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NAME_____________________________________ Date_____________
BIO 105 Lab THE POUDRE RIVER NATURAL AREAS
BACKGROUND
Fort Collins is located where the prairie merges with the mountains. This area is remarkably rich in the diversity of plant and animal life in natural areas. Wetlands, drylands, riparian forests, short grass prairies, foothill shrublands, and pine forests provide crucial habitat to year-round resident wildlife, as well as migrating animals that stop here on their journeys to other states and countries. Fort Collins natural areas also are home for wildlife classified as endangered, threatened, or rare.
The Poudre River drops about 7000 feet and travels over 150 miles before its flows through the Environmental Learning Center. As it flows the river carves rugged canyons and creates prime habitat for plants, trees, and wildlife.
Where we are going: Environmental Learning Center
Please follow a few guidelines to make the field trip safer, more efficient, and organized.
- Drive east on Harmony Road, past Timberline to Zeigler road (County Road 9). Turn left and drive 2 miles. Enter the ELC when the road makes a sharp turn to the left. You will proceed straight ahead on a dirt road.
- Walk only on the paved trails and do not pick vegetation or collect anything from the site.
- Meet at the raptor shelter to begin.
At the Environmental Learning Center (ELC) there is a Raptor Center where injured birds can be treated and live. In addition, there are four ecological habitats: prairie grassland, wetlands, woodlands, and riparian. We will identify all four of them during today’s lab.
BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC FACTORS
Biotic factors are the living parts of an ecosystem; the nonliving aspects of the ecosystem are called its abiotic factors. Biotic factors include all of the types of organisms in the ecosystem as well as the interactions among them. Abiotic factors include all of the nonliving components of the ecosystem, both matter and energy. One convenient way to study an ecosystem's biotic factors is in terms of the system's food web. A food web is a diagram that illustrates the feeding relationships among species. In other words, a food web illustrates the flow of energy and cycling of matter through the ecosystem. Each ecosystem includes three major types of species:
- producers , which use energy (typically, the energy of light) to produce high-energy organic compounds from low-energy starting substances;
- consumers, which obtain energy by feeding either directly or indirectly on the producers; and
- decomposers , which break down tissues of dead organisms as their source of energy.
A description of an ecosystem's abiotic factors must include more than a simple list of the ecosystem's nonliving components. For example, it also must include the quality of each factor listed. Listing water as a feature of an ecosystem would be incomplete without describing the type of water: Is it fresh, salty, or brackish? How deep is it? Does it flow or is it stagnant? Sunlight is another abiotic component of most ecosystems, but consider: How much sunlight? Is it direct or filtered through vegetation, as on a forest floor? Several other abiotic factors include temperature, chemical composition, geological formation, and the nature of the soil. The science of ecology studies an ecosystem in detail by identifying and describing the (1) system's biotic and abiotic factors, and (2) the interactions that occur among them.
ACTIVITIES
There are several natural areas and the raptor center in this area. A natural area is a defined area and has a legal description. Certain things are not allowed. What are some of these things that are not allowed?
We will visit the Raptor Center first and then walk through the ELC area, identify different habitats, organisms living there, discuss some of the relationships that exist, and answer questions about these relationships. Raptor Center: There are several bald Eagles, golden Eagles, Swainson’s hawk, red-tailed hawk and great horned owls in the center. As you view these birds and read about them, select 3 and write two facts about each one.
Raptor #1: ___________________
Raptor #2: ___________________
Raptor #3: ___________________
As you leave the Raptor Center, please stop at the Waste Products graveyard. Note the length of time each of the following discarded items stays in the environment: Glass bottle________________ Paper milk carton______________ Tires_____________________ Plastic_______________________ Aluminum cans ____________
You may notice magpie and blue heron nests. The great blue heron, the signature bird of the ELC, is blue-gray, has a white head, and stands up to four feet tall. In flight the heron folds its neck and trails its legs.
We will be coming back to the 1st^ Ecosystem (Riparian) toward the end of our walk. Nevertheless, please take some notes below about what you’ve seen here at the river.
STOP 10: PRAIRIE GRASSLAND: 2nd^ MAJOR ECOSYSTEM
Moving away from the river brings you to a drier environment where animals and plants have had to adapt their lifestyle to remain successful survivors. There are nearly 100 varieties of grasses, including blue stem and switch grass. White deer (browsers) and cottontail rabbits use grass as main food source Prairie grasses develop root system enabling them to survive adverse conditions and thrive when ideal conditions return.
Magpies--“maggot pie” (main diet!), also feed on insects, grubs, carrion and garbage.
With all these plants around you, what group of animals would you expect to have the biggest role here (Hint: it’s not the mammals). ________________________________
Make notes about what you see and hear around you that define this prairies grassland area. Include the abiotic and biotic factors that make this area unique. List some evidence of animal activity or presence.
STOP 8-7: HEART OF THE WETLANDS: 3rd^ MAJOR ECOSYSTEM
Wetland soil is wet periodically throughout the year and home to diverse group of plant species and wildlife. Cattails and willow trees are the two dominant species, and provide optimal habitat for geese, great blue herons, and a variety of fish and invertebrates. Cattails referred to as “cat o’nine” tails because of the many uses for this plant. Roots can be ground to make flour and leaves woven for baskets and mats. Root systems of wetland vegetation help control flooding by acting as a natural sponge soaking up rainwater and snowmelt. By slowing water movement the roots also serve as a natural filtration system purifying ground and surface water. This ecosystem is prime habitat for fish, Canada geese, ducks, and great blue heron. Many Canada geese reside in Colorado all year if weather is mild; identified by a black head and long black neck, broad white cheeks, and a distinctive beak. They are grazers and eat mainly marsh grasses and pondweeds.
How do the animals affect the wetland plant community.
Make notes about what you see and hear around you that define this wetland area. Include the abiotic and biotic factors that make this area unique. List some evidence of animal activity or presence.
STOP 4: BACK TO THE RIVER/RIPARIAN HABITAT: 1st^ ECOSYSTEM
This ecosystem is found along the banks of the Poudre River and contains the highest diversity of plant and animal species at ELC. Why might this be true?
Massive trees have grown along the river’s edge. Cottonwoods, willows, alders are the common tress of the area. They reduce stream bank erosion and are home to magpies, redheaded woodpeckers, kestrels, owls, flickers, squirrels, and songbirds. Why are largest trees found in riparian ecosystem?
Make notes about what you see and hear around you that define this riparian/river area. Include the abiotic and biotic factors that make this area unique. Consider the requirements (or adaptations) that you think plants of this ecosystem have that allow them to live here. List some evidence of animal activity or presence.
Vocabulary
You should be familiar with this list of terms. Check pages 405-394 in your textbook for help in providing background and for understanding the lab.
- Trophic level (p. 418)
- Habitat (p. 411)
- Niche (p.411)
- Producers (p. 417)
- Consumers (p. 417) a. Primary
b. Secondary
c. Tertiary
- Decomposers (p. 419)
- Omnivores (p. 419)
- Biomass (p. 420)
- Productivity (p. 420-421)
Please answer these questions neatly on this page:
- Use information from your text and this lab to complete the diagram shown in Figure 1. Complete this diagram by writing in the general category of organism that exists at each trophic level in one of the habitat ecosystems at the ELC. Then fill in the names of particular examples of each category as you encountered them in your field walk.
- What is a food web?
- Why are the circles in the flow chart of different sizes?
- There is only one place where energy enters the ecosystem. Where is that? What type of energy is it?
- Explain how the diagram illustrated the cycling of matter within the ecosystem.
- Explain this statement: Matter is recycled among living things, but energy passes through them and finally dissipates into space.
- In a particular community, why must the total mass of grass be greater than the total mass of prairie dogs and why must the total mass of prairie dogs be greater than the total mass of raptors?
