1) OUTDOOR OBSERVATIONS

A quadrat is a 1 meter x 1 meter area of land. Please find a piece of vegetative land and mark out a quadrat to be used to answer the following questions. You can measure this off with a piece of string or mark it with 4 sticks stuck into the corners of an area that you pace off. This activity requires you to go outside (with a pen and notepad), find a vegetated area, and observe your quadrat for at least 5 minutes.

a.) Please describe where your area is located. How many species do you count? Describe every species that you see present and any species that you have evidence that was once there. Please provide a photo of your area as evidence that you actually did this activity. (3 points)

b.) Pick one of your identified species. Describe the ecological niche of this species in your area. What are its adaptations, how does it interact with other species, and/or how does it interact with abiotic factors? (3 points)

c.) How would a 3 oC temperature increase change the abundance of your species in your area? Why? (2 points)

d.) If you were to dig up your area and remove all the visible vegetation, what would start growing there if anything over the next year? (2 points)

(NEEDS CITATION)