I think there is fungi in my area, but i’m not 100% sure because my site iscovered in poison oak so I haven’t gone in it that far.
Week 4:
1. The invertebrates in my area are: Worms, Flies, Grasshoppers, Mosquitoes,and other bugs that I am unaware of their names.
2. The worm decompose, the flies produce maggots that decompose stuff,mosquitoes suck the blood of other animals, and grasshoppers feed on smaller animals.
3. The worms are found on the ground, mosquitos fly around and their eggsare in water, grasshoppers are everywhere and flies fly around.
Week 6:
1. The difference between dermal, vascular and ground tissue are: The dermal is a 1 cell layer thick that secretes a waxy substance that inhibits water loss. Vascular tissue constitutes the vascular system consisting of phleom and xylem. Ground tissue is all other tissues that are not vascular or dermal tissues.
2. Nitrogen is essential to soil because it fertilizes the soil. Phosphorus regulates plants synthesis. Potassium regulates its CO2 uptake.
3. 3 examples of pollination: Spores, Cones, Bees with flowers.
4. 3 adaptations in my area: Thorns on vines, Poison oak’s ability to cause rash, and bright flowers to attract pollinators.
Field Study wrap up
Analysis:
My site has not changed much, but the creek did get smaller because of thecalifornia drought, the plants grew because that is what they do, and the overalltemperature increased because of summer.My first factor is the stream, it has gotten smaller by width since the beginning of the project, it has gone down in width 4 cm at max but that is a bigchange in 6 weeks. The drought and the fact that it is summer really has affectedthe creek.The plants grew a little and I learned out how fast plants grow. It haschanged by growing a lot. The sun has really affected the way the plants grow. Thehave grow about 5 cm over 6 weeks which is a lot.The temperature has risen a good amount. It has risen a lot because ofsummer, also possibly the temperature could have risen because of the drought andthere is no water to keep cool.I have learned so much about my site and where i live which is what iwanted to do with this project. I learned that everything is connected in a giant weblike a giant food web.
Conclusion:
I believe I met my original objective, to learn about my environment and tolearn how to keep it clean. My original prediction was that everything would stayabout the same and it did. I was very happy with my site and with my predictions.
Opinion:
I liked this project because we got to choose our site, and go out in natureduring class. I felt that this project was very open on where you could go and whatyou could write about, which I really liked. I think it could be better by havingmore time at our site and maybe a couple different labs instead of one. That is whatyou should do next year, more labs.
Week 2:
1. Two impacts on the environment is the erosion from hikers and trash.
2. A limiting factor for the plants are the tall trees blocking out the sunlight.For animals, there isn’t that much food, and my site does not have room tosupport big animals
WEEK 3:
1. Bacteria are important for plants because they decompose dead plantmaterial so the nutrients can go into the ground and new plants can grow.For soil bacteria fertilizes it. Bacteria helps animals in their gut by breakingdown food. Bacteria helps the whole ecosystem in many ways.
2. Fungi is everywhere in trees, the ground, and on humans. They help breakdown things through decomposition.
3. I think there is fungi in my area, but i’m not 100% sure because my site iscovered in poison oak so I haven’t gone in it that far.
Week 4:
1. The invertebrates in my area are: Worms, Flies, Grasshoppers, Mosquitoes,and other bugs that I am unaware of their names.
2. The worm decompose, the flies produce maggots that decompose stuff,mosquitoes suck the blood of other animals, and grasshoppers feed on smaller animals.
3. The worms are found on the ground, mosquitos fly around and their eggsare in water, grasshoppers are everywhere and flies fly around.
Week 6:
1. The difference between dermal, vascular and ground tissue are: The dermal is a 1 cell layer thick that secretes a waxy substance that inhibits water loss. Vascular tissue constitutes the vascular system consisting of phleom and xylem. Ground tissue is all other tissues that are not vascular or dermal tissues.
2. Nitrogen is essential to soil because it fertilizes the soil. Phosphorus regulates plants synthesis. Potassium regulates its CO2 uptake.
3. 3 examples of pollination: Spores, Cones, Bees with flowers.
4. 3 adaptations in my area: Thorns on vines, Poison oak’s ability to cause rash, and bright flowers to attract pollinators.
Field Study wrap up
Analysis:
My site has not changed much, but the creek did get smaller because of thecalifornia drought, the plants grew because that is what they do, and the overalltemperature increased because of summer.My first factor is the stream, it has gotten smaller by width since the beginning of the project, it has gone down in width 4 cm at max but that is a bigchange in 6 weeks. The drought and the fact that it is summer really has affectedthe creek.The plants grew a little and I learned out how fast plants grow. It haschanged by growing a lot. The sun has really affected the way the plants grow. Thehave grow about 5 cm over 6 weeks which is a lot.The temperature has risen a good amount. It has risen a lot because ofsummer, also possibly the temperature could have risen because of the drought andthere is no water to keep cool.I have learned so much about my site and where i live which is what iwanted to do with this project. I learned that everything is connected in a giant weblike a giant food web.
Conclusion:
I believe I met my original objective, to learn about my environment and tolearn how to keep it clean. My original prediction was that everything would stayabout the same and it did. I was very happy with my site and with my predictions.
Opinion:
I liked this project because we got to choose our site, and go out in natureduring class. I felt that this project was very open on where you could go and whatyou could write about, which I really liked. I think it could be better by havingmore time at our site and maybe a couple different labs instead of one. That is whatyou should do next year, more labs.