Day 3: measuring trees

Today our team tagged trees in 8-10m X 10 m plots. There were a lot of small ironwoods in our plots. We measure and tag trees that are greater than 1 centimeter in diameter (about the size of your thumb.) Pictured above are Polly and Jan. I am the one below nailing the tag into the tree as this was my job today.

Trees that were smaller than 8 centimeters in diameter had to be tagged using coated wire that we tied in a square knot. There are several hazards in the forest: poison ivy (shown on the tree), deer ticks, and tripping hazards. So far I have avoided all three. After lunch we climbed up in the tower that measures CO2 at the canopy top.

The forecast for tomorrow calls for a 90% chance of rain so we will probably be sorting and massing leaf litter. We have to identify the trees when we are recording our data. This can be difficult as this is a deciduous forest. I spoke with my husband and heard that it was sleeting there. Tonight we have a presentation on the science of climate change, then we have dinner, and then we have homework for tomorrow. There are some amazing trails here, but it is too dark by the time that we finish so I will need to get up earlier in order to explore them.

I was amazed to discover that we have an ancient forest in Oklahoma and thought that you would be excited to learn about them also.

Step 1:

Check the weather conditions using the website for weather underground and then record your data on your blog page

Step 2:

Define the term deciduous forest and then identify and explain 3 characteristics that could be used to identify the trees this time of year.

Step 3:

Go to the website shown below and answer the questions that follow:

http://www.uark.edu/misc/xtimber/rna/keystone.html

a. Which species of tree is most abundant? Least abundant?

b. How large are the largest trees? The smallest trees?

c. Click on the Introduction and explain why the ancient forest is important

d. Go back and then click on the problem page and identify at least 4 problems that the forest

faces.

e. Go back and then click on the map page to identify where the forest is located.

I will blog you again tomorrow. Stay safe and warm. I am hypothesizing that you are still not able to leave comments as I have yet to receive any. I am sorry that I cannot answer your questions, but hopefully we will be able to do the webinar so be thinking of what you would like to know.