P.S. This is Bear County

Transcription

1 P.S. This is Bear County This story is a collection of letters written by two youths, CeCe and Mona, about camp in the Ocala National Forest. This study guide will help you use these letters to learn about the pine flatwoods ecosystem. Read the questions first, so that as you read the story you will recognize the answers. You can write them down and then use this as a study guide for the Forest Ecology Quiz. From the section, A broken leg and a view of the trees 1. What is an ecosystem? (p. 4) From the section, Look out for Bears! 2. What is the border between people's dwellings and natural unoccupied lands such as a forest called? (p. 6) 3. The Ocala National forest is what type of ecosystem? (p. 7) 4. What comprises an understory? (p. 7) 5. What are the names of some common fruiting bushes in the flatwoods ecosystem? (p. 7) 6. What are some names of wildlife that rely on these fruiting bushes? (p. 7) 1

2 From the section, Scratches, stains, and a full stomach 7. Why is the understory of the pine flatwoods known as a scrub understory? (p. 8) 8. How would you describe the stems of the saw palmetto? (p. 8) 9. What are sparkleberries? (p. 8) From the section, A very special bird 10. What does saw palmetto taste like? (p. 10) 11. What is an umbrella species? (p ) 12. What is an example of an umbrella species? (p ) 13. The geographical area that an organism can be found in is also known as what? (p. 10) 14. How do red-cockaded woodpeckers defend their nests from predators? (p.10) From the section, Do not disturb the wildlife! 15. What are some snakes found in the pine flatwoods and what are these snakes' value to the ecosystem? (p. 14) 2

3 16. What are two types of venomous snakes found in this ecosystem? (p. 14) From the section, A lesson learned 17. What is an example of an invasive plant species introduced into pine flatwoods? (p. 16) 18. How were pine flatwoods maintained in the old days? (p. 17) 19. Do all plants in the pine flatwoods die after a fire? (p. 17) From the section, Unexpected neighbors 20. How do homes become "good neighbors" of the forest? (p. 18) 21. How can homes become fire-wise? (p. 18) From the section, A memory worth saving 22. Can black bears climb trees? (p. 20) From the section, Summary 23. What are some reasons why we should protect the pine flatwoods? 3

4 Vocabulary Ecosystem - An ecosystem is an environment including all of the living creatures found in that area as well as all of the non-living parts of that area. This includes animals, birds, trees, insects and fungi, as well as the soil, water, rocks, air, minerals and dead matter. Understory - The plants that make up the ground layer of a forest. Grasses, shrubs, bushes, seedlings and even small trees may be found in the understory. Vegetarian - An animal that eats only plants to survive is a vegetarian. Wildland-urban interface - The border between people s dwellings and natural, unoccupied land such as a forest. As people move further from city centers to make their homes, they move closer into forests, and the wildland-urban interface is the zone between these two areas. Canopy - The leafy crown of a tree. In a forest the canopy includes all the upper parts of all the tall trees, which get most of the sun, and create most of the shade below them. Edible - Something that can be safely eaten. Poisonous mushrooms are not edible. Flammable - Something that very easily catches fire. Midstory - The middle layer of trees in a forest. These are the trees that grow in the shade, under the canopy trees. Native - An organism that is naturally found in an ecosystem. A native plant or animal has always been there. It did not arrive from somewhere else. Scrub - An ecosystem with many low trees and bushes. Serrated - An edge with many sharp, saw-like, jagged teeth. Upper story - The topmost layer in a forest, composed of all the tall trees. The canopy forms the upper story in a forest. Ecological range - The geographical area that an organism may be found in. Different organisms have different ecological ranges depending on their needs. 4

5 Habitat - The geographical area that an organism lives in; in other words, it s home. An organism s natural habitat is usually found within its ecological range. Predators - Organisms that survive by feeding upon, or preying, on other organisms. Shelter - A place that protects organisms from heat, rain, wind, or predators. Staple food - The basic food that an animal needs to survive. Rice, wheat and corn are all staple foods for people. Meat, chocolate, and spices are not staple foods for us. Umbrella species - An organism that, if protected in its natural environment, would ensure that all the other species found in that environment are protected as well. Ground cover - The herbs, grasses and other low growing plants that carpet the forest floor. Ground cover is a part of the forest understory. Watering-hole - A place where water collects, like a pond or spring, where animals can come to drink when they are thirsty. Camouflaged - Disguised to blend in with the environment and become almost invisible. Prey - To prey on something is to hunt down and feed on it. Predators prey on other animals. The animals they hunt down are called prey. Venomous - Something that is poisonous. Venomous animals make venom, or poison, to protect themselves from predators. They may bite or sting to transfer venom to an attacker, or they may have poisonous skin. Fire-maintained - An ecosystem is fire-maintained when the plants and animals that live there are adapted to and depend upon fire to burn through the land every so often to ensure their continued health and growth. Fragmented - Broken up into smaller pieces. Fragmented land is land that has been divided up by roads, parks, farms, and houses so that an animal often cannot travel from one place to another other without having to cross through land occupied by people. Invasive - An organism that does not belong in a particular environment but has moved there or been introduced there accidentally from its original home, where it was a native. 5

6 Wildfire - A fire that burns uncontrollably through a natural environment. 6

7 Sample Exam Questions 1. Ecosystems include all EXCEPT A. Animals B. Trees C. Insects D. Buildings 2. What do fruiting bushes of the pine flatwoods provide? A. Chocolate B. Food for plants C. Food for wildlife D. Absolutely nothing 3. Which of the following animals can be found in the pine flatwoods? A. Pygmy rattlesnakes B. Grizzly bears C. Gray Wolf D. Vampire bats 4. You should not venture off trail in a national forest because A. You will always be eaten by a bear B. You will make park rangers mad C. It is actually okay to venture off trail in national forests D. You could be destructive, even if it s unintentional True or False 1. Pine cones are never more than 3 inches long. T or F 2. Black bears get more than 80% of their food from plants. T or F 3. The canopy, or upper story, is much more diverse than the midstory and understory. T or F 4. Pine flatwoods never benefit from fires. T or F 7