Field Study
Rosalie Urban
STEM 5*/6*
Site Introduction
Objective:
The objective of this field study is to learn about native plants, animals, and the
relationship they have together in their environment.
Site Description:
Observation DescriptionThe area I have chosen for my field study project has a diversity of wildlife. In the early
afternoon the sun shines through the dense coverage of tree. Most of this area is
shaded with patches of sunlight showing on the ground. However in the morning much
more of the site was shaded. In the afternoon there were many mosquitoes and
dragonflies, especially near the creek. In the morning there were nearly no mosquitoes.
Sounds in my area included birds chirping in the distance, water trickling, and buzzing
mosquitoes.
PredictionAs we observe our sites in the weeks to come, I will be looking for many changes. I
predict that the water level in the creek will decrease because of the lack of rainfall in
this particular time of the year. In order to measure this i will need to record data of the
height of the creek in the same spot each time. To do this I will need some form of a
ruler. The next prediction I am making is that plants near the creek will start to die. I
believe this will happen because of rising temperatures and the absence of water. I will
keep track of this by taking pictures of specific plants each week. My last prediction is
that there will start to be less mosquitoes because most likely if water levels go down,
then there wont be a breeding place for them. However if lower levels of water in the
creek result in standing water, than there will most likely be more mosquitoes.
Site Overview
Map-
Site Data
Biotic Data
Measurement
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
plant height
near creek
about 7
plants, all
about 1
feet
(45.7cm)
tall. Big
leaves, all
green
about 7
plants,
about 1
1/2 feet
tall. Big
leaves.
More
leaves
than
week 1.
Many
new
sprouts
about 1
inch tall.
identified
plant as
stinging
nettle;
much
bigger, 2
feet tall;
sprouts
getting
bigger
about 2
inches
tall
about
same
height as
week 3;
sprouts
growing
more
leaves; a
few more
small
sprouts
has
gotten
higher
but not
any fuller;
so tall
that
some are
beginning
to flop
over;
about 3
feet tall;
sprouts
about 7-8
inches
the
stinging
nettle is
very tall;
a little
over 3
feet tall;
has new
leaves
sprouting
near the
top of the
stalk
ivy coverage
covers
most of
one bank
of the
creek as
well as a
big
portion of
same as
week 1;
covering
about
30%
About the
same;
hard to
tell;
noticed
there are
two types
of ivy
ivy on
one side
or creek
as round
leaves;
other
side has
more
seems to
be
creeping
up the
side of
the slant
a little bit
but
about the
same as
the week
before
the other
side with
rock and
sand
separatin
g it from
the
creek ;
covers
about
30% of
the site
with
different
shaped
leaves.
pointy
leaves;
overall
hard to
tell; the
plants in
the ivy
have
gotten
bigger
number of
animals
no
sightings
or
evidence
of
animals
other
than
insects
no
sighting
or
evidence
other
than
insects
only
did not
insects
see any
and a few birds
songbirds
heard a
few birds
and saw
many
insects
saw birds
and
many
bugs
number of
mosquitoes
too many
to count;
best
prediction
is about
30
much
less;
about 10
that I
counted
only
spotted a
couple
only a
few
saw
many;
about 25
huge
swarms;
probably
more
than 40
number of
dragonflies
counted
about 5
only saw
3
did not
see any
saw 2
did not
see any
saw 2
number of
birds
3; not
sure
which
species
none
2 in the
trees
none
could
hear
them in
the trees
saw 1 in
a tree
Measurement
Intro
Week
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
depth of creek
About 6
inches
still about about the
6 inches same
seems to
be a little
about the
same as
much
deeper;
Abiotic Data
(15.2cm)
deep
deep
depth
more
than 6
inches
deep;
hard to
see a
differenc
e
last
week;
noticed
much
more
algae
growing
in it
about 7-8
inches
width of creek
About 3
feet
(91.4cm)
wide
about 3
feet wide
about 3
feet wide
a little
more
than 3
feet wide
because
of rain
about 3
feet wide
much
wider;
about 3
feet
wide
Average early
afternoon
temperature
about 75
degrees
Fahrenhei
t (23.9
degrees
Celcius)
about 65
degrees
Fahrenhe
it
around
65
degrees
Fahrenhe
it; went
earlier in
the day
about 55
degrees
Fahrenhe
it; cloudy
around
70
degrees;
went
after
school
because
of missed
class day
about 65
degrees
Fahrenhe
it
Average
morning
temperature
about 55
degrees
Fahrenhei
t (12.8
degrees
Celcius)
did not
go in
morning
did not
go in
morning
did not
go in
morning
did not
go in
morning
did not
go in
morning
