Download ecosystems - Four Winds Nature Institute

Four Winds Nature Institute
4 Casey Rd. Chittenden, VT 05737
802-353-9440 www.fourwindsinstitute.org
ECOSYSTEMS
Discovering Connections in the Natural World
An ecosystem consists of all the living and the non-living things in a particular place, like a
forest, a pond, or the soil under a field. All the organisms in an ecosystem depend on all the other
things – both living and non-living – for food and other needs. When we study ecosystems, we’ll be
thinking about the interactions of organisms with each other and their environment. We’ll consider
how energy flows from sun to plants to animals, how plants and animals are linked in a food web,
and how matter cycles through organisms and back into the soil.
We'll meet some animals and plants that are part of different ecosystems, and consider the
interactions we observe as we explore the out of doors. Throughout the year, students will examine
the characteristics of organisms and consider the interconnections among living and non-living
systems in the Earth's environments.
SIGNS OF LEAF-EATERS: By summer’s end, nearly every leaf bears some signs of feeding by
plant-eaters small or large. Some make holes, some scallop the edges, and some roll the leaves into
tubes. When we look closely, we may get to watch a leaf-eater feeding on a leaf – or being eaten by
a predator – a real life look at the flow of energy from sun to plant to plant-eater to meat-eater. Here
is evidence of a food chain, a component of every ecosystem. We'll learn what an ecosystem is, how
the parts relate, and best of all, we'll take a minute to quietly sit and become part of this busy, buzzy
world.
LIFE IN THE DIRT: Life abounds right under our feet, from plant roots to earthworms to moles
and millipedes. All these dirt-dwelling organisms play important roles in the flow of energy and
matter through an ecosystem. Many soil critters act as decomposers, breaking down plant and
animal material and returning them as nutrients to the soil where other living things may use them
again. We’ll get to know some dirt dwellers, and dig in to discover the amazing variety and
complexity of life in the dirt.
LEAF LITTER: Under the deep forest canopy, the forest floor hosts a wide variety of plants and
animals that together form a complex food web and an efficient recycling system. Think about how
deep the pile of leaves in a forest would be if it weren't for the important work of the decomposers.
These busy organisms recycle nutrients, putting them back into the system for other living things to
use to grow and thrive. We'll lie down and smell the leaf litter, look for decaying leaves, fungi, and
insects, and imagine what it would be like to spend our lives on the forest floor.
SNAGS AND ROTTING LOGS: The death of a tree opens up a whole new set of interactions in a
forest. The standing snag serves as a home for a variety of fungi, lichen, insects, and other animals –
birds nest in the branches, raccoons den in the rotting trunk. Once the snag topples over, the process
of decomposition speeds up. A rotting log serves as a habitat for a parade of plants and animals,
which change over time according to the log's stage of decomposition.
SQUIRREL TALES: Amazing acrobats of the tree tops and phone wires, squirrels entertain us with
their often nutty behavior. We’ll meet three kinds of squirrels - gray, red and flying squirrels - all of
which occupy the forests of the northeast, often competing for the same foods and shelters. We’ll
see how they each have a special niche – particular habits and habitat preferences – that helps them
to live side by side. We’ll experience the nature of competition when we hide away nuts, and
compare our success rate to squirrels when we attempt to retrieve our hidden caches.
STAYING WARM: Ecosystems are very different places in the winter, with less solar energy,
shorter days, and little or no food-production by plants. And yet, many small, warm-blooded critters
stay active throughout this coldest of seasons. How do active animals meet their energy needs in
winter? Do fur, fat, and feathers help them retain heat? Can a blanket of icy snow provide protection
as well? We'll compare the insulating properties of different materials as we consider how animals
conserve energy to stay alive in winter.
WHITE-TAILED DEER: White-tailed deer are among the largest herbivores in our forest
ecosystems. We’ll consider their connections to the other plants and animals – the role deer play in
the forest food web – and learn how living in a herd helps deer, even though group members may
compete for food. We’ll examine the deer’s physical features – skull, legs, hoofs, fur – and think
about how these help deer to find food and avoid predators. Finding sign of deer – tracks, browse,
rubbings – may be the only way we know that this elusive creature lives in our neighborhood.
FOREST BIRDS: More than just a collection of trees, a forest ecosystem is a complex interaction of
sunlight and shadow, rain and wind, leafy canopy and shady under-story. Why do so many kinds of
birds make forests their home in the summer, and how are they important to its health? We'll look at
the different layers of plants in a forest and see how birds avoid competition by nesting and feeding
in these different strata. We’ll learn how to recognize at a glance some of the illusive but vocal birds
that make their homes in each.
STREAM LIFE: Water in a stream rushes, splashes, tumbles and flows smoothly, creating different
conditions and homes for a variety of organisms. How do stream animals find food and shelter, and
keep from getting swept away, in an ever-changing environment? What roles do they play in the
stream ecosystem? Our stream study will include plenty of time to explore a stream and to examine
the different animals that call this watery world their home.
POND LIFE: Ponds contain a variety of different habitats: the surface film, the shoreline, the lake
bottom and the open water. As we explore a pond we’ll meet a great variety of plants and animals
living in these different zones. We’ll consider how they meet the challenges of life in still waters –
finding food and hiding places, and, for those that live underwater, getting oxygen. With nets and
buckets we’ll enjoy the sights and sounds of pond life as we get our feet wet and take a look.
Four Winds Nature Institute, 4-16.