This activity can be completed in your backyard, in your office yard, a nearby park, an urban green space, or anywhere you can get a little bit of nature under your feet!
This activity can be completed in your backyard, in your office yard, a nearby park, an urban green space, or anywhere you can get a little bit of nature under your feet!
Now that you have learned about food webs and biodiversity, you will explore the environment “in your own backyard.” It may be easiest to print out this sheet and take it with you to complete the assignment. You can always record your answers on a separate piece of paper while outside and then bring them back to your computer to type in your responses afterward.
Scientists are trained to take very detailed notes when they head out into the field. This is because all of the information you can collect could be important to analyzing your data in the future. It is important to be descriptive and even use drawings if you need to make sure your data is as complete as possible.
Part I (4 points each = 28 points)
The first thing scientists record when out in the field is general data. You will practice this by filling in the information below.
Date:
Location (City, State, Country):
Time of day:
Temperature outside (estimate if you don’t have a phone with capabilities or a thermometer around):
Weather (e.g., rainy, humid, dry, cloudy, sunny, overcast):
Number of people around:
Describe the space/habitat (Is it a prairie? Does it have tall grasses, are there a lot of trees, or is it near water or a city?):
Part II (20 points)
Now, let’s do some exploring and observing. Sit down on the soil, and take a closer look. Do you see small insects? Do you notice different types of grasses, weeds, and small flowers?
Take a few minutes to identify everything you can in the area. (Set a maximum time to about 15 minutes). Record what you find in the table below, and remember to be as descriptive as possible.
In the section “Label of what you found,” identify as best you can what it is you are looking at. Is it a plant (grass, weed, tree, flower), reptile, amphibian, insect, arachnid (spider), mammal, or bird? Do you know what species it is? You can use resources to help you identify what you find. If you are in the United States, download the iNaturalist app, and you can use field guides on the app to help identify what you see.
If you are at a park, at the visitor center, there may be field guide pamphlets or online pamphlets to help with identifications. You can also try finding field guides for your area online. (Type the following terms into Google: “field guide to plants, butterflies, or whatever you’re looking at in [insert the place you are]”). Be as specific as possible.
In the description column, describe what it is. How tall is it? What distinguishing features does it have? Does it have a scent? Does it have a color?
In the last column, count how many of that species you see in the area.
You are filling in the table with what you find. Your grade is based on the quality of filling in the details of the table (label, description, and how many found). You will need to include at least five species.
| Label of what you found | Description | How many found |
Part III (2 points each = 16 points)
You will now build two food chains using what you found. You may not find all parts of the food chain as seeing top trophic levels are more rare than seeing primary producers. In that case, think about what would live in this habitat, look for signs of these animals (e.g., tracks, burrows, nests), and fill in the chart with what you think would be there.
| Primary Producer | Primary Consumer | Secondary Consumer | Tertiary Consumer | |
| Example | oak tree | inchworm | field mouse | hawk |
| 1 | ||||
| 2 |
Questions (36 pts)
1. In this unit, we looked at threats to biodiversity. Describe what is affecting the biodiversity in the area you are in? What natural or man-made disturbances have happened in the area? How could the biodiversity increase in the area? Your response should
Expert Answer and Explanation
Part I (4 points each = 28 points)
The first thing scientists record when out in the field is general data. You will practice this by filling in the information below.
Date: 01/15/2022
Location (City, State, Country): Savannah, Georgia, U.S.A
Time of day: 10:30 AM
Temperature outside (estimate if you don’t have a phone with capabilities or a thermometer around): 9°C
Weather (e.g., rainy, humid, dry, cloudy, sunny, overcast): Cloudy
Number of people around: 16
Describe the space/habitat (Is it a prairie? Does it have tall grasses, are there a lot of trees, or is it near water or a city?): My front yard comprises of long grass and 3 Crete tree. My neighbor and I are separated by 5 red oak trees. There are also other types of tree around such as Spanish moss. I am seeing different types of birds flying around.
Part II (20 points)
Now, let’s do some exploring and observing. Sit down on the soil, and take a closer look. Do you see small insects? Do you notice different types of grasses, weeds, and small flowers?
Take a few minutes to identify everything you can in the area. (Set a maximum time to about 15 minutes). Record what you find in the table below, and remember to be as descriptive as possible.
In the section “Label of what you found,” identify as best you can what it is you are looking at. Is it a plant (grass, weed, tree, flower), reptile, amphibian, insect, arachnid (spider), mammal, or bird? Do you know what species it is? You can use resources to help you identify what you find. If you are in the United States, download the iNaturalist app, and you can use field guides on the app to help identify what you see.
If you are at a park, at the visitor center, there may be field guide pamphlets or online pamphlets to help with identifications. You can also try finding field guides for your area online. (Type the following terms into Google: “field guide to plants, butterflies, or whatever you’re looking at in [insert the place you are]”).Be as specific as possible.
In the description column, describe what it is. How tall is it? What distinguishing features does it have? Does it have a scent? Does it have a color?
In the last column, count how many of that species you see in the area.
You are filling in the table with what you find. Your grade is based on the quality of filling in the details of the table (label, description, and how many found). You will need to include at least five species.
| Label of what you found | Description | How many found |
| Bermuda grass | · Fine medium leaf texture with dense, dark green and lowing growing kind of turf through the stolon and rhizome.
· Its height is approximately 2 inches |
1 type |
| Couch grass | · Hairy, flat leaves with upright flower spikes.
· Its stem is approximately 70 cm tall · Linear leaves which are 20 cm long · The base of the grass is around 8 mm wide. · Most leaves are on the higher side of the stem · The stem is 6 mm wide · Flower spikes measures 15 cm long with spikelets measuring 2 mm thick and 6 mm broad. |
1 type |
| Red-headed woodpeckers | · Small to medium-sized red-headed birds
· Medium to big chisel-like bills · Completely black back with white patches on their wings. · White belly |
16 |
| Anhinga | · Measures around 35 inches in length with a wingspan of around 3.5 feet
· The tip of its tail has white feathers with grayish elongated feathers at the neck and back of the head. · The back has white spots |
12 |
| Black Walnut | · Compound leaves arranged alternately on the stem
· Grayish-black bark and deeply furrowed to thin ridges which gives it a diamond-like shape · Trunk measures approximately 100 feet · Leaves have a pungent odor · Pale silky buds covered with downy hairs |
4 |
Part III (2 points each = 16 points)
You will now build two food chains using what you found. You may not find all parts of the food chain as seeing top trophic levels are more rare than seeing primary producers. In that case, think about what would live in this habitat, look for signs of these animals (e.g., tracks, burrows, nests), and fill in the chart with what you think would be there.
| Primary Producer | Primary Consumer | Secondary Consumer | Tertiary Consumer | |
| Example | oak tree | inchworm | field mouse | hawk |
| 1 | Black Walnut | Cricket | Eastern American toad | Raccoon |
| 2 | Couch grass | Impala | Cheetah | Human beings |
Questions (36 pts)
- In this unit, we looked at threats to biodiversity. Describe what is affecting the biodiversity in the area you are in? What natural or man-made disturbances have happened in the area? How could the biodiversity increase in the area? Your response should be at least 200 words in length.
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