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Deer Hunters Are a Strange Species
Before there were grocery stores and fast food restaurants,
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GREENHOUSE EFFECT AND ITS IMPLICATIONS
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The Oil Depot Explosion That Rocked My Home And Brought Me Inner Peace
On Sunday morning, 11th December I got up early. I like sitting
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Weed Dangerous to Hummingbirds
REQUIREMENTS FOR REPRINT: You have permission to publish this article free of charge in your e-zine, newsletter, ebook, print publication or on your website ONLY if it remains unchanged and you include the copyright and author information (Resource...
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Understanding an Ecosystem
No one lives in a vacuum, we might say, and the same is true of
nature. Just as people need other people to get connected and
learn to survive, so do other natural elements in the universe
and on planet Earth. While it may be difficult for most of us to
comprehend the universe with the naked eye, we can go out and
study the world around us without the use of even a microscope
as long as we have some idea of what we're looking for. Studying
a microcosm, or smaller world of organic activity, can help us
to understand larger principles and systems at work on a major
scale.
As schoolchildren, we study the basic physical sciences,
including biology, physics, chemistry, and geology. College
students will learn even more about some of these topics in
fulfilling the general education requirements for just about any
diploma. Yet, because few of us study all the sciences at
length, we often do not understand very much about the way the
natural world works. That's why personal study of a nearby
ecosystem may help to expand our knowledge base in useful ways.
Start by reading an introductory lesson on the type of system
you want to study. It might be about a woodland area, a bog or
marsh, a river or pond, or a plain or meadow. You could study a
farmer's crop of corn or beans, or a neighbor's trickling
stream. Wherever you look in the rural outdoors, you can find a
mini-system of natural principles operating to support a variety
of life forms. If you have kids or grandchildren, or teach
school or children's church, you may even want to arrange a
field trip for an hour or so to let them learn about nature the
experiential way. Go over the basic guidelines for identifying
an ecosystem and how the parts work together to create a system
that supports living creatures and
plants.
Choose a good-weather day for the expedition. If you plan to
investigate a neighbor's property, get permission first. Be sure
there are no safety hazards like swampland, ditches, or gas
lines that someone could stumble over. Let everyone know the
boundaries for the study project, along with an idea of what to
look for. Then it might be a good idea to pair everyone in two's
to keep anyone from wandering off or getting lost. Another
advantage to twosomes is they can check their impressions with
each other to clarify findings.
Have everyone describe the terrain, the climactic and
environmental conditions, and the dominant weather cycles for
the region. They can do this afterward in discussion or take
notes while in the field. Then they should look for typical life
forms in the area, including species and genus, if they know how
to classify organisms. Otherwise, a simple list by common names
is fine. They should at least be able to separate insects from
mammals, and so on. Animal tracks can be used as evidence in
lieu of seeing the actual creature, like deer, for example.
The next step is to find water, air, and food sources that
support the living things. Applying known rules or principles to
actual observations will provide a rich and personal learning
experience. In the notes or via discussion, explain how
everything in the area works together to support an
environmental life chain. This type of activity makes a great
family excursion or a fun hobby for an individual. Try it
sometime to see whether you enjoy reading physical history in
the great outdoors.
About the author:
Study the fascinating aspects of our planet by checking out
Ecology Study at
http://www.ecologystudy.com<
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