Today I spent the ENTIRE day counting tree whorls inside the CNSC. We counted the whorls on about 250 trees! We found an especially interesting tree. It is a larch, pictured here. If you look closely at the center of the trunk you will notice that there are both roots and branches growing in the same area. This is because when the tree was born the moss around it was very low to the ground. The tree grew branches, just like trees normally do. Then the moss died off and created a layer of soil around the base of the tree. More moss grew on top of that soil. That new moss died and created another layer of soil. More moss grew on top of that. Eventually there were a few inches of moss and soil covering the first branches that had grown on the tree. The tree took advantage of the new soil around it and grew roots in those areas.
CHALLENGE: We counted the whorls on about 250 trees. Each tree had between 0 and 40 whorls. If every tree had 40 whorls, how many would we have counted? If every tree had 2 whorls, how many would we have counted?
Using the information from above - tell me ABOUT how many you think we might have actually counted.
Grade 5 questions:
In the picture of the sled dogs, was that snow falling? YES! We had only one snow fall during our stay here this past week. There was no accumulation but it was beautiful as it was falling. The sun was still out and the clouds were quite dramatic. That was when I got my photo of the rainbow.
How do they get the bears in the trap? They bait them with seals.
How did your friends get out of the Hudson Bay? LABMAN saved them!
This is a photo of him diving in.
Was the polar bear big or small? BIG. It weighed about 1,000 pounds.
Thank you for your questions! I hope you keep writing.
Miss Santoro
posted by Linda Santoro @ 7:27 PM
6 Comments:
WOW!!!
The larch tree was very interesting. What were some of the most interesting surprises or questions you had about the trees you worked with?
Janine
Wonderful photos that made me feel cool in the heat of the end of summer in Israel.
Noga Gal-Ed, Ramat Hasharon, Israel
Miss S.,
I must comment that Dr. Foo Foo is very photogenic and seems to be enjoying the Arctic adventure almost as much as you are. He, however, has the advantage of not having to bundle up every time both of you go outside.
Zofia, adult, Marlborough, Ct.
How cold was the water in Hudson Bay?
Janine,
I was just surprised at how few trees there were in the forest. Only four different species! They were also much shorter than the trees we have here but still very old. The larch was my favorite.
Questions I have now:
How long will it take Mr. Mamet to analyze our data? I can't imagine!
What will he find?
Will the different species adapt to climate change in different ways?
Ziv,
Nice job on the Northern Lights question. I'm currently looking into your question about the temperature of the Hudson Bay. I know it is getting close to freezing. Polar bear season in Churchill starts in October. The reason they come is because the Hudson Bay freezes over and they walk onto the ice to hunt seals. Thanks for writing!
Noga Gal-Ed,
I am thrilled to hear from Israel! I would be curious to hear about the effects of climate change in your area.
Thank you for writing.
Miss Santoro
The water in the Hudson Bay was about 35 degrees fahrenheit on the day that Labman went in.
Miss Santoro
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