User: | Open Learning Faculty Member:
The area that I have selected to observe for my Field Study project is my backyard, located in southwest Calgary, near Stanley park. I chose this area because it will remain easily accessible throughout the span of this project. My backyard is approximately 54 m2, and is composed mainly of grass and fenced off garden areas on the North, East and West sides of the yard. There are alternating columnar aspen (Populus tremula ‘Erecta’)and bakeri spruce trees (Picea pungens ‘Bakeri’)on the east side of the fence, providing the majority of shade in the yard during the summer months. There is another columnar aspen as well as a Japanese lilac tree (Syringa reticulata) which also account for the shade in the yard during the day. Other plants featured in the gardens include: spirea (Spiraea), lemongrass (Cymbopogon)and pink and white rose bushes (Rosa).
I took observations on June 17th, 2019, in the midst of summer, from 5:11 pm to 6:00 pm. There was a bit of overcast with thunderclouds approaching from the North; the temperature was 23 degrees Celsius. During my visit, my first observation was the very prominent moss growth along the South and East sides of the yard, where the grass gets the most shade, and the patches where my dog chooses to urinate. This causes dead patches, where the moss is found. I noticed an area of what I believe to be rotten moss, and I am curious to figure out the cause of such a small affected area that is surrounded by live, healthy moss. Another interesting observation was a small area of grass where the blades of grass are partly white in colour. I discovered plenty of ants making their way up and down the columnar aspens, and upon further inspection, I noticed that these ants are burrowing holes into the bark. I also spotted many ants surrounding an ant hill underneath a rose bush close by.
These observations made during my first visit to this area have sparked a few questions that I wish to look into:
- Based off my observation of the selective moss growth on the South and East sides of the yard, I am wondering if shade, moisture, and bare soil/dead grass are the main factors contributing to the abundance of moss in these areas. I am also eager to figure out the cause of what I believe to be rotting moss in a small area near the fence.
- The ants crawling up and down the columnar aspen trees were something I’ve never seen before. Do these two organisms partake in a symbiotic relationship? If so, which type?
- I am curious to figure out the cause of the white blades of grass in a small area under the Japanese lilac tree. Could this be from an applied chemical or is this a natural occurrence?
