Wednesday, Dec. 10
Whew! Tuesday was a tiring day! We walked 4 miles to the area where we will be working for the next few days. We then spent the morning identifying, measuring and tagging trees. We then walked back (4 miles) for lunch. After lunch we took a detour to a weather tower. (Pictures below.) I climbed to the top (120 feet) for an incredible view of Chespeake Bay. We were all the way ABOVE the canopy (the tops of the trees!) At the top there is a LOT of scientific equipment collecting data on things like UV radiation, rainfall, and carbon dioxide levels. Just a short ways away on the ground is another station with the same equiment so they can monitor the levels about the trees AND below the trees and compare the results. It was interesting - in was all steel grids (you could see through it) and swaying in the wind, but it was so incredible it didn't bother me at all! Then 4 miles back to our study area and more tree work. It's amazing to me - I have never looked at a forest in this way before. After a while you begin to see patterns....certain trees here, others there. Some out in the open, others always under other. Each tree also had to be classified as a dominant tree (above all the others), co-dominant (the same as the others) or supressed (below the others) as well as it's condition (living, standing dead or dead). And the difference between the young forests and the older, mature ones are AMAZING. When you plot all the data out, showing the type of tree and the size, the patterns you see are amazing. I will never look at a forest the same again! Check out the pictures and there is a question that follows. By the way - great answers to yesterdays question (about the nail). When I talk with you on Friday I will tell you which class had the best answer!
Jessie - even if could possibly stop all pollution right now, we cannot stop the effects of global warming. But we could slow it down a WHOLE lot!
Jordan - while hiking, we have already found 3 species of plants / vines that the scientists said have never been seen this far north (these are called invasive species).
Chase - not a lot of animals - a small group of white-tailed dear, squirrels, some birds. It's cold, so most animals are hiding away!
Micheal - no maple trees here - not far enough north!
Collin - the tallest trees around here are the tulip populars which are about 70 feet tall.
Kaitlin - greatest diameter so far (that I have measured, was 114 cm diameter).
Karna - types of trees: tulip populars, sweet gum, white oaks, dogwood, iron wood, red oak.
Kelsie - I am not sure if any animals have been harmed at this point. But I will check and let you know.
Question for Wewdnesday: Why would carbon dioxide levels be different above the trees than below the trees?
posted by Mrs. Fechhelm @ 2:12 PM
15 Comments:
i think because were breathing down her giving ohh plants "air" trees up high can't get the carbon dioxide
because carbon dioxide is heavier and it sinks and there is less air flow below the trees
Tough question!!! The class was a little mixed, but most say that CO2 is more available below and toward the ground than it is above the tree tops, because people are breathing out CO2 at that level.
Jordon asks was it harder to breath up high on the tower?
Most say above because of taking in the CO2 through the leaves. Had a lockdown drill during class. Sorry for the short response! It snowed here today!!!!
Higher up in the atmosphere the cold you get or the colder it is. and when we breathe we breathe out carbon dioxde which usally stay near the earth's crust.
because trees "take in" carbon dioxide through their leaves,which are mostly at the top, making the carbon dioxide level lower; while at the bottom of the tree, the carbon dioxide level is higher because not a lot of leaves are there.
we got snow this morning but it melt i guess some of the coldness in Marland tagged along to us. When the snow came down it was about 5:45 that is what my mom said when she woke up cause she woke up at that time. You should have been here to see it it was AMAZING!
The class thinks there is more CO2 lower to the ground because....the CO2 is closer to where the roots can get to it; people are breathing lower to the ground and we produce CO2.
Peyton asks where did the snow go that you saw the first night? Dakota asks if you have seen a bald eagle? Selen asks if you have seen any REALLY tall, SKINNY trees?
The class is evenly split...some say heat rises, so CO2 is above the trees where there is less O2 and some say humans and animals are breathing down low, so CO2 is produced lower to the ground.
Raegan asks how cold is it there now?
Most think CO2 is more plentiful at ground level because CO2 is more dense and stays low. Others think CO2 is up high because it rises and because trees grow up tall where their leaves take in CO2
Breathing out CO2 by humans & animals low to the ground create higher levels there co out answer is higher levels at ground level
I think that the heat rises, because the leaves are what take in the carbon dioxide
it is snowing here (strange) but cool has it snowed there
below the tree it has a lower air tempature than the top of the tree does, so then the corbon dioxide stays condensed to the lower part of the tree.
because co2 is heavier then air and when go to the bottom
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