Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Reforestation wikipedia , lookup
Biodiversity action plan wikipedia , lookup
Renewable resource wikipedia , lookup
Reconciliation ecology wikipedia , lookup
Natural environment wikipedia , lookup
Lake ecosystem wikipedia , lookup
Habitat conservation wikipedia , lookup
Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project wikipedia , lookup
Succession Summary: Grade Level: 5-7 Teaching Methods: Analysis, Classification, Data Collection, Discussion, Investigation, Observation, Small Group Time: • Preparation Time: 1 hour • Activity Time: 2 hours Materials: Activity I • Stake wire flags • Flagging tape • Flip chart • Markers—at least two different colors Per Group • Soil thermometer • Air thermometer • Light meter • Anemometer • Trowel • Ruler • Beginner field guides or make a common plants and animals handout (see Getting Ready) • Community Claims worksheet • Clip boards • Pencils Activity II • Stages of Succession worksheet • Clipboards • Pencils Park Location: Activity I—An area where two different stages of succession meet and show a gradual change from one community to another. Activity II—An area with different successional stages other than those in Activity I. Pre/Post Lessons: • Pre-visit: Mapping Communities • Post-visit: Signs of Succession Students investigate different stages of succession to identify their characteristics and learn that one community gradually replaces another. Objectives: • • • • Students will identify at least two characteristics of different successional communities. Students will describe the features of an area where two communities meet and overlap. Students will define the term succession. Students will recognize six different ecological zones of succession found on Presque Isle. PA Environment & Ecology Standards: 4.6.7. Ecosystems and their Interactions A. Explain the flows of energy and matter from organism to organism within an ecosystem. C. Explain how ecosystems change over time. 4.7.7. Threatened, Endangered and Extinct Species A. Describe diversity of plants and animals in ecosystems. B. Explain how species of living organisms adapt to their environment. PA Science & Technology Standards: 3.2.7. Inquiry and Design B. Apply process knowledge to make and interpret observations. 3.3.7. Biological Sciences A. Describe the similarities and differences that characterize diverse living things. 3.7.7. Technological Devices B. Use appropriate instruments and apparatus to study materials. Other PA Standards: • • • Geography Mathematics Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening Background: With the passage of time, natural communities change. Old fields become Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of State Parks 1 forests and ponds become marshes. The orderly replacement of one natural community by another is called succession. This process is brought about, in part, by the organisms themselves. Their own life activities create habitats that are more favorable for different groups of organisms. Primary succession takes place if the site contains no plants or soil, such as a sandy beach. In primary succession on land, living organisms slowly build soil over hundreds of years. Secondary succession occurs in areas where soil and organisms were already present, but were disturbed by natural or human activities. The early stages of succession are characterized by relatively few species, low biomass, and an abiotic source of nutrients. Plants at this stage have shorter, simpler life cycles, are smaller in size, and generally produce an abundance of small seeds that can be widely dispersed. These plants are adapted to a wide range of conditions and grow rapidly. Plants of later stages are slower growing and long-lived, support more biomass, and produce smaller numbers of heavy seeds that are primarily dispersed by animals or gravity. The final stage of succession is called the climax community. This stage is mature, self-maintaining, and relatively permanent as long as it is left undisturbed. The change from one community to the next is gradual. Although each stage can be recognized by its physical structure and characteristic plant and animal species, there is no clear line between one stage and another. The zone where two or more different communities meet and mix is called an ecotone. These transitional areas contain species of both communities and often exhibit the greatest variety and density of life. This phenomenon is known as the edge effect. Some species also have changing habitat needs throughout the year and may utilize different communities and their ecotones for nesting, seasonal feeding, or winter shelter. Due to the action of wind and water, Presque Isle is constantly changing. Sand is carried from the northwest facing beaches and deposited at the easternmost end at Gull Point forming new land. The changing nature of Presque Isle has resulted in six distinct ecological zones of succession: • Water’s Edge, Drift Beach, and Upper Beach • Sand Plain, New Ponds, and New Dunes • Fore Dunes, Back Dunes, and Ridges • Old Ponds and Marshes • Thicket and Sub-Climax Forest • Climax Forest. The variety of habitats these zones provide result in a high level of biodiversity. Presque Isle is home to over 600 species of plants, over 320 species of birds, 50 species of mammals, 31 species of reptiles and amphibians, and thousands of invertebrates. Zone 1: Water’s Edge, Drift Beach, and Upper Beach The first stage of succession at Presque Isle occurs where Lake Erie waters meet land. Wind and wave action constantly moves sand on, off, and along the beaches making the water’s edge a harsh and unstable environment. It takes approximately one year before plants that are adapted to the desert-like conditions can become established. Annual plants, species that live for only one year, are the first to move into the area. These plants are able to colonize the water’s edge, because they grow quickly and produce large numbers of seeds. Plants help to stabilize the sand and add nutrients when they decompose. Three annual plant species found in this stage are Sea Rocket, Beach Clotbur, and Seaside Spurge. Many types of birds eat the seeds of these plants and help to disperse them. The water’s edge also provides habitat for migratory shorebirds, such as plovers and sanderlings, which feed on insects and nest on the beaches. Zone 2: Sand Plain, New Ponds, and New Dunes Over time, sand is moved farther inland away from the wind and waves. Once removed from the elements, the stabilized, nutrient rich sand can support perennial plants, which live for multiple years. Sand is trapped by the taller, thicker vegetation and builds up at the base of the plants to form a sand plain. Perennials that live in the sand plain include the Hairy Puccoon, Brook Lobelia, Beach Pea, Rose-Pink, Flax, and Cypress Spurge. These plants provide habitat for birds and small mammals. Sand deposits curve around the eastern tip of the peninsula and enclose water to form new ponds. These ponds are often temporary, because they can fill with sand or wash away. However, if they do survive, plants and wildlife will eventually appear. Cottonwoods are among the first to appear, because they are adapted to survive in saturated soils. Zone 3: Fore Dunes, Back Dunes, and Ridges Sand is carried inland from the beaches until it is blocked by vegetation. As sand continues to build-up, it forms small dunes. Dune grasses and other vegetation begin to grow, which traps more sand and allows the dunes to grow bigger. As the plants die, they add nutrients and build a richer soil that can support other types of vegetation. Eventually, the dunes will be covered with grasses such as American Beach Grass and Switch Grass and bay- Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of State Parks 2 berry. The new vegetation provides habitat for many types of birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals. Yellowrumped Warblers feed on bayberry fruit and foxes and coyotes build dens in the dunes. vertical layers of the trees provide additional habitats. Zone 4: Old Ponds and Marshes Ponds that are protected from the wind by dunes and ridges develop into stable habitats for many plant and animal species. Old ponds and marshes have a high level of biodiversity because they provide a variety of habitats. Cattails, sedges, and rushes grow along the pond’s edge while water lily and other aquatic vegetation grow in open water. These provide food and shelter for turtles, frogs, snakes, birds, and beavers. Vegetation can be used as an indicator of a pond’s age. Water lily can be found on ponds that are about 40 years old; while Tufted Loosestrife indicates the pond is between 100 and 200 years old. As a pond ages, debris begins to collect along the edges and heavy algae covers the surface, eventually closing the open water and depriving the pond of light and oxygen. As the pond dies, a marsh slowly develops. Plants, such as Blue Flag, willows, alders, and buttonbush, provide food and shelter for wildlife. The marsh is also habitat for many types of insects, including dragonflies and mosquitoes, which attract birds, frogs, and other insect-eaters. Zone 5: Thicket and Sub-Climax Forest Dunes, ridges, and drying marshes are eventually replaced by thickets. Poison ivy, greenbriars, bittersweet, and wild grapes are found in these thick, shrubby areas. Thickets provide excellent habitat for small mammals and birds, because they provide protection from larger animals and food in the form of berries and fruit. Seeds from wild cherry, cottonwood, white pine, red maple, and other trees are carried to the thicket by animals or the wind. As the seedlings begin to grow, they produce shade which thins out the shrubby undergrowth. This stage is known as the sub-climax forest. The border between the thicket and sub-climax forest forms an ecotone, which provides protection from predators for wildlife that travel between the two areas. Zone 6: Climax Forest Hemlocks, sugar maples, and red and black oaks make up the climax forest. The term “climax forest” suggests that if left undisturbed, this ecosystem will remain for many years. The trees that are characteristic of the climax forest have large canopies that produce deep shade. Understory trees, ferns, mosses, and woodland wildflowers are adapted to shade and thrive beneath the canopy. Climax forests support a diverse animal population, because the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of State Parks 3