Outdoor Study Area or Plots
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      Mr. R.

       
         Requirement #5:
      Choose an outdoor area to study.  In your area, do ONE of the following:
      (a)  Mark off three study plots of 4 square yards each, and count the number of species found there.  Then estimate how much space is occupied by each species found in the plots.  Make a chart, graph, or table to compare the plots.  Write a report that adequately discusses the biodiversity and population density of your study area.  Discuss your report with your counselor.
      (b) Make four visits to the study area, staying for at least 30 minutes each time, to observe the living and nonliving parts of the ecosystem.  Keep a journal of your observations, including a discussion of differences noted during the four visits.  Write a report on your observations and discuss it with your counselor.

      (a) STUDY PLOTS
       

      		In your chosen area, identify two areas that are different from each other (ecosystems): grass, pond edge, wooded, rocky, etc.  Now look for any area between them where they seem to blend together (part one and part the other).  You now have three (3) plots you will study.

      In plot A, place four poles or sticks in a square.  Each side should be 2 yards long.  Stretch a string around all four poles (like in the diagram).  Do the same for plot B and plot C.
      		Have one or two scouts take notes in a logbook.  The group now identifies the different types of plants (Plant 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.). 

      After ALL types of plants have been noted, the group then counts how many of each plant is within the plot as accurately as possible.
      Next record the following information next to each living thing:
      Name:  Using a fieldguide, try to identify each thing or list some of the possibilities.  If you can't find it, that's OK, but try.
      Quantity: Record the number of things you counted.
      Height:  Using a ruler, record the average height or size of the thing.
      Approximate Space:  Estimate how much of the marked off area is taken up by each living thing.  If your area is a grassy field, grass may account for 90% of the area.  If it is forest area, trees may be 10% and small bushes 50%, while small ants may take up about 1%.  Some of your area is nonliving (soil, rocks, etc.) so your amounts may not add up to 100%.
      Description:  Write a short description of what each thing looks like, noting the characteristics that make it different from other things around it.  This is especially important if you are going to identify it later.
      Picture:  Using the height you measured, draw a side view of the living thing as close to scale as possible.  Trees and bushes will need to be smaller.

      Plant 3
      Name: ?
      Quantity:  14
      Height: 8-10"
      Approx. Space: 7%
      Description: Med-green
      skinny grass like.
      Leaves are dark green, small and pointed.
      After the plants have all been recorded, create a chart listing the plants and animals, along with their numbers, and approximate space taken up.

      Now proceed to do the same with plot B and plot C.
      Plot A
      Item              #    Space
      Plant 1           4      10%
      Plant 2          27     35%
      Plant 3          14       7%
      Plant 4          12      25%
      Plant 5            1        5%
      Ants              50+     2%
      Snail               1        1%
      Write a report that adequately discusses the biodiversity and population density of your study area.

       

      (b) NATURE STUDY OBSERVATION
       
       

      Choose a personal study area, away from people and other disturbances, where you will have a good chance of observing wildlife.  Visit the area four (4) times at different hour of the day.  This way you'll be able to observe early morning life versus evening life.  You may visit on four different days or all during a single day.  Be sure and take a notebook and a pencil.
      Choose a area to view from for 30-minutes.  Record the following in you notebook:
      General Description:  Where is the area located?  Describe if the area is grassy, rocky, or mostly dirt.  Is it in a meadow, hillside, or stream side.  What are some of the unique characteristics of the area.
      Map:  Draw a map of what the area looks.
      Weather: Is it sunny or cloudy, calm or windy, dry or rainy, and record the approximate temperature.
      Plants:  What type of plant life is there.  What stage of development are they in (sprout, sapling, full grown, etc.).  Do they look healthy or diseased?  Do they cover most of the area or just part?
      Animals:  What type of insects, birds, reptiles and mammals did you see?  If you know its common name, write it down.  Draw a picture of what it looks like.  Describe its size and colors.  What was its behavior?  If you can't see live animals, did you see signs of them (tracks, droppings, etc.).
      Sounds:  Can you hear the wind blowing.  Can you hear insects chirping or birds calling?  Is it peaceful and quiet?
      Nature Area
      (Visit 1)
      Date & Time of Day:  Tuesday, sunrise
      Location:  Camp Maple Dell, wooded area south of camp
      Area description:  There are a lot of shrub oaks here, but there is an opening in the middle.  Most of the ground is covered with dead leaves.
      Map: (draw the best map of your area you can)
      Weather:  It is mostly sunny, but there are a few clouds that occasionally cover the sun.  The wind is blowing to the south.  It's fun to watch the clouds move
      Plants:  The shrub oak look pretty good and look like they have been here a long time.  The leaves are mostly green, but it looks like they need water.  Around the open area there is a tall grass like plant, maybe 12" tall.  I think they are dying since they are yellowish.
      Animals:  There are thousands, no millions of box elder bugs here.  They climb all over the leaves and twigs.  It's funny to see them fall off the twigs sometimes.  They don't seem to be going in any particular direction.  I saw a squirrel.  It darted around the clearing, but ran when it saw me.  I saw a centipede that was orange in color.  There were deer droppings near one of the trees, so I guess deer have been hear.
      Sounds:  I'm not sure what it is, but there are some very noisy insects here.  They make a very, very loud clicking sound.  I can hear the leaves rustle when the wind blows.  It is very peaceful sitting here.
      Return to the same spot and repeat taking notes during the next three (3) visits, 30-minutes each.  Note any changes from the previous visit. 
      Nature Area
      (Visit 2)
      Nature Area
      (Visit 3)
      Nature Area
      (Visit 4)
      Write a 100-word report about your observation visits.  What was different about the visits?  Did the weather change?   Where the sounds or the amount of wildlife seen different.  Did the animals seem more active in the morning, afternoon, evening, or the night?  What were they doing different?  What did you learn from this experience?
      Nature Area Report
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