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Field study |
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The biome
I choose to do my field study on a creekbed. The creekbed overlooks a deep part of the bond. My spot is very shady, There are spiky bushes on the creekbed.
Morning- Shade covering about 90%. not much sun anyways because there was fog. There were only minnows and a couple spiders. Evening- Shade covering about 75&. Lots of bugs. Temperture was comfortable. |
predictions
1. I predict that the creek will become a little smaller because of the lack of rain in the summer.
2. The soil nearby the creek will be less moist.
3. There will be less bugs flying around.
2. The soil nearby the creek will be less moist.
3. There will be less bugs flying around.
Flora and fauna
Flora
1. California Blackberry 2. California Bay Laurel |
Fauna
1. Fathead Minnow 2. Mosquitos 3. Common Water Spyder 4. American Bluets Enallagma 5. Western Fence Lizard |
Focus Questions
April 29 - may 4 (week 1)
What type of California biome is your area and why?
I would call my area a mixed evergreen forest, because in my biome I have evergreen plants. The climate is reasonably mild, and the canopies cover my biome with a lot of shade. What type of relations do you see between organisms in your area? Name each relationship. Competition- shrubs keep growing talling to try to get the little sunlight over the other plants. Image on right. Describe a food chain your area. plants -> bugs -> spiders -> Raccoons plants -> bugs -> minnows -> Raccoons |
May 6 - may 13 (week 2)
What is man's main impact in your area?
Humans main impact on my site it a man made walking path across the the creek to get to my peninsula. The horse ranch could also could a disturbance because of noise and manure run off.
What are the limiting factors in your area for plants? For animals?
the limiting factors for my plants is that the soil is poor and has high acidity. The main problem for the animals is that my plants are all spiky, and the soil is very rocky and makes it hard for them to borrow.
Humans main impact on my site it a man made walking path across the the creek to get to my peninsula. The horse ranch could also could a disturbance because of noise and manure run off.
What are the limiting factors in your area for plants? For animals?
the limiting factors for my plants is that the soil is poor and has high acidity. The main problem for the animals is that my plants are all spiky, and the soil is very rocky and makes it hard for them to borrow.
may 14 - 18 (week 3)
Why are bacteria important fro plants in your area? For animals? For soil? (What role do they play)?
Bacteria play an important role in the nitrogen cycle. Bacteria helps with nitrification and denitrification in the soil. This is important because for the growth of plants because nitrogen is necessary for the growth of plants. For animals, bacteria helps get rid of excess food in the stomach. Bacteria can also decompose matter.
In general, where are fungi found? What is their role in the world?
Fungi are found all over the place. Their favorite place to grow in places that are slightly acidic. They recycle matter back into the soil, then this becomes food for humans and animals, and are used to make medicines.
Do you have any in your area? Where? Why? If not, why not?
I have very little if any fungi in my area. My soil has a lot of sand and is very acidic.
Bacteria play an important role in the nitrogen cycle. Bacteria helps with nitrification and denitrification in the soil. This is important because for the growth of plants because nitrogen is necessary for the growth of plants. For animals, bacteria helps get rid of excess food in the stomach. Bacteria can also decompose matter.
In general, where are fungi found? What is their role in the world?
Fungi are found all over the place. Their favorite place to grow in places that are slightly acidic. They recycle matter back into the soil, then this becomes food for humans and animals, and are used to make medicines.
Do you have any in your area? Where? Why? If not, why not?
I have very little if any fungi in my area. My soil has a lot of sand and is very acidic.
May 19 - 25 (week 4)
Research the invertebrates in your area.
I found crayfish, mosquitos, and water skeeters in my biome. The crayfish can grow up to 18 cm long, and they are nocturnal carnivores. Mosquitos are flying little critters that live for only a year. Water skeeters have four legs and skim across the surface of the water.
What is their role?
Crayfish are a good source of food, birds of prey, large fish, and small mammals. Mosquitos can also be a good food source for spiders, birds, and small mammals. Water skeeters eat bugs that fell into the water, and then they are eaten by fish and birds.
Where are they found and why?
Crayfish like fresh and acidic water. This shows that my soil is quite acidic. Mosquitos are always around water because their larvae are grown in the water. Water skeeters are found on the surface of the water because they eat the bugs that fallen into the water.
I found crayfish, mosquitos, and water skeeters in my biome. The crayfish can grow up to 18 cm long, and they are nocturnal carnivores. Mosquitos are flying little critters that live for only a year. Water skeeters have four legs and skim across the surface of the water.
What is their role?
Crayfish are a good source of food, birds of prey, large fish, and small mammals. Mosquitos can also be a good food source for spiders, birds, and small mammals. Water skeeters eat bugs that fell into the water, and then they are eaten by fish and birds.
Where are they found and why?
Crayfish like fresh and acidic water. This shows that my soil is quite acidic. Mosquitos are always around water because their larvae are grown in the water. Water skeeters are found on the surface of the water because they eat the bugs that fallen into the water.
may 26
Identify any bryophytes, seedless vascular plants, gymnosperms, or angiosperms (moncot or dicot) that you have in your area. (At least 5 different plants)
In my biome I had 5 types of plants, below are the pictures. I have identified them as Stinging Nettle, a Bay tree, and a Blackberry bush. I was not able to identify the other two. The blackberry bush and bay tree were dicotic angiosperms. The stinging nettles are monocotic gymnosperms.
For each explain why you classified them the way you did.
I classified the blackberry bushes the way I did because they die every autumn and the flowers have multiple parts. The bay trees were also dicotic angiosperms because they have huge rings and their seeds are surrounded by a membrane. I classified the stinging nettles the way I did because they die every summer and their roots are not organized.
In my biome I had 5 types of plants, below are the pictures. I have identified them as Stinging Nettle, a Bay tree, and a Blackberry bush. I was not able to identify the other two. The blackberry bush and bay tree were dicotic angiosperms. The stinging nettles are monocotic gymnosperms.
For each explain why you classified them the way you did.
I classified the blackberry bushes the way I did because they die every autumn and the flowers have multiple parts. The bay trees were also dicotic angiosperms because they have huge rings and their seeds are surrounded by a membrane. I classified the stinging nettles the way I did because they die every summer and their roots are not organized.
june 5
What is the difference between dermal, vascular and ground tissue? How are they arranged in a plant?
The dermis forms the outside layer of the plant and provides protection and keeps the water inside the plant. The vascular is in the middle, and it job is to transport water and minerals. The ground tissue is in between the other two, and it's jobs is to complete photosynthesis and store energy.
What are the essential nutrients needed in soil? Why are each important?
Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sulfur, Magnesium, Calcium, Iron, Boron, Manganese, Zinc, Molybdenum, and Copper are all necessary for plants to grow. These help plants do certain things like photosynthesis.
Explain different methods of pollination you see in your area. Give at least 3 examples
In my biome wind and water transferred pollen, and bees also transferred pollen from the flowers.
What are some adaptations the plants in your area have? (At least 3 examples)
My soil is acidic so not much grew on the ground other than stinging nettles and blackberry bushes. There wasn't a lot of sunlight on my sight so my plants just grew up. I also had a bay tree, and that grew at a 45% angle into the sky. ( that is what caused most of the shade)
The dermis forms the outside layer of the plant and provides protection and keeps the water inside the plant. The vascular is in the middle, and it job is to transport water and minerals. The ground tissue is in between the other two, and it's jobs is to complete photosynthesis and store energy.
What are the essential nutrients needed in soil? Why are each important?
Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sulfur, Magnesium, Calcium, Iron, Boron, Manganese, Zinc, Molybdenum, and Copper are all necessary for plants to grow. These help plants do certain things like photosynthesis.
Explain different methods of pollination you see in your area. Give at least 3 examples
In my biome wind and water transferred pollen, and bees also transferred pollen from the flowers.
What are some adaptations the plants in your area have? (At least 3 examples)
My soil is acidic so not much grew on the ground other than stinging nettles and blackberry bushes. There wasn't a lot of sunlight on my sight so my plants just grew up. I also had a bay tree, and that grew at a 45% angle into the sky. ( that is what caused most of the shade)
analysis
Over the last six weeks, I have seen changes to my biome. The main change I saw was the slow disappearance of the bank. My bank began at about 15 ft in length and 3 ft in width. At the end of six weeks, the water slowly overtook it and it was about 3 feet in length and 2 to 3 inches in width. Another change I saw was the influx of aquatic life. In the beginning I saw a lot of minnows and close to no water skeeters. As the weeks progressed I saw less and less minnows and more and more water skeeters.
My bank slowly disappeared every week I was out there. Much slower in the beginning and faster in the end. I think this happened because a slight natural dam formed and began to block some of the water. The dam was primarily made up of fallen bay leaves and light sticks that got caught on the bottom of the creek. The last week however, the dam completely disappeared. I hypothesize that somebody came by and damed up the creek. I dont know why they did this, but now my site is only water and blackberry bushes.
These minnows were the Fathead minnows. This type of minnow is very good at living where other fish don't. Over the six weeks I saw the minnow population slowly decrease to about none. I think that this is in part because the creeks being damed. I never saw predators in my biome so I assumed there was none but that might be the most likely explanation for the decrease in the minnow population. The decrease in minnows directly correlated with the increase of water skeeters. I conclude this because the water skeeters predators are the minnows mainly. The minnows slowly left my biome and the water skeeter count grew.
By doing this field study, I have begun to appreciate many new things. My bank disappeared and this made me mad because it felt like this my own little island and watching it go away made me angry. However, I really appreciated the change in my small area over six weeks. If I had not done this project I would not notice the influx of aquatic life. For me to think that my secluded area is right next to San Marin Drive is really interesting. I am really excited to have things like this just walking distance away from a main road.
My bank slowly disappeared every week I was out there. Much slower in the beginning and faster in the end. I think this happened because a slight natural dam formed and began to block some of the water. The dam was primarily made up of fallen bay leaves and light sticks that got caught on the bottom of the creek. The last week however, the dam completely disappeared. I hypothesize that somebody came by and damed up the creek. I dont know why they did this, but now my site is only water and blackberry bushes.
These minnows were the Fathead minnows. This type of minnow is very good at living where other fish don't. Over the six weeks I saw the minnow population slowly decrease to about none. I think that this is in part because the creeks being damed. I never saw predators in my biome so I assumed there was none but that might be the most likely explanation for the decrease in the minnow population. The decrease in minnows directly correlated with the increase of water skeeters. I conclude this because the water skeeters predators are the minnows mainly. The minnows slowly left my biome and the water skeeter count grew.
By doing this field study, I have begun to appreciate many new things. My bank disappeared and this made me mad because it felt like this my own little island and watching it go away made me angry. However, I really appreciated the change in my small area over six weeks. If I had not done this project I would not notice the influx of aquatic life. For me to think that my secluded area is right next to San Marin Drive is really interesting. I am really excited to have things like this just walking distance away from a main road.
conclusion/opinion
Conclusion
The point of this project was to observe a selected area and collect data. I have done this. I made a chart to keep my data of my site, like plant height, average temperature of evening and afternoon, and the number of flying insects. Only one of my predictions was correct. I said that the creek would get smaller from the lack of rain, but I was wrong it got bigger. I also said that the nearby soil would dry up, but I was also wrong because now that soil is fully submerged. The one I was right about was the less amount of bugs. The bugs decreased slightly over the last six weeks.
Opinion
I really liked the project. I liked the freedom we got to choose our own sites and collect data for yourself. I also liked that it was outside and in O'Hair Park. I really like O'Hair Park because when I was training for a marathon my dad and I ran there a lot, and this project gave me a deep understanding of a place I love.
The point of this project was to observe a selected area and collect data. I have done this. I made a chart to keep my data of my site, like plant height, average temperature of evening and afternoon, and the number of flying insects. Only one of my predictions was correct. I said that the creek would get smaller from the lack of rain, but I was wrong it got bigger. I also said that the nearby soil would dry up, but I was also wrong because now that soil is fully submerged. The one I was right about was the less amount of bugs. The bugs decreased slightly over the last six weeks.
Opinion
I really liked the project. I liked the freedom we got to choose our own sites and collect data for yourself. I also liked that it was outside and in O'Hair Park. I really like O'Hair Park because when I was training for a marathon my dad and I ran there a lot, and this project gave me a deep understanding of a place I love.