User: | Open Learning Faculty Member:
Location: East Newton walking trail
Time and Date: March 10th 2021 14:00
Seasonality and Weather: late winter/early spring 10 degrees. Sunny with relatively clear skies
Figure. 1 satellite view of selected observation area showing the northern, eastern, and western entrances. Elevation increases from east to west
The area I have selected to observe is a small, forested area that is slightly elevated and about 223 meters long.
The area is fenced off from residential housing, and the perimeter is mostly surrounded by dried shrubbery and immature trees. There are three entrances to the trail, each having distinctly different vegetation. The northern entrance is bordered by winter killed blackberry bushes, while the eastern entrance is bordered by shrubs consisting of lobed shaped leaves, vines, and few blackberry bushes. The western entrance is surrounded mostly by slender leafless trees with few deciduous trees. The center of the trail is heavily covered by deciduous trees, a lot of which have curved trunks and branches. Moss, lichen, and ferns are found growing in the middle of the trail, and more appear as elevation increases. Moss and lichen seem more prominent growing on the trees found at center of the trail rather than outward. Ferns are found sporadically around the area, although more are found growing in clusters around shaded areas.
Figure 2. Northern entrance of walking trail.
figure 2. Eastern entrance to trail.
Figure 3. Western entrance to trail.
Figure 4. South West of trail showing the irregularity at which trees grow upright and the sporadic growth of ferns.
Based off my observations, the questions I have come up with are as follows:
- How do man-made borders affect the density of tree growth in the area and what kind of factors favor a higher density?
- How does accessibility/inaccessibility to sunlight affect the sporadic growth of ferns in this area?
- How does slope instability affect the curved shape trunks of trees?
