15 de junio de 2023

Nature walk observations - plants (June 11th, 2023)

As I strolled through the lush greenery, I was immediately captivated by the multitude of flowers and their unique shapes and colors. Each wildflower seemed to possess its unique charm and character, displaying an incredible diversity of shapes, colors, and fragrances. This connects with the fact that angiosperms have an extremely high diversity with approximately 25,000 species - this is partly due to the success driven by evolution of flowers as a reproductive organ through heterospory, and also coevolution with pollinators (I noticed many bees during my walk!) I remembered thinking about how all land plants were descendants from aquatic plants, therefore, many plants had to evolve to combat land challenges such as the possibility of drying out and harmful UV rays. I noticed some of plants that were out in the open without shade seemed to dry out and shrivel the fastest. Additionally, there was an abundant amount of ferns which I learned are seedless vascular plants. The forest were filled with ferns. I particularly analyzed the unique leaf structure of ferns, called fronds, which allows them to efficiently capture and retain moisture. With this in mind, it made sense why the forests were covered with ferns, it was the perfect environment for them to thrive! Also, ferns reproduce with spores rather than seeds, allowing them to colonize new areas within the forest and establish themselves in suitable microhabitats. The weather was very windy and also humid (it has been raining for three consecutive days) so I can imagine how easy it must be for plants like ferns to spread their spores and continue to grow and survive. Furthermore, I did notice some insects such as spiders and moths which start to come out during this time of year. My favorite find was this long annelida terrestrial earthworm which was digging a hole into the moist ground. It is quite common to see earthworms just above the dirt after days of downpour rain. I also had the pleasure to find a small, orange slug (Mollusca) which was covering the moss with its slimy mucus. I watched the slug and tried to connect its characteristics to those that were categorized in the Mollusca branch - such as the mantle and the soft body of the slug better known as the visceral mass. Overall, I found this nature walk observation to be very interesting and helpful as it connected many aspects of the Tree of Life in just a day!

Publicado el junio 15, 2023 03:15 MAÑANA por susannehahs susannehahs | 10 observaciones | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

09 de junio de 2023

NH neighborhood walk June 9, 2023

I walked for approximately an 45 minutes, eager to explore and appreciate the diverse array of life thriving. During my walk, I noticed that most of the fungi I found were growing on tree stumps. There were mushrooms emerging in different stages of growth and decay, each playing its role in the ecosystem. It was a humbling reminder of the often overlooked world of fungi and their vital role in decomposition, nutrient cycling, and symbiotic relationships with plants. I also noticed some orange-colored, very small mushrooms on the ground near some apple trees which I planted a while ago. Fruit trees rely on the presence of specific fungi to enhance their nutrient uptake. The fungi form a network of fine, thread-like structures called hyphae that extend into the soil surrounding the tree's roots. These hyphae penetrate the root cells and can also form a sheath around them. Also known as mycorrhizal association, the fungi provide many benefits to the fruit tree. Furthermore, there were many beetles during my exploration - many of which flew on me, which allowed for a more up-close observation of their colorful bodies. During the beginning of June, there tends to be many insects and bugs emerging from the ground. However, the weather was slightly cold and overcast, so there were not many bugs outside. One of the most interesting finds was a small puddle which was covered by some kind of slimy biofilm. Overall, I really enjoyed my nature walk!

Publicado el junio 9, 2023 10:46 TARDE por susannehahs susannehahs | 9 observaciones | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

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