Research /Project Results:Coniferous ForestPage 2 |
Student Project MethodologyOak Tree’s sixth graders in Mrs. Jackson and Mrs. Guerrero’s classed studied the Ponderosa Pine forest. They figured out how to look up plants and animals in the field guidebooks. They also learned how animals and plants depended on each other to survive. The students took soil samples, the temperature of the air and soil and identified the clouds. The information was recorded on field study protocols. The class also took pictures of plants and animals using a digital camera.
|
This Agave plant has long herbaceous leaves. It is able to survive here because of increased soil moisture. Note the increase in plant debris on the surface of the ground, which helps the soil to retain its moisture through dry spells.
Abiotic Site DescriptionType of Ecosystem:
Ponderosa Pine Forest The last site the classes
studied was at Tonto Rim Camp. It
was near a creek at 6000 feet and there had been a fire in the past.
The latitude and longitude were 33.5143°
N and 111.6116°
W. The reading the class got
for temperature was 75°F.
Latitude: 33.5143 degrees north Longitude: 111.6116 degrees west Relative Light = Full Sun Relative Wind = Breezey
|
This is an image of deer scat. Often the only easy sign of finding mammals, which tend not to be visible in the day, is to look for signs that they leave behind. This could be rubbing/scrapings on bark of trees (bear), clipping of buds and twigs (rabbits) or scat (fecal droppings). These droppings not only tell us that deer are present, but they fertilize the soil where they fall, and they spread the seeds of plants that the deer have eaten. This dispersal of seeds helps naturally "plant" species of plants that the deer need for survival, throughout their range!
Biotic Site Description: Animal DataFor arthropods, the classes identified little black ants, cabbage moths and flies. The most common was the little black ant. The class saw gray squirrels and javelinas, both in packs and their tracks on the trail. Some people call the javelina, a wild peccary. In Arizona, it is called the Spanish name, javelina. There were more gray squirrels than javelinas. The class saw American black crows and Steller’s jays. They saw more Steller’s jays. It was the dominant bird specie. Most Common Arthropod = Little Black Ant 2nd Most Common Arthropod = Cabbage Moth 3rd Most Common Arthropod = Fly
Most Common Mammal = Grey Squirrel 2nd Most Common Mammal = Javelina 3rd Most Common Mammal = Fox
Most Common Bird = Stellar's Jay 2nd Most Common Bird = American Crow
|
Yes, this is a picture of cow scat! Cows are grazers of grass, more than browsers of twigs like deer. Soil decomposers like bacteria and fungi will break this scat down into nutrients that small plants can use to grow. It will also add organic matter to the soil to help hold precious moisture.
Click on the image of cow scat to move on to the next page of the field study.
Click HERE to return to the first page of the field study.
Home Join Protocol Enter Data E-pals Research
