Field Study:
Here is the Site Introduction, as well as Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, and Week 6 Data:
Here is the Site Introduction, as well as Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, and Week 6 Data:
Here are the Focus Questions from Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, and Week 6:
Analysis:
Over the past six weeks, I have observed my site, looking for any changes that might have occurred. The first change I have seen is the grass is drier and a brown color due to the lack of rain in the past six weeks. Their roots have died and the plants, especially grasses, have lost the ability to absorb water. The second change I have seen is the soil is drier and most likely containing less nutrients. Due to the lack of water, many nutrients are not replenished in the soil. Once the plants have used all the nutrients present in the soil, the soil loses their nutrients and it is dry. The third change I have seen is progressively over the past six weeks is the weeds have grown more rapidly than the other plants, even with the lack of water. This is because weeds can store more water with their thick roots and they have fewer leaves. Leaves cause the plant to lose a lot of water.
The three dominant organisms I have seen in my area are squirrels, birds, and bees. I have learned that the squirrels starting from the spring collect nuts for the winter in order to have enough food for hibernation. However, the squirrels at O'Hair Park do not collect as much since we have such mild winters. Their diets change according to the seasons. For example, squirrels eat fruit and flowers in the warmer seasons. Squirrels can be carriers to diseases. However, squirrels are highly adaptable to urban and suburban environments, like how the squirrels live under the San Marin Student Center. The squirrels have noticeably thinner fur than from the beginning of my field study. This is because the weather is much warmer with full sun exposure, therefore the squirrels must keep cool. One abiotic factor is the squirrels have been affected by the windy weather. Branches have fallen down, as seen in my coyote bush incident, and the squirrels have had to relocate either their homes or where they store their nuts. Also, one biotic factor is the invertebrates seen on my site include earthworms. These earthworms decompose dead matter in the soil to make it more fertile. Now, the soil's composition is adequate for squirrels to collect nuts and other materials underground. Finally, the Western scrub-jays are known as acorn planters, which aids aquirrels in the storing process. Squirrels are dominant in my area because the warm weather is favorable, there is protection and shelter from the oak tree, and there is a surplus of food, from nuts to fruit to flowers.
The second dominant organism in my site is the bird. Throughout this field study, I have heard many birds flying in the sky, but I have not spotted them. I can guess from research that they are probably the American robin, the common starling, or the Western scrub-jay. These birds all are common in northern California. All of these bird species eat insects, small seeds, fruit, and nuts. These birds, like many birds, prefer warm weather. Therefore, in California, these birds are practically seen year round. The few birds that I have seen have changed throughout this field study. Later in the study, the birds seemed fatter. This is probably because with summer approaching just around the corner, the birds have a more resources for food. For example, trees have more fruit now. One biotic factor that affects birds is insects. When insects come out from their homes such as underground, the birds have more food since they eat insects. One abiotic factor that affects birds is when it is raining, birds do not fly around as much since it is harder to fly when their wings are wet. Birds are dominant in my area since all of these three species are common in northern California, O'Hair Park has a large amount of nuts in their many oak trees, and there are many insects and fruit also used as food.
The third dominant organism in my site is the bee. The bees we see most often are honey bees and they don't want to sting you. Their main purpose is to produce honey and play a role in pollination. Bees tend to live for several weeks in the summer while they live for several months in the winter. Honey bees are adapted to feeding on nectar for an energy source and pollen for protein. The bee is most closely related to the wasp and the ant. The bees have changed over this six week period in that they have been more active. With summer approaching and therefore more fruit and flowers, the bees are seen more often because there is more nectar and pollen available. The bees are more active in pollination. One biotic factor that affects bees is that the growth and nutrients in a plant determine whether a bee will use its nectar and pollen. One abiotic factor that affects bees is that the sunnier it is, the more active the bees are. This is because bees naturally become more active when it's warmer, and they don't get as warm in the shade. Bees are dominant a my site because it is exposed 80% in the sun, so it is favorable for active bees as described above. Also, bees are dominant in northern California due to the warm weather and the variety of native plants that bees pollinate.
In conclusion, this field study has been a great project to help me individually understand the world around me. I have seen how living the interact with each other in symbiotic relationships (mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism). I have seen how plants and animals react to the weather. We live inside while they rely on the weather due to their exposed dwellings. Most importantly, I have learned how my own and humans' actions affect animals. By conserving my paper use, I can keep more trees in the forest. On a smaller scale, I should avoid stamping through the grass killing plants or breaking off branches because it hurts the plants and takes away animals' homes. We are all connected through consequences. When I conserve water, it leaves more water for animals to drink. When I walk only on the path, our native plants are allowed to thrive. When I don't pick or transplant plants, I allow native plants to prosper more than invasive species of plants. Our actions affect the nature around us, therefore we should think about the events that can happen due to them.
Over the past six weeks, I have observed my site, looking for any changes that might have occurred. The first change I have seen is the grass is drier and a brown color due to the lack of rain in the past six weeks. Their roots have died and the plants, especially grasses, have lost the ability to absorb water. The second change I have seen is the soil is drier and most likely containing less nutrients. Due to the lack of water, many nutrients are not replenished in the soil. Once the plants have used all the nutrients present in the soil, the soil loses their nutrients and it is dry. The third change I have seen is progressively over the past six weeks is the weeds have grown more rapidly than the other plants, even with the lack of water. This is because weeds can store more water with their thick roots and they have fewer leaves. Leaves cause the plant to lose a lot of water.
The three dominant organisms I have seen in my area are squirrels, birds, and bees. I have learned that the squirrels starting from the spring collect nuts for the winter in order to have enough food for hibernation. However, the squirrels at O'Hair Park do not collect as much since we have such mild winters. Their diets change according to the seasons. For example, squirrels eat fruit and flowers in the warmer seasons. Squirrels can be carriers to diseases. However, squirrels are highly adaptable to urban and suburban environments, like how the squirrels live under the San Marin Student Center. The squirrels have noticeably thinner fur than from the beginning of my field study. This is because the weather is much warmer with full sun exposure, therefore the squirrels must keep cool. One abiotic factor is the squirrels have been affected by the windy weather. Branches have fallen down, as seen in my coyote bush incident, and the squirrels have had to relocate either their homes or where they store their nuts. Also, one biotic factor is the invertebrates seen on my site include earthworms. These earthworms decompose dead matter in the soil to make it more fertile. Now, the soil's composition is adequate for squirrels to collect nuts and other materials underground. Finally, the Western scrub-jays are known as acorn planters, which aids aquirrels in the storing process. Squirrels are dominant in my area because the warm weather is favorable, there is protection and shelter from the oak tree, and there is a surplus of food, from nuts to fruit to flowers.
The second dominant organism in my site is the bird. Throughout this field study, I have heard many birds flying in the sky, but I have not spotted them. I can guess from research that they are probably the American robin, the common starling, or the Western scrub-jay. These birds all are common in northern California. All of these bird species eat insects, small seeds, fruit, and nuts. These birds, like many birds, prefer warm weather. Therefore, in California, these birds are practically seen year round. The few birds that I have seen have changed throughout this field study. Later in the study, the birds seemed fatter. This is probably because with summer approaching just around the corner, the birds have a more resources for food. For example, trees have more fruit now. One biotic factor that affects birds is insects. When insects come out from their homes such as underground, the birds have more food since they eat insects. One abiotic factor that affects birds is when it is raining, birds do not fly around as much since it is harder to fly when their wings are wet. Birds are dominant in my area since all of these three species are common in northern California, O'Hair Park has a large amount of nuts in their many oak trees, and there are many insects and fruit also used as food.
The third dominant organism in my site is the bee. The bees we see most often are honey bees and they don't want to sting you. Their main purpose is to produce honey and play a role in pollination. Bees tend to live for several weeks in the summer while they live for several months in the winter. Honey bees are adapted to feeding on nectar for an energy source and pollen for protein. The bee is most closely related to the wasp and the ant. The bees have changed over this six week period in that they have been more active. With summer approaching and therefore more fruit and flowers, the bees are seen more often because there is more nectar and pollen available. The bees are more active in pollination. One biotic factor that affects bees is that the growth and nutrients in a plant determine whether a bee will use its nectar and pollen. One abiotic factor that affects bees is that the sunnier it is, the more active the bees are. This is because bees naturally become more active when it's warmer, and they don't get as warm in the shade. Bees are dominant a my site because it is exposed 80% in the sun, so it is favorable for active bees as described above. Also, bees are dominant in northern California due to the warm weather and the variety of native plants that bees pollinate.
In conclusion, this field study has been a great project to help me individually understand the world around me. I have seen how living the interact with each other in symbiotic relationships (mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism). I have seen how plants and animals react to the weather. We live inside while they rely on the weather due to their exposed dwellings. Most importantly, I have learned how my own and humans' actions affect animals. By conserving my paper use, I can keep more trees in the forest. On a smaller scale, I should avoid stamping through the grass killing plants or breaking off branches because it hurts the plants and takes away animals' homes. We are all connected through consequences. When I conserve water, it leaves more water for animals to drink. When I walk only on the path, our native plants are allowed to thrive. When I don't pick or transplant plants, I allow native plants to prosper more than invasive species of plants. Our actions affect the nature around us, therefore we should think about the events that can happen due to them.
Conclusion:
I have accomplished the objectives of this field study. First, I learned how to stop and smell the roses, so to speak. We live in a world overflowing with natural beauty. Everywhere we look, there is a natural phenomenon that we we take advantage of. For example, my site at first looked like a field of grass with a bush and tree. Now I know that my site housed the most diverse group of plant species. Secondly, I learned how to apply the concepts we had taken notes on. In class, we discussed symbiotic relationships, essential nutrients in soil, and climate of various biomes. First handedly, I saw all of these factors in action at my site. Finally, I learned what it would be like to be a research scientist. Every week, I had to make a commitment to visit my site and look at the same plants to see how they changes. In the end it was rewarded, especially when comparing data to see the dramatic changes.
I made three predictions at the beginning of this field study. First, I predicted that the soil would be drier, almost like dust, due to a lack of rain. I was partially correct. The soil is drier with more rocks prominent, but it is more moist than dust. The air around my site is not filled with the dry dirt yet, due to the cold May. Second, I predicted the grass would be brown due to again, a lack of rain. However, the grass is still light green. I think this is partially because California grasses have thick roots to store the maximum amount of water. Finally, I predicted the weeds would grow much taller in my site. I was one hundred percent right about this one. The weeds are taller than me now, changing the appearance of my site and its surroundings.
My final thoughts on this field study is it is the epitome of project-based learning. It gives students the opportunity to take what they have learned, and use it in the real world. After college, we will need to take all our seventeen years of education and use it towards obtaining a stable job. Students have never learned outside of a multiple choice test won't be successful because that isn't life. Also, especially with current issues like global warming and the California drought, our generation needs to be aware of the world around us and how it is suffering greatly. Our generation is relied on by people to make a change and stop these atrocities in the future. We all know the first step towards helping is learning. Ignorance is the opposite of bliss if it means putting our world in danger.
I have accomplished the objectives of this field study. First, I learned how to stop and smell the roses, so to speak. We live in a world overflowing with natural beauty. Everywhere we look, there is a natural phenomenon that we we take advantage of. For example, my site at first looked like a field of grass with a bush and tree. Now I know that my site housed the most diverse group of plant species. Secondly, I learned how to apply the concepts we had taken notes on. In class, we discussed symbiotic relationships, essential nutrients in soil, and climate of various biomes. First handedly, I saw all of these factors in action at my site. Finally, I learned what it would be like to be a research scientist. Every week, I had to make a commitment to visit my site and look at the same plants to see how they changes. In the end it was rewarded, especially when comparing data to see the dramatic changes.
I made three predictions at the beginning of this field study. First, I predicted that the soil would be drier, almost like dust, due to a lack of rain. I was partially correct. The soil is drier with more rocks prominent, but it is more moist than dust. The air around my site is not filled with the dry dirt yet, due to the cold May. Second, I predicted the grass would be brown due to again, a lack of rain. However, the grass is still light green. I think this is partially because California grasses have thick roots to store the maximum amount of water. Finally, I predicted the weeds would grow much taller in my site. I was one hundred percent right about this one. The weeds are taller than me now, changing the appearance of my site and its surroundings.
My final thoughts on this field study is it is the epitome of project-based learning. It gives students the opportunity to take what they have learned, and use it in the real world. After college, we will need to take all our seventeen years of education and use it towards obtaining a stable job. Students have never learned outside of a multiple choice test won't be successful because that isn't life. Also, especially with current issues like global warming and the California drought, our generation needs to be aware of the world around us and how it is suffering greatly. Our generation is relied on by people to make a change and stop these atrocities in the future. We all know the first step towards helping is learning. Ignorance is the opposite of bliss if it means putting our world in danger.
Opinion:
The field study project was a great project. I enjoyed acting like a real researcher. Consistently collecting data, forming our own hypotheses, and keeping logs were fascinating and superb ways to learn about ecology and what it entails. With the changes we saw, we were able to use what we had learned to explain these changes. Also, I know I felt a connection to my site. It was like watching our child grow up. I was able to see certain plants flourish and for my site to grow in its plant variety. However, I felt this project could see improvement. First off, I think we should make something like a scrap book in order to visually display the changes we saw in person. We put a few pictures on our field studies, but it would have been better to take a picture of each of our plants and see how each individual plant grew or died. Second, this field study was too short. I mean we saw some minor changes like plant growth. However, if this field study occurred throughout various seasons, the changes would be more interesting. Then we could see in person the effects climate had on a site in nature. For example, I could see when my grasses died and how they grew back in my site. Or I could chart the changing colors of the leaves on the oak tree throughout fall, winter, and spring. All in all, this field study project should be continued with a few amendments.
The field study project was a great project. I enjoyed acting like a real researcher. Consistently collecting data, forming our own hypotheses, and keeping logs were fascinating and superb ways to learn about ecology and what it entails. With the changes we saw, we were able to use what we had learned to explain these changes. Also, I know I felt a connection to my site. It was like watching our child grow up. I was able to see certain plants flourish and for my site to grow in its plant variety. However, I felt this project could see improvement. First off, I think we should make something like a scrap book in order to visually display the changes we saw in person. We put a few pictures on our field studies, but it would have been better to take a picture of each of our plants and see how each individual plant grew or died. Second, this field study was too short. I mean we saw some minor changes like plant growth. However, if this field study occurred throughout various seasons, the changes would be more interesting. Then we could see in person the effects climate had on a site in nature. For example, I could see when my grasses died and how they grew back in my site. Or I could chart the changing colors of the leaves on the oak tree throughout fall, winter, and spring. All in all, this field study project should be continued with a few amendments.
Graphs of Abiotic and Biotic Factors: