Journal - 4/16/19

Stream Ecosystem Week 2, Tuesday Lab Section

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On Tuesday, 4/16, my BioCube group and I visited Foxcroft Farm for the second time. Right from the start, the biggest difference between our first and second time at the stream ecosystem was the presence of water in our path. Once we walked across the wooden bridge, the rock path leading to more of the farm was covered with water about 1 to 1.5 feet deep. We assume that the rain during the week increased the water level and made this once-dry rock path a flooded path. The water levels of the edge of the stream also increased. This made it impossible to reach and make observations about the biodiversity within our BioCube. The BioCube is still hanging on to the sturdy branch sticking out of the water a little distance away from the edge of the stream. The mass of hay and grasses we once could walk on to reach the BioCube were submerged in the increased water levels, making it unstable and unsafe to walk upon. The warmth and rain played a part in the sprouting of thin green grasses from the mass of hay. I am unsure if the green plants that looked like clovers were present before in between the rocks of the path. But, I think that the flooding of the path definitely contributed to these plants' growth. We expect the water level of the rock path to be higher during our third trip because more rain is on the way during the time between our second and third trip.

The weather changed during our time at the farm. Around the beginning of the lab, the farm was cold and windy. As the sun rose more, the temperature and our sunlight exposure both increased. The wind still persisted. The wind contributed to making the plants and tree branches rustle. My listening experience differed from the first time I visited the stream. For one, there were noticeably more sounds of chirping birds. The variety of cries overlapped each other. The stream continued to flow by underneath the bridge. Once the water picked up in speed as it traveled underneath the bridge, the water made small "whirlpools" that disappeared as quickly as they formed. We also caused loud, crashing sounds whenever we walked through the flooded path of rocks.

It is amazing how much plant growth and insect activity has occurred from the first trip to the second trip. Last time, the weather was much colder and dreary. But since the sun is out, we saw more insects. There were winged insects, insects that skated and bounced along the water surface, and insects that hung out on the leaves of land plants. We saw spiders on the hay near the water. We saw small white fleas on the water surface. The plants are starting to bud more. Namely, the red maple trees are common and are increasing in number. There is one tall green tree called the willow tree. Its "leaves" are actually its sex bits. The black/dark purple plants sticking out from the ground are sensitive fern plants. The short green conical plants are eastern skunk cabbages.

One memorable and amusing time during our trip is when one wooden plank from the wooden bridge accidentally broke off and fell into the water. We retrieved the plank and found black ants crawling on the broken edge of the wood. This observation suggests that the ants chewed and weakened the wood and thus are responsible for the damage. This observation also increased our knowledge of the biodiversity of the stream ecosystem.

My time at Foxcroft Farm is quickly becoming my favorite experience from this lab. I find it valuable to immerse myself in fieldwork, as I have become more reflective of what I see and hear.

- By Vineetha