Observation 8

Observation 8

Today I went outside at 6:30 in the morning to do my observation. It was nice to see my observation area in the early morning. The temperature was 52 degrees and it is May 28^th, 2008. I finally saw the two robins and even took the time to look inside the nest. There were three small eggs. Unfortunately I could not watch for long because one of the robins came back and kept squawking at me, so I decided to leave it in peace and plus it was time to catch the bus. There has been little change with the aspen tree or willows, although I have seen moose taking an interest in the willows and their bark. The one moose that comes around the most is a very shaggy girl who is obviously still shedding her winter coat. She is at my area at least onse a day and always chewing on a brach.

Observation 7

Observation 7

Today is Sunday the 25^th and I am at my observation area at 7:00 at night. Today is Saturday the 24^th of May, and the conditions are overcast and drizzling. Today I was observing the aspen tree and was happy to say that leave are starting to grow on it. The willows are also starting to grow. I think this will be good, because the aspen tree and willows are all primary producers or autotrophs. This means that the heterotrophs in my area will have more food. An example of a heterotroph is a moose or squirrel, essentially any herbivores. Then after the moose eats the plant any other carnivore can eat the moose, which will hopefully help the entire environment and ecosystem. Today I also saw two squirrels playing in the high branches of a pine tree. I also finally saw the robins again, and although I did not see their nest I think they have already a laid their eggs.

Aspen Tree Report

Aspen Tree

The aspen tree is also known as Populus tremuloides. The aspen tree prefers cooler areas of North America, but has also been known to live in temperatures between -57° C and 41° C. The aspen tree grows best in a narrow elevation belt, between 2100m to 3350m.
A full grown aspen tree is in between sixty and a hundred feet tall and half a foot to a foot wide. The aspen tree will usual bloom in early spring, but will not get leaves until later in the year. It will keep its green leaves for the whole summer. Then, at about the first frost of the year, the leaves will start to change colors and fall off the tree. All through the winter there will be no leaves on the trees and by the next summer the cycle will start over. The leaves that fall off the tree are then eaten by decomposers such as mushrooms. The remains are then put back into the ground and fertilize the aspen tree. This is a symbiotic relationship, as the aspen trees help the mushrooms and in turn the mushrooms help the aspens trees. This is called mutualism, when two organisms help each other.
The direct translation of the words Populus tremuloides, is Quaking Aspen. This is because the deciduous tree has flattened petioles on its leaves that cause the leaves to tremble and quake. Petioles are when a leaf connects to the tendril before the apex. Another very unique characteristic of the aspen tree is that one grove of trees are actually all connected by one intricate root systems. The trees themselves may not be over one hundred years old, but the system as a whole can be thousands of years old. Unfortunately, this does not apply to the aspen tree in my study area because there is only one tree in my area.

works cited

Works Cited

“aspen." Encyclopædia Britannica.
document.writenew Date.getFullYear;
2008. Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
document.write new Date .getDate ;
28
document.write new Date.getMonth;
May
document.writenew Date.getFullYear;
2008 <http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9009894>.
Aspen. May 28, 2008. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.ias.sdsmt.edu/RSEL/Outreach/ESC/ESC_CD/LESSONS/ROOTS_OF_THE_WORLD/LESSON_PLAN_files/image004.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.ias.sdsmt.edu/RSEL/Outreach/ESC/ESC_CD/LESSONS/ROOTS_OF_THE_WORLD/LESSON_PLAN.HTM&h=419&w=420&sz=41&hl=en&start=31&um=1&tbnid=9g3LdTMV52DoDM:&tbnh=125&tbnw=125&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbig%2Baspen%2Btree%26start%3D20%26ndsp%3D20%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox%26rlz%3D1I7SUNA%26sa%3DN

Red Fox. May 28, 2008. http://www.rivernen.ca/fox_4.jpg

"fox." Encyclopædia Britannica.
document.writenew Date.getFullYear;
2008. Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
document.writenew Date.getDate;
28
document.write new Date.getMonth;
May
document.writenew Date.getFullYear;
2008 <http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9035060>.

Works Cited

“aspen." Encyclopædia Britannica.
document.write(new Date().getFullYear());
2008. Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
document.write(new Date().getDate());
28
document.write(mm[new Date().getMonth()][0]);
May
document.write(new Date().getFullYear());
2008 <http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9009894>.
Aspen. May 28, 2008. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.ias.sdsmt.edu/RSEL/Outreach/ESC/ESC_CD/LESSONS/ROOTS_OF_THE_WORLD/LESSON_PLAN_files/image004.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.ias.sdsmt.edu/RSEL/Outreach/ESC/ESC_CD/LESSONS/ROOTS_OF_THE_WORLD/LESSON_PLAN.HTM&h=419&w=420&sz=41&hl=en&start=31&um=1&tbnid=9g3LdTMV52DoDM:&tbnh=125&tbnw=125&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbig%2Baspen%2Btree%26start%3D20%26ndsp%3D20%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox%26rlz%3D1I7SUNA%26sa%3DN

Red Fox. May 28, 2008. http://www.rivernen.ca/fox_4.jpg

"fox." Encyclopædia Britannica.
document.write(new Date().getFullYear());
2008. Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
document.write(new Date().getDate());
28
document.write(mm[new Date().getMonth()][0]);
May
document.write(new Date().getFullYear());
2008 <http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9035060>.

Observation 6

Observation 6

Today is the 23rd of May and I am at my observation area this morning. It is 42 degrees out and sunny. The time is 7:45 in the morning and the soil conditions are moist from the rain over the past few days. This is the first day in the last three days that it has stopped raining or snowing. The rain has had a very profound effect on the ecosystem and its populations. There has been a lot of growth on all the trees and the willows have budded and are turning green. The fauna has also been affected by the wet weather. I have been seeing more animals in the clearings, and I believe this is due to the wetness of the trees. Just yesterday I saw a fox and a moose within seconds of each other. The moose was feeding on all the newly grown willows. I am guessing that I will start to see more and more animals.

Observtion 5

Observation 5

Field Observation Area
5/20/08
5:30 P.M.
62 Degrees out

Today I started my observation while it was relatively light out and there were no clouds in the sky. There was very little wind and the soil has stayed the same since my last observation. The grass has begun to grow back, but is still very short. The biodiversity of my area has also changed. I am beginning to see many more populations of animals, especially birds. I was also able to observe a lone coyote sprint past me. I am wondering why it was alone; I think coyotes travel in packs. I then walked over to the robin's nest and although it was empty I did see the robins flying not too far off. I think they mom will be laying her eggs soon; at least this is when she has done it in past years. I guess we will find out next time.

Red Fox

The Red Fox is the most common fox in the world. With the widest range of any terrestrial carnivore, it is native to Canada, Alaska, United States, Europe, North Africa and almost all of Asia. Due to their large range they are able to adapt and live in almost all weather conditions. In Jackson Hole, WY, foxes live in extremely cold weather conditions, while foxes in Arizona endure some of the hottest conditions in the U.S. They have figured out that in cold weather they need a den to stay warm and in hot weather they come out at dawn and dusk. Foxes are also very good at adapting to different diets. Here in Jackson Hole, foxes have a diet consisting of mainly small vermin. Foxes are also scavengers and will eat all sorts of road kill and other dead prey. Because foxes are so resourceful, they have very few survival needs. They only need a small water source, and an area with high biodiversity. Foxes have few predators, since they can run faster than most animals. Wolves can pose a threat because they are one of the only carnivores that can outrun foxes.

Foxes have very distinct features on their bodies. They have long pointy muzzles, tall ears, long thin bodies and skinny legs. Although foxes choose a partner at a young age and mate for life, the male (dog) and female (vixen) will only live together for a short portion of the year. The male lives with the female when she is pregnant and in need of assistance with her litter.

Foxes don't live in packs like wolves or coyotes, but instead they live with their partner and young until the young are old enough to live on their own. Then the family will split apart until the next litter. Foxes change the biodiversity of an area in distinct ways. When there are no foxes in an area there are commonly more moles, rats, gophers and other small vermin. This is one reason that a low fox population can be bad for a habitat; the population of vermin would become too big. Foxes have a very unique niche in their habitat as they help keep the population of many herbivore species down, which in turn helps plants spread out and grow. Foxes are very important to the ecosystem here in Jackson and around the world.

Observation 4

Observation 4

Today is the 13th of May, and it is 7:21 at night. It is sunny out and there is no wind. In the last two days there has been very little change on the aspen tree, but the willows are turning greener and greener every day. There still aren’t any leaves on the willows, although at this time last year, the bushes were full of leaves. I saw a fox today, and I think it was hunting. At one point I saw a small mouse or rat run out from under a tree, probably the fox’s prey. I think that there is very little interspecific competition between the foxes here, because there are so few. They also have very little intraspecific competition, because there are few predators their sizes in my little observation area.

Observation 4

Observation 4

Today is the 13th of May, and it is 7:21 at night. It is sunny out and there is no wind. In the last two days there has been very little change on the aspen tree, but the willows are turning greener and greener every day. There still aren’t any leaves on the willows, although at this time last year, the bushes were full of leaves. I saw a fox today, and I think it was hunting. At one point I saw a small mouse or rat run out from under a tree, probably the fox’s prey. I think that there is very little interspecific competition between the foxes here, because there are so few. They also have very little intraspecific competition, because there are few predators their sizes in my little observation area.

Observation 3

Observation 3

Today is the 13th of May, and I am observing my field area. It is 7:30 at night and the temperature is 42 degrees. Although through the majority of the day, it has been sunny, clouds just rolled in. It is now overcast, and there is minimal wind. Since my last observation, I am happy to say that I figured out that the pinus trees here are Douglas Firs. The soil has become dryer since my last observation. I think that this is due to the fact that the snow has already melted. The buds on the aspen tree have seen little change, but the willows around it are gaining some color. Although I did not see any foxes, today I did find out that the red and gray foxes are from the same species. Also the grey fox is called a silver fox and the red one a red fox (no surprise). I did have the opportunity to see a robin today; it was jumping around on the ground, probably looking for some food.

Observation 2

Observation 2

May 7, 2008

This morning it appears that it rained a little bit, and about five minutes into my observation it started raining again. The temperature was 43 degrees at 5:30 and the ground without snow was soggy. The snow was receding, but there were still some patches of snow under the big pine trees. Some of the grass was starting to shoot up with this new rain and the brown is slowly disappearing from the ground. The lone aspen tree has also started to get some fuzzy buds that look slightly like a long caterpillar. I saw a fox today and it was red, unlike the gray one two days ago. There must be at least two foxes and I believe there are more. Other life is minimal, occasionally a bird will chirp, but for the most part they stay hidden. I looked at the robins nest though and they appear to be adding to it constantly, it already appears bigger and stronger.

Field Observation

Field Observation 1

I have chosen a field area to observe, for the next four weeks, that is right next to my house. The field area is about half the size of a football field and curves around the south and west facing sides of my house. The ecosystem is very diverse, with large trees, tall grasses and groups of willows. There is a lot of tree coverage, with very little open space. There are many biotic organisms in my field area, including ducks, foxes, deer, squirrels, moose, chickadee birds, robins, magpies, crows, and the occasional black bear. There are also many biotic plants, pinus trees, which I believe to be firs, grass and willows, although the majority of the willows look brown and dead. The abiotic factors are not as important, but are still there. There are not any big rocks or streams in my area, although there is a stream about twenty yards away. There is a lot of dirt and pebbles though.

When I did my field observation yesterday I saw many species in the community. The temperature was about 52 and it was 5:00 when I was outside. In the environment most of the populations seemed to be pretty big. There was one population that was relatively small. There are only two robins, they have come back to nest in the same spot for the fourth year. They have nested in the beams over my porch yet again, and continue to modify the nest from last year.