Brian Royce
Environmental Science
Period 4
Dr. Houghton
10/20/2010-5/28/2011
Abstract
• Environmental science- “the branch of biology
concerned with the relations between
organisms and their environment”
(Farlex, 2011).
• Study areas
• Keeping track of changes
• Changes over time
• How the environment changes
Objectives
• 1. Learn the environment
that we live in
• 2. Learn to Identify,
observe and research
• 3. Study how it works
• 4. Learn how to present
findings
Objectives Cont.
• 5. Comparing data
• 6. Use correct methods to cite others work.
Introduction(prior knowledge)
• Tree identification
• Animal identification
• Bird identification
• Water sheds (One in the
study area)
Martin, 2011
Ecological census techniques
• Point count- count
• Belt transect- blocks of area
• Line transect- straight lines
• Quadrant transect- random locations
Map used
• Topographical map
• Many features
• Elevation
• Helps make predictions
Onboard Informatics, 2011
Study area
New Boston, New Hampshire
Procedure
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Date/time
Location
Weather
Type of landscape
Who was there
New species list
Observations on what
was observed
Backcountry, 2011
Results: Chipmunk
• Hibernated for a period
of time
• Some got up first
• Very active animals
Martin, 2011
Results: White tailed deer
• Came and went often
• Winter food?
• Bush’s were eaten
Sirota, 2011
Results, Stream
• Changing in levels
• Transforming
environment
• New species in the area
Results: Leaves (Seasons)
• Made work easy and
harder
• Indicator to animals
• Landscape changes
dramatically
Conclusion: Chipmunks
Table 1: Chipmunk presence and observations
Date observed
Number of Chipmunks
Location
Activity
10/20
2
Edge of the woods
Looking for food
10/27
3
Wooded area
Chasing each other
11/3
1
Edge of study area by the
house
Looking for food
11/9
0
Seems they are
beginning to disappear
11/16
None
Not out
11/23-2/21
None
Hibernating?
2/21
1
3/1
None
3/7
None
Backyard in study area
• Hibernation, not really
• Where food is kept
Not sure. Didn’t appear
to be looking for food
Not very active yet
Not very active yet
3/15
3-5
3/21
2
All over study area,
mostly wooded area
Wooded area/ swamp
area
4/6
2
Wooded area/ grass
Looking for food
4/13
2
Wooded area/ lawn
One was climbing a tree,
other looking for food
4/19
2
Grass area
Not sure. Food?
4/26
None
No chipmunks out today
5/3
None
No chipmunks today
5/12
2
Swamp area
5/18
2-5
Wooded area
5/24
1
Woods line
Not sure. Saw most of
them going up the trees
Chipmunks are a lot
more active now
Looking for food
One was one the ground
then they all started
chirping when I went
into the woods
Looking for food in grass
• Who wakes up first
• Connection to graph
Table 3: Stream presence and Observations
Date observed
10/20
11/9
11/16
11/23
11/27
11/27- 2/15
2/15
2/21
3/1
3/7
3/15
3/15- 3/29
4/6
4/6- 4/19
4/27
5/3
5/12
5/18
5/24
Size of the stream 1smallest, 10- largest
Dried up
1
Still dried up
1
Little flow to the stream 2
Flow is still small
2-3
Some parts of the
2
stream that had water
have frozen
Cannot see the stream
?
because of the snow or
ice
2-3 feet wide, right after 6
snow began to melt
Didn’t seem to change
6
in size
River got wider, but not 6-7
deeper
Same size as the week
6-7
before
Snow melting fast,
7
picked up a little
Same as 3/15
7
Larger now, and a little 8
deeper
No change in size
8
Reduced in size because 5-6
all snow is gone
Wider due to rain, and
9
run off. So much more,
it created a swamp area
in the pricker bush’s
No change
9
Same as week before
9
No change in height.
8.5-9.5
Swamp area so large,
bullfrogs are mating
here
Observations
Conclusion: Stream
• Run off in the fall
• Spring floods
• Changed the
environment
• Made new species
move it
Conclusion: Deer
Table 4: Deer presence and Observations
Date observed
Number of deer
observations
10/20
1-?
10/27
1-?
10/27-12/28
12/28
0
1-?
1/3
2
Heard an animal in
study area, sounded like
a deer
Leaves have been eaten
off of the dogwood bush
No evidence of activity
Leaves are visibly gone
from the dog wood bush
closest to the woods
Saw deer digging its
snout into the snow then
chewed. Most likely
eating the acorns under
the snow.
Small young doe in the
study area eating what
looks like to be the
grass.
5/22
1
• Dog wood bush
• Research on it
• Acorns?
Conclusion: Seasons
• Hibernation
• Changing of the
environment
• Changing the diets of
animals
Challenges
• Animals ability to blend in
• Tree cover
• Scattering of animals (Chipmunk)
What was learned
• Saw the environment as a system
• Learned valuable field skills
• Identification of organisms
• Value the environment
Work cited
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Answers.com: Wiki Q&A Combined with Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus, and Encyclopedias. Oxford University, 2011. Web. 31 May 2011.
<http://www.answers.com>.
"Belt Transect Method." About TUHSD. 2011. Web. 31 May 2011. <http://www.tuhsd.k12.az.us/cds/departments/Science/belttransect.html>.
"Biotic Factor - Definition from Biology-Online.org." Life Science Reference - Biology Online. 2011. Web. 31 May 2011. <http://www.biologyonline.org/dictionary/Biotic_Factor>.
"Chipmunks." Thinkquest.org. Oracle Education Foundation, 29 Mar. 2011. Web. 30 May 2011.
<http://library.thinkquest.org/TQ0312800/chipmunk.htm>.
"Environmental Science." Thefreedictionary.com. Farlex, 2011. Web. 31 May 2011. <http://www.thefreedictionary.com/environmental+science>.
"Manchester, NH Weather, Forecast, Temperature and Precipitation Statistics - CLRSearch." Real Estate Search Engine - CLRSearch. Web. 31 May
2011. <http://www.clrsearch.com/Manchester_Demographics/NH/Weather-Forecast-Temperature-Precipitation>.
Martin, Gail Lee. "Those Cute Chipmunks « Virginia Allain." Virginia Allain. Web. 31 May 2011. <http://vallain.wordpress.com/2010/07/23/thosecute-chipmunks/>.
"New Boston, New Hampshire (NH 03070) Profile: Population, Maps, Real Estate, Averages, Homes, Statistics, Relocation, Travel, Jobs, Hospitals,
Schools, Crime, Moving, Houses, News." Stats about All US Cities - Real Estate, Relocation Info, House Prices, Home Value Estimator, Recent Sales,
Cost of Living, Crime, Race, Income, Photos, Education, Maps, Weather, Houses, Schools, Neighborhoods, and More. Onboard Informatics, 2011. Web.
31 May 2011. <http://www.city-data.com/city/New-Boston-New-Hampshire.html>.
"The Wilderness Classroom » White-Tailed Deer." The Wilderness Classroom - The Wilderness Classroom. The Wilderness Classroom Organization,
2007. Web. 31 May 2011. <http://www.wildernessclassroom.com/www/schoolhouse/boreal_library/animals/deer.htm>.
"Topographical Map." Dictionary.com. 2011. Web. 31 May 2011. <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/topographic+map>.