Overall, this has been a really
enriching experience. Although I didn’t
see that many animals per se, it was interesting for me to look for signs of
them. I mainly chose an estuary to carry
out my field study because I felt it would have the most diverse set of
organisms. I also wanted to observe a
place that would have a lot of fowl because I used to bird watch with my
grandmother.
I might’ve looked for a more diverse
region for my field study. I had chosen
a region that was relatively close to the parking lot. However, I did not want to hike out further
than I had to since I was already making a 40 minute drive round-trip to reach
my field study site. I collected my data
for the abiotic and biotic factors relatively close to each other (within 2
weekends). The majority of my
measurements for the plants and wildlife had to be estimated since the animals
were constantly in motion and did not appreciate me even being within their
territory and many of the plants were aquatic and not feasible for me to
actually measure as they were below water.
The site as a whole remains at a
cool temperature between 68-73 degrees Fahrenheit with no water flow. All organisms have no trouble existing in
these conditions. The clear sky also
allows for maximum photosynthesis as plants will have no barrier between their
leaves and the sun. The soil switches
between dry and moist depending on precipitation levels. Due to the plants living in a saline
environment, they are apt at dealing with both conditions. Wind can be a problem as it erodes soil,
however, plants, such as pickleweed, help anchor the soil and prevent erosion
and overall soil degradation. The lake’s
lack of flow or current can lead to eutrophication, however, the salt and cord
grasses combined with other bushes and pickleweed help buffer and divert any
pollutants that could enter the stagnant water.
Since this field site does contain
part of the hiking trail, it is inevitable that humans have affected this
region. Futhermore, the Baylands Nature
Preserve is literally right next to the Palo Alto airport. Small 4-person planes are constantly flying
overhead. While the noise does not
really seem to disturb the animals as they have become used to it, the exhaust
from the gasoline needed to power the planes could inhibit plant growth and
pollute freshwater sources. Humans also
litter quite frequently. From harmless
orange peels and apricot cores to cigarettes and paper wrappers these are
unnecessary and unwelcome additions to an organism’s habitat. While the fruit will eventually decompose and
provide more nutrients to the soil, the cigarette butts and other
non-biodegradable items could be accidently consumed.
Surprisingly, the region of my field study stayed the same throughout my observation time period. Since there was little rainfall, the lake that existed in my field study receded rather than increasing in size. The region was also a lot more colorful in the autumn due to the pickleweed. With the receding water, the pickleweed did not absorb as much salt and were merely green in color instead of their usual red tips. Overall, drought is causing more organisms, especially plants to die in this biome.
