Observation #8

Date: May 29, 2008

Time: 3:45

Temperature: 54˚ f

Weather Conditions: overcast

Soil Conditions: wet





This observation is my last and finally a dry one!! The grass and plants has become more biodiverse and lush. The Aspen trees are fully bloomed and have little buds. The grass is very green and the sorounding area is also green.
There has been another red fox and coyote in my area. The birds are out each morning getting food for there young. who chirp consistanly!! I have also seen a hawk roaming around my area. I assume this is because the hawk is searching for food and the baby birds are weak and easy targets. Also the hawk may be looking for smaller mamals like my cat and the Vohls.

Flora: Dandelion

The Dandelion, otherwise known as the Taraxacum officinale, is a common plant found in many places around the world. It is native to Europe and Asia, and begining to increase in population in America, Australia and New Zealand. The Dandelion is a highly productive, frequent plant around its habitat.

Standing at a height of two- eighteen inches tall, the Dandelions most noticeable feature is its bright yellow head. This attribute is on average two-five centimeters in diameter. Open during the daylight hours, but at night the plant closes its bright yellow head until the next morning. The leaves stretch out to be three-twelve inches long and about an inch to three inches wide.

Although the bright yellow head attracts many organisms, the Dandelion does not use the influence of its shade to reproduce. Dandelions are asexual. Asexual reproduction is the generation of these flowers without pollination. This causes the offspring of the Dandelions to appear as duplicates of one another. Once ready to produce offspring, the Dandelions turn into white fluffy, cotton like flower. Spreading out the seeds is a simple process. Once the Dandelion is ready, it will drop the pappus, or parachute, to the ground. Humans can transport the seeds by kicking them. Sometimes young children blow on the seeds to make wishes!

Dandelions grow in between side-walk cracks and in huge fields in the mountains. The sun and rich moist soil are requirements for these plants to grow.

Young Lepidoptera, butterflies and moths, feed on the Dandelions. In the Middle East and Europe, Dandelions were used to help the honey bees feed. Although we3 think of Dandelions as being garden pests, they also help out the environment.

Next time you see a Dandelion in your personal garden, leave it. According to many chefs, the green stem of a Dandelion is a traditional and unique serving! With a little seasoning, chefs say the flavor is bitter, but custom. The raw taste of it makes up for all the fat and salt drenched produce we eat today.

Observation #7

Date: May 24, 2008
Time: 7:50pm
Temperature: 47˚ f
Weather Condition: Rainy...AGAIN
Soil Condition: wet


Because of the dramatic rain cycles occurring, the area I am observing is very lush and green. All of the flora has changed from its winter conditions, dead and brown, to spring and summer. These changes include, the rapid growth of plant and trees, different shades of green and yellow, and sprouts spurting up in moist areas. The sage that was previously dry and breakable, has now changed to thick healthy brush.

The shift of climate has resulted in a hurried rush for shelter!! The only organisms I see are earth worms, and an occasional bird looking for the worms. The birds are demonstrating intraspecisific competition. The bird willing to get wet out in the rain will be the one who gets a good meal!! As they always say..." the early bird gets the worm!" In this case, the most tolerant bird gets the worm!

Obsevation #6

Date: May 22, 2008

Time: 4:35

Temperature: 43˚

Soil: Wet

Weather conditions: drizzling rain

The rain made it very difficult to get to my spot!!! The soil was very muddy and had traces of animal tracks. Birds have not been singing because of the rain! :( Although most of the animal have taken shelter durring the weather, the vohls have been consistanly creating more and more of thier burrows for shelter. My cat has been hunting the vohls like no other!! My cat acts as a predator and the vohl as the prey.

Observation #5

Date: May 21, 2008

Time: 3:50

Temperature: 43˚

Weather Conditions: Rainy

Soil Conditions: Wet



Since the weather condtions have caused so much moisture, the flora in the area have bloomed. The Aspens in the area are now officially blossomed and the grass is green and lush. The variations of the flora all compete with one another. Between the Aspens, intraspecisfic competition is shown. With a limmited amount of space, the Aspens need to work against one another.



The change in the weather has also shown a change in the fauna as well. The herds of elk and deer have not been seen as often as the previous observations. This is because of the weather variations like the snow. When the spring hits, the mamals no longer need to be further dow the mountains to find the resources they need.

Observation #4

Date: May 15, 2008
Time: 5:46
Temperature: 67˚
Soil: dry and warm
Weather: hot

So this observation was begining to look a little morelike spring should!! The Aspens inthe area were starting to bud, and the grass was getting a tint greener that last. The deer and Elk scatt is still presant but not as much new scat as last time. This may be because they can go into the forest again since the weather is warmer.

Fauna: The Red Fox

The red fox is a type of small mammal that has been roaming around my property for the last couple of months. Otherwise known as the Vulpes vulpes, the red fox is considered a small mammal. It stands at a height of 18-33.75 inches, and weighs about 6.6-30 lbs. It recieved its name, the Red Fox, from because of its reddish brown fur. The fox is related to canines, like dogs and wolves.

Like it's relitives, the fox is an omnivore. This means that it consumes both meat and vegitation. Although they are ominvores, the red fox's diet mainly consists of meat, like rodents, rabbits, birds, insects, and earthworms are the most common meat that the fox eats. A couple of the plants that it consumes are fruits, like apples and blackberries.

In order to find these different types of food, the fox has to live in a unique climate. It usually can be found in the Northern Hemisphere, but some species have also been found in Australia. Foxes mainly settle in forests, deserts and praries. Divericity in vegitation is the best for this small mamal.

The Fox's reproductive cylce varies on the location of the fox. In the south, the cycle does not start until December through January. Central foxes are in heat in January to Febuary, and Northerners are in Febuary to April. The Female mates with many of the males, but commonly settles with only one. The males will compete to gain the females respect. Once the offspring is born, the males will feed the mom and pups, but stays clear of them otherwise.

Lastly, the fox is a major support in its enviroment. By eating rodents and rabbits, the fox keeps overpopulation down. Also, the seeds are transfered around from the fox. This helps the plants keep growing.

Observation #3

Date: May 14, 2008

Time: 8:35 pm

Temperature: 35˚f

Weather Conditions: Rain drizzle, breezy

Soil Conditions : damp and cold

Hypothesis: The moisture(rain) is helping the Flora and the Fauna organisms become more attracted to this area.

As it drizzled, I noticed a few differences from the previous observation. I noticed that the soil was very damp and slick. There were footprints that could possibly been from the heard of
Elk or deer that live around this area. Each footprint's impression was more of a "skid", a result of the damp soil. Once again scatt from mammals was found. Also from the Elk or deer. On the subject of scatt, I found a different type from the others. I believe it is from Vohls or possibly a rabbit. I have not seen any other traces of the sage hens but hope to soon.

Also, the flora is beginning to bloom. Finally in May we are starting to get March weather!! The Trees and small plants are blooming green and May's true spring colors are coming to life!! The Aspen trees have the start of buds on their branches. The sage on the higher section of my observation is also turning that "minty green" color.

Oservation #2

Date: May 6, 2008

Time: 7:03

Temperature: 56˚f

Soil: Damp, cold

Hypothiesis: The grass and plants were wet, which I think will cause the grass to ripen and cause more animals to be attracted to the area.



I have two areas of my research, the upper part of my hill and lower part. Each contains two very diverse settings.

*The upper part less steep. For my Flora I found many plants were not fully bloomed yet. This is because in Jackson our spring weather does not arrive untill later in the year, May or June.

*The Aspens were still bare from the winter as well as some dead sage. Evergreens were obviously still green, but a dull green.

*I saw two sage hens, 1 male and 1 female
- the male's feathers were very colorfull and fluffed up, kind of like a peacocks would be

* Burrows were everywhere
- probalby from vohls

The lower part of the observation is in the midst of a group of Evergreens.

* Flora for the lower part was not quite a diverse as the upper.

*Evergreens
*Pinecones

*There was lots of deer scat and traces, like animal footprints, on the soil.

*On one of the Aspen trees, it appeared to be scratched down.
- maybe from a deer or an elk, possibly maybe a bear scratching

*Tick season so in the brush there most likly were ticks

Observation #1

My jounal is on my property in Hoback, Wy. It's about a 1/2 a mile from the Snake River and it's a very biodiverse area. The hill I am observing, I split into two different areas. One has burrows and at the top of the hill where the sun can reach it. Also on the top of the area 1, there are plants like Aspens, Evergreens, and Sagebrush. The second area mostly consists of Evergreens and pine cones. There were compression marks in the soil from some heavy animal.