2012 FORESTRY (B/C)
KAREN LANCOUR
National Bio Rules
Committee Chairman
Event Rules – 2012
DISCLAIMER
This presentation was prepared using
draft rules. There may be some changes
in the final copy of the rules. The rules
which will be in your Coaches Manual and
Student Manuals will be the official rules.
Event Rules – 2012
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BE SURE TO CHECK THE 2012
EVENT RULES FOR EVENT
PARAMETERS AND TOPICS FOR
EACH COMPETITION LEVEL
The National Tree List is at
www.soinc.org under Event
Information (states may modify
for state & regional competitions)
TRAINING MATERIALS
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Training Power Point – content overview
Training Handout - content information
Sample Tournament – sample problems with key
Event Supervisor Guide – event prep tips, setup
needs and scoring tips
Internet Resources & Training Materials – on the
Science Olympiad website at www.soinc.org
under Event Information
A Biology-Earth Science CD, and the National
Audubon Society Field Guides to Trees (Eastern and
Western are available from SO store at
www.soinc.org
The Competition
Content:
 Taxonomic Scheme of the 2011 Official
Science Olympiad Tree List is used in
competition
 Identification, anatomy & physiology,
reproduction, habitat characteristics,
ecology, conservation, biogeography
Process Skills: observation, inferences, data
and diagram analysis
Event Parameters: check 2012 rules for what
is allowed
Field Guide
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All specimens on the National List
are represented in the
National Audubon Society Field
Guides to Trees (Eastern and
Western Regions)
Taxonomy
Official National List
 Family
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Genus species (Scientific name)
and Common name
Page numbers for Audubon Field
Guides are on the Official List
FAMILIES OF TREES
Learn the Family characteristics and then
species!!
General arrangement of guides
 Tree lists are arranged by families.
 The families have general characteristics for
all of the species within the family.
 Pay attention to these characteristics!!
TREE
SHAPES
Overall tree shapes
include:
pyramidal
conical
columnar
spreading
vase-shaped
broad
rounded.
LEAVES
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leaves can
be
needleshaped,
scaleshaped, or
broad and
flat
LEAVES
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Broad leaves
can be simple
or compound
and are
arranged along
the branch in
an opposite,
alternate, or
whorled
pattern.
LEAF MORPHOLOGY
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Leaf
shape
Leaf
Margins
Leaf
venation
Review
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Shape
Margin
Twig
Types of
Buds
Leaf &
Flower Parts
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Flowers
sepals which are usually
green and leaf-like
petals with are brightly
colored
stamens (the male
reproductive structures)
pistals (the female
reproductive structures)
Most tree flowers are
bisexual
some are only one sex
two sexes can appear on
separate trees or on
different locations on the
same tree.
Cones & Fruit
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Simple fruit can
be dry or fleshy
If the fruit
develops from
several pistals, it
is an aggregate
Major types of forests
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Northern Forests – spruces, firs, pines, tamarack, paper birch, quaking aspen
Pacific Coast Forest – western hemlock, redwood, Douglas fir, western red
cedar
Western Mountain Forests – ponderosa pine, lodgepole pine, Engleman
spruce, Douglas fir.
Northeastern Deciduous Forests – eastern hemlock, American beech, red
oak, basswood, sugar maple beech, maples
Central Forests – tuliptree, sycamore, shagbark hickory, white oak, Ohio
buckeye
Southeastern Forest – Loblolly pine, shortleaf pine, longleaf pine, mockernut
hickory, live oak.
Subtropical Forest – red mangrove, black mangrove, cabbage palmetto
Unforested Areas – desert, grassland, tundra
Tree Ecology
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Growth requirements
Environmental impacts of trees
Interspecies relationships
Role within their ecosystems
Economic impact
Uses for the various parts of a tree
Mode of dispersal of their seeds
Benefits to the Environment
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Photosynthesis uses carbon dioxide, water
and sun energy to produce oxygen and
carbohydrates
Prevent erosion
Improve Air Quality – absorb harmful pollutants
Remove CO2, ozone, small particulate matter
Help with global warming
Keep us cool
Trap rainwater
Help keep water quality high
Challenges to Forest
Populations
Fragmented Forests
 Harvesting Issues
 Exotic Species
 Atmospheric Threats
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Preparing for Competition
Field Guide
 Study Binder
 Power Point Slides
 Flash Cards
 Actual Specimens
 Timer – practice timed stations
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GENERAL TIPS – FIELD
GUIDES
General tips on arrangement are:
1. The Audubon Field Guide is arranged according to the family
arrangement within the Orders of Trees and Shrubs.
2. Gymnosperms are followed by angiosperms with dicots first
and then monocots.
3. Species are arranged alphabetically within the family by
scientific name.
4. Color plates are arranged by leaf color key, flower color key,
fruit and cone key, and autumn leaf key.
5. Each species listing has plate numbers for photos within the
color plates and a text section explaining description, habitat,
and range of the species.
Field Guide
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Study the organization of the field guide
Note that the page numbers of the Audubon Field
Guides are on the Official Tree List
Tab the field guide with very small useful tabs so
it is not cluttered and can be easily used
Notice how the Family characteristics come first
and then the species arrangement is alphabetical
Practice using the Field Guide to identify
specimens or photos
Practice under timed conditions to prepare for
competition
Study Binder
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The most effective resources are the ones produced by the students.
The process of producing the resources is a major learning tool.
Have a copy of the rules in your binder
Have a copy of the lists (birds, fossils if applicable) in your binder
Prepare and organize materials by major topic divisions.
Place materials from many different sources into your topic divisions
Reduce the size of pictures where possible to get more information on a
page.
Color code information to help you locate or emphasize key items.
Put pages in sheet protectors – two per protector to save space.
Use tabs to separate sections.
Label tabs so items can be located with ease.
Power Point Slides
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Make power point slides for each
species
Make them so information can they
can be used for practice
Prepare them so they can be
reorganized to make practice
competitions for study
Flash Cards
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Make flash cards with pictures on one
side and information on the back
Use the flash cards to make up sample
competitions
Use the flash cards to learn the trees
Actual Specimens
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Collect and preserve leaves and tree
parts as stems and flowers
Note that preserved specimens may
not look exactly like live specimens –
texture and color changes may occur
Use specimens to learn the trees
Note that leaves from different trees or
parts of a tree may vary
Collecting Leaves
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Only collect leaves on a sunny day and after dew has dried.
Collect good leaves, leaves that have not been damaged by
insects, diseases or the sun.
Always collect more than one leaf. Collect a small branch full.
That way, you will be sure to get a good representative of the
tree.
When removing specimens from the tree, it is best to use pruning
shears so that you minimize your impact on the tree.
If you are working with a compound leaf, try to get the whole
leaf.
When removing a specimen from a tree that has opposite
arrangement, try to remove two or four leaves with their position
on the stem intact.
Press the leaves within an hour after collecting or before they dry
out.
Pressing Leaves
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It is important to remove as much moisture from the leaves as
quickly as possible
Do not fold the leaf.
Place each leaf, or several leaves between 2 layers of
absorbent paper as paper towel or newspaper.
Press the leaf or leaves between absorbent papers in a large
book or leaf press.
Place extra weight on the large book or tighten the leaf press
strap to squeeze out the moisture.
Allow several days for pressing.
If time permits, change the paper towels on the leaves after
the first couple days of pressing.
Mounting Leaves
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Mount the leaves and place in sheet
protector of a photo album or between
acetate or cellophane sheets. Another
option is to laminate the leaves.
Label the specimens with scientific name,
common name, date of collection, name of
collector, location, notes about
identification.
Arrange leaves by species within families.
Timer
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Use your training materials to prepare
sample stations for study
Use the timer to do the practice
stations
Use your team work skills to improve
your efficiency
Learn the trees so you will limit your
dependence on resources
Preparing Competition
Resources
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Learn the trees so resources will be used as little as possible. The most
successful teams use very few resources in competition.
Use notes for material you want to use that is not in the Field Guide or on
the Tree List
Check the event parameter so you know what is allowed in the
competition.
Since the events are timed, organization of materials is essential for the
most effective use of the materials during the competition.
Organize materials on each page to maximize available space
Cut and paste items to organize materials more effectively on a page.
Write notes in margins or with pictures.
Color code information to help you locate or emphasize key items.
Use front and back of the page.
Place the page in a protective sleeve or laminate it so it won’t get wet or
damaged.
Competition Success
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Dried leaves may look different from live leaf or a
photo of the leaf - it’s texture may change with
drying
Try to identify the specimen to the family and then
decide what species it is
Use common sense when answering not
identification questions
Be careful to spell Scientific names and common
names correctly
Work as a team and use your teamwork skills to
finish the requested tasks