Natural History Project:
The Back of Casey Building
Biology 470: General Ecology
Jessica K. Brown
November 19, 2006
Field Logs

October 30, 2006, 9:17 AM
o Weather: sunny, relatively warm (low 70s and high 60s); soil feels a little
drier than usual; a little wind present not enough to make the leaves fall
off of trees
o Not much of ground covered by falling leaves and flowers
o Dry pavement
o Squirrels, slugs, snails, and birds present
o Site is lush with color red, purple, yellow, and many variations of green
are visible
o Site is somewhat shaded by building
o Leaves of some plants have lighter colored pigmentation on the peripheral
of leaves
o Horsetails found in a distinct section next to some trees and sporadically
amongst some shrubs to the right of the building
o Water starwort found climbing the rock landscapes and walls; also
invaded the ground around trees; beginning to invade pavement
o Kinnikinnik is another invader weaving with water starwort and
dominates some parts of the ground behind Casey
o Great diversity of ferns on the right side of the building (second level)
Licorice Fern and other fern thrive specifically at this site other ferns
are located in less fern diverse areas
o Bracken located under some of the trees on the second level; somewhat
amongst itself in the soil; other patches of Bracken located by the door and
amongst the fern diversity to the right of the building; Goldenback Fern
also present along the second level of the landscape lots of fur under the
leaflets
o Morning Glory Bindweed is a major invasive of the higher levels behind
Casey Building
o Canyon Oak are dark green in color and are thriving under some of the
trees
o Maidenhair spleenwort is located right outside of the Casey Atrium
door it stands alone as a shrub but is hidden under some of the other
trees right outside the door
o Western Burning Bush was found alongside the walkway up the stairs to
the main walkway down to Upper Mall Huckleberry-leaved oak was
present on the higher levels of the landscape also

November 3, 2006, 10:24 AM
ο weather: extremely wet, raining, pavement has many puddles, soil is
flooded with rainwater; gray skies; windy; rain blowing sideways
ο Slugs and snail present at site
ο Some of the trees have begun their shedding a few leaves and flowers
on the ground
ο Green still visible but colors like red, purple, yellow etc. not as vibrant
as the previous visit to the site
○ Horsetails, invasives such as Morning Glory Bindweed, Water Starwort,
and Kinnikinnick, Canyon Oak, and Maidenhair Spleenwort maintain their green
color not much change of color; moisture is increased in soil beneath these
species because it is raining
○ Not much change with the Western Burning Bush and HuckleberryLeaved Oak leaves are still dark green and flowers are still present; hairs on
huckleberry-leaved oak still present
○ Licorice Fern has not changed much since last visit to site No
apparent change in color or composition; wet woodchips and soil underneath
shrub; Goldenback Fern has not lost any fern nor any color
● November 17, 2006, 9:25 AM
° weather: gray skies, sporadic rainfall, slight winds, pavement is wet, soil is
moist, no flooding present
° Squirrels present
° Everything has fallen off trees
° A lot of ground covered by tree shedding (leaves, flowers, etc.)
° All the trees and shrubs are bare and brown in color; dry
° Soil is moist but the trees are dry still some moisture left in the bark of the
trees and shrubs
○ Horsetails and invasives are the same in color and arrangement since the last
visit not much change; berries on Kinnikinnick have begun to fall
○ Flowers in on the Huckleberry-Leaved Oak and Western Burning Bush have
fallen off and the stems are exposed
○ Licorice Fern has turned yellowish and brown and has undergone drastic
changes since the last visit from bright green to yellow and brown crispy to
the touch
○ Bracken has also changed a lot very dry and brown
○ Canyon Oak still has its dark green color
○ Goldenback Fern seems like it has lost some fur and is brown and dry
Common Name- Woodland Horsetail
Scientific Name- Equisetum Sylvaticum
Description: This plant may resemble a bamboo shoot in that it has
longitudinal ridging and uniformly placed sheaths along the length of
its structure. The hollow interior may lead one to think that this plant
has an unstable structure, but the deep root system of this plant
actually makes it quite tough.
2 Interesting Ecological Facts
1. Woodland Horsetails survive many fires and their deeply buried
rhizomes are almost indestructible, thus allowing them to survive really
harsh conditions.
2. These plants compose the largest portion of spring diet for Black Bears.
http://www.fs.fed.us/database
Common Name- Huckleberry-Leaved Oak, Scientific Name- Quercus Vaccinifolia
Description: This plant has a primary stem and there are buds growing off
the stem. Its leaves have random golden hairs underneath and appear
gray in color. The berries grow at the top of the stem amongst an array of
leaves. The plant’s overall shape is longer than it is wide.
2 Interesting Ecological Facts
1. This plant is a fire-climax species and can survive fires. It is also
drought resistant. Therefore, the fitness of this plant is high.
2. Sequential to coniferous species and are located among shrubs.
http://www.fs.fed.us/database
Common Name- Bracken, Scientific Name- Pteridium Dennstaedtiacea
Description: The leaves of this plant run vertical to the branches coming
off the main stem. There is a triangular outline to the blade and overall
shape of the plant.
2 Interesting Ecological Facts
1. Bracken plays a role in succession and occurs between high land and
wetland.
< http://www.plants.usda.gov>
2. Bracken can cause a problem for livestock health and human health for
those who consume it.
http://www.fs.fed.us/database
Common Name- Kinnikinnik, Scientific Name- Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi
Description: Kinnikinnick has rounded leaves. The leaves however, are
not wider than they are long. The leaves are halved along the length of
the leaf. There are round red berries present in this bush. The leaves are
somewhat leathery and its stems have a distict purple resemblance.
2 Interesting Ecological Facts:
1. Prevalent in sandy or sediment soils.
< http://www.plants.usda.gov>
2. Located on dry and rocky slopes.
< http://www. Dragonrealmdesigns.com>
Common Name- Licorice Fern, Scientific Name- Polypodum Glycrrhiza
Description: Moisture plays a big role with this fern. When it is dry, the
ends of this fern will curl up. The composition will return when moisture returns. The
leaflets are relatively long compared to maidenhair spleenwort and the rhizomes of this
plant apparently taste like licorice.
< http://www.bcbiodiversity.homestead.com>
2 Interesting Ecological Facts:
1. This plant seldomly grows in soil. It is epiphytic and derives it nutrients
from the water, air, or surrounding sources.
2. Many licorice ferns are found in shaded forests.
< http://www. Northcoast.com>
Common Name- Western Burning Bush, Scientific Name- Euonymus Occidentalis
var. occidentalis
Description: The leaves of this plant come to a slender tip. There are
veins visible in the leaves and the edges of the leaf are jagged. There are 5
petal flowers (red in color) located amongst the array of leaves.
2 Interesting Ecological Facts:
1. The seeds of this plant are eaten by “frugivorous” birds. The birds eat
the orange flesh of the seeds.
2. The seeds are dispersed via the same birds. The bird’s droppings are
responsible for this mechanism.
< http://www.wikipedia.org>
Common Name- Canyon Oak, Scientific Name- Quercus Chrysolepis
Description: The leaves of this species are spiny and have somewhat of a
leathery texture. There is a little fur present. The dark green color allows it to stand out
among the light green invasives surrounding it.
2 Interesting Ecological Facts:
1. Canyon Oak has a very high caloric value. This is good for firewood.
2. Canyon Oak can be used as an excellent stabilizer of soils on steep
slopes.
< http://www.na.fs.fed.us.gov>
Common Name- Morning Glory Bindweed, Scientific Name- Polygonium
Convolvulus
Description: Morning glory is an invasive that was dominant in the
landscape behind Casey. These heart-shaped leaves give this weed an outstanding
characteristic. The leaves are connected by a strong and stable cord and the leaves have
a lot of veins.
2 Interesting Ecological Facts:
1. Its deep root system allows it to be unaffected by droughts or low
nitrogen levels.
2. Morning Glory Bindweed tend to be the most prevalent on soils with
low pH. (Hanf 1982)
< http://www.nappo.org>
Common Name- Goldenback Fern, Scientific Name- Pityrogramma Triangularis
Description: This fern has an overall triangular shape in the leaf blades
and the whole plant. There are golden hairs located under the leaves, which provides the
significance of the name.
2 Interesting Ecological Facts:
1. These ferns are located primarily in dry open areas or partly shaded
rocky slopes or crevices.
2. This plant exists in low to middle elevations.
< http://www.bcbiodiversity.homestead.com>
Common Name- Maidenhair Spleenwort, Scientific Name- Asplenium Trichomanes
Description: This plant has short leaves that are places along both sides
of the branch. The leaflets are on opposite sides of the branch’s spine. There is some
purple present on the plant. The length and width of the leaf blades are approximately
equal in size. The leaflets are rounded at the edges.
2 Interesting Ecological Facts:
1. Found in low to middle elevations.
2. Found on steep slopes.
< http://www.bcbiodiversity.homestead.com>
Sources Cited
Kozloff, Eugene N. Plants of Western Oregon, Washington, and British
Columbia. Timber Press: Oregon 2005.