Fieldwork at Buffalo Creek Reserve and Sugarloaf Point. A Local Ecosystem NORTH RYDE EAST RYDE. ! Mangrove

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1 A Local Ecosystem Fieldwork at Buffalo Creek Reserve and Sugarloaf Point Map of Buffalo Creek Reserve and Sugarloaf Point NORTH RYDE EAST RYDE "!! Map: Walking Tracks of the Lane Cove Valley, STEP Inc 2000 Site Key! Woodland transect site! Mangrove study site " Safe area & toilets Study area Key Vegetation Types Features Signature species A Local Ecosystem - Field of Mars EEC

2 Background information on the study area You will be studying remnant bushland. What does this mean? What are the effects on the flora and fauna as a result of the reserve being a remnant? Vegetation corridors between reserves are important for their long-term survival. Why? List examples of human impact in the reserve. Categorise them into past and recent. Past (pre 1980) Recent ( present) List some of the abiotic factors that affect the ecology of remnant bushland. Abiotic factor Instrument Unit A Local Ecosystem - Field of Mars EEC

3 Measuring distribution at on Observation Make an observation concerning the distribution of plant species on either side of the track. Purpose What are you going to do in this investigation? Hypothesis What are you trying to prove? Write a statement that describes the variables that you are investigating. Method What are you going to do to test your hypothesis? Include biotic and abiotic factors to be recorded. Total length of transect: Length of sampling interval: Measurement and recording Use the Personal Results Table on the next page to record: The abiotic measurements for your section of the transect The position of plants along the transect The number of different plant species in your section. Transfer the abiotic factor results to the class recording sheet for further processing and analysis at school. A Local Ecosystem - Field of Mars EEC

4 Personal Results Table Name Date Vegetation transect at Section Abiotic measurements Take measurements at the midpoint of your transect section. Aspect: Gradient: Air temp: Relative humidity: Light intensity: Wind speed: Soil temp: Soil texture: Soil ph: Biotic measurements Describe the features found along your section of the transect, eg, rocky, eroded, tracks, weeds. Description of your section: Number of different plant species: 12+ Tree layer Shrub layer Ground covers Plant height metres Ground features Below, plot where the plants occur using the plant codes from the ID book. If time, draw in the height of each plant above. Plant s m m m m m m Vegetation Key Transect section Plant name Code Plant name Code eg Mat Rush H3 A Local Ecosystem - Field of Mars EEC

5 Interactions Between Species No organism can exist independent of others. Some of these interactions are beneficial to both organisms whilst others are detrimental to one or both organisms. List fieldwork examples you observe. Beneficial Relationships Mutualism Interaction between two organisms from which both benefit. A symbiotic relationship. Example: Commensalism A relationship that benefits one and does not harm the other and where both could survive without the other. Example: Detrimental Relationships Competition Occurs when organisms in the same community which both require the same resources. Example: Parasitism An interaction where one species feeds directly on another, living on or in its host, and often harming the host. Example: Allelopathy The production of chemicals by a plant that can harm or benefit another plant. Example: Trophic Interactions in an Ecosystem (Indicate predator/prey relationships) Tertiary Consumers Secondary Consumers Primary Consumers Producers Decomposers (eg, Fungi, Bacteria) A Local Ecosystem - Field of Mars EEC

6 Measuring distribution and abundance of crabs using a belt transect at on (date) at (time) In this investigation you will be using the scientific method to investigate the relationship between crab abundance and position in the high tide end of the intertidal zone adjacent to the Buffalo Creek boardwalk. Observation Make an observation concerning the number of crab holes as you walk towards the creek. Purpose What are you going to do in this investigation? What are the two variables you are going to investigate? Hypothesis What are you trying to prove? Write a statement that describes the variables that you are investigating. Method What are you going to do to test your hypothesis? List assumptions you need to make. Equipment Results table Quadra t Positio n Count Class Mean Description eg Q11 35m 7 6 Many fallen logs on ground Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 Q6 Q7 Q8 Q9 Q10 Tide chart for the Lane Cove River Use the the BOM tide chart for Fort Denison & add 15mins for the time lag. (During Daylight Saving also add 1 hr.) Date: Time Conclusions/Discussion Is distribution consistent along the transect? Can you prove your hypothesis? Height A Local Ecosystem - Field of Mars EEC

7 What crab is it? Identify the two main species of crab that live near the Buffalo Creek boardwalk Crab key reproduced from: A Local Ecosystem - Field of Mars EEC

8 Plant adaptations Grey Mangrove Aviciennia marina Growth habit: Tree Shrub Grass Other Average height: Leaf size: Leaf shape: Leaf colour above: Leaf colour below: Leaf arrangement: Opposite Alternate Flowers: Fruit: Fleshy Woody Habitat description: Species interactions: Human influences: Status: Rare Vulnerable/Threatened Locally significant Common Abundant Black Diamond Images blackdiamondimages/ /in/ photostream/ Adaptations relating to: Salt: Mangrove description and habitat Anaerobic soil: Reproduction: Mangrove adaptations I Wind: Nutrients: Mangrove adaptations II Word bank: elliptical, accumulation, excretion, exclusion, pneumatophore, lenticels, viviparous, propagule, detritus A Local Ecosystem - Field of Mars EEC

9 Animal adaptations Common Ringtail Possum Pseudocheirus peregrinus Size: Colour: Diet: Competitors: Predators: Habitat description: Species interactions: Human influences: Status: Rare Vulnerable/Threatened Locally significant Common Abundant Adaptations: Structural: Behavioural: Word bank: folivore, prehensile, syndactyly, opposable, protuberant, drey, Kunzea, faeces, coprophagy, camouflage A Local Ecosystem - Field of Mars EEC

10 Adaptations of Australian Plants to the Dry Sclerophyll Woodland Fire Resistance Insulating bark to protect the living cambium layer. Dry bark is a good insulator. Pale bark reflects heat. Eucalypts show a wide variety of fire resistant barks. The many thin papery layers of paperbark trees, bottlebrushes and geebungs are also fire resistant. Fire resistant resin between the leaf bases of the grasstree protects the living trunk and the growing bud on top of the stem. New shoots sprout straight from epicormic strands that run through the bark and right into the wood on the trunks and branches of some trees and shrubs. They sprout if the canopy is damaged in a fire. Woody lignotuber - is a woody swelling that occurs partly or wholly underground as part of the root system. The lignotuber contains the buds and food reserves. Buds sprout from the lignotuber if the above ground stem is killed. Underground stems - many plants such as ferns and grasses have buds on underground stems. Hard woody fruit to protect the seed, eg, hakea, banksia and casuarina have woody cones that open after fire or when the parent plant (or branch) is dead. After fire there is a massive seed release in eucalypts. The high density of seeds cannot be fully consumed by ants and other seed-harvesters, so some germinate to become trees. There is also an "ash bed effect" of nutrients released by fires and this, combined with less competition from other plants, allows better survival of young trees. Fire resistant seeds - wattles and other legumes have pods that burn easily but the seeds have hard coats which survive in the topsoil when a fire passes over. Drought Resistance Leaf surfaces that protect from excessive light: grey waxy coating, eg, many eucalypts and some wattles shiny coating to reflect some light away eg, kurrajong curled or folded leaves to protect the underside where stomates lose water to the air, eg, some grevilleas. Succulent leaves that store water, eg, pigface. Not common in Australia. Hard, tough leaves - sclerophyllous leaves that conserve water and nutrients and protect from damage by herbivores, eg, eucalypts, some wattles, hakeas, bottlebrush, grevilleas. Vertical leaves - instead of holding their leaves horizontally like many rainforest plants, leaves held vertically reduce the amount of sunlight energy taken in, eg, eucalypts, wattles, hakeas. Adult eucalypt leaves have equal numbers of stomates on each side of the leaf. Narrow leaves reduce the loss of water and are also an adaptation to poor soils. Often a reduction in leaves results in a sharp leaf tip which acts as a deterrent to grazing animals. A large root system as in eucalypts provides an ability to extract water from quite dry soil. Defence against herbivores Oil glands - eucalypts, callistemon and melaleucas have a strong aroma from crushed leaves. Milky sap or latex which is often bitter tasting. Gum or kino to 'gum up' borers that have penetrated the bark, eg, eucalypts, wattles, kurrajong. Surface hairs on leaves. Thorns and spines on stems, on leaves and sometimes on the leaf tips. A Local Ecosystem - Field of Mars EEC

11 Adaptations of Australian Plants - examples Insulating bark Fire resistance Protects the living cambium layer from heat. Hard woody fruit Fire resistance Woody cones protect the seed and open after fire. Bloodwood Old Man Banksia (Banksia serrata) Reflecting bark Fire resistance Smooth bark reflects heat. Hard, tough leaves Drought resistance Sclerophyllous leaves conserve water and nutrients and protect from damage by herbivores. Scribbly Gum Scribbly Gum Woody lignotuber Fire resistance Contains buds which sprout when the stem above ground is killed. Narrow leaves Drought resistance Reduces the loss of water. Helps with survival in poor soils. Lignotuber, Stringybark Prickly Moses (wattle) Epicormic strands Fire resistance Run through the bark and wood and sprout if the canopy is damaged. Oil glands Defence against herbivores Usually create a strong taste or aroma. Epicormic strands, Scribbly Gum Native Sarsaparilla (Smilax) A Local Ecosystem - Field of Mars EEC

12 Notes A Local Ecosystem - Field of Mars EEC