Our group has decided to work and research about the forest area of the nose hill. The altitude of our transect was 1205m above sea level. The exact latitude and longitude of the transect we have set up is 51°, 6.794m N and 114°, 7.754m W, 70clockwise from north.
List of Organisms:
Sitka Mountain-ash: grows forty to fifty feet tall and twenty to thirty feet wide. Leaves are four inches long, pointed ovals, with slightly toothed edges. Numerous red berries and golden yellow fall colour are present in the leaves. The berries remain on the tree well into winter and provide food for birds.
Holodiscus Discolour: a fast growing deciduous shrub that grows five meters tall. The leaves are small, 5–9 cm long and 4–7 cm broad, lobbed, juicy green when new.
Populus tremula: a North American tree that is slender, upright; yellow-gray bark. The leaves of this tree are broad, glossy, dark green and have serrated edges.
Amelanchier Alnifolia: a plant with round with toothed leaves approximately twentieth-five centimeters long. Flowers in late spring to early summer and have dark purple edible fruit for other organisms.
Rubus idaeus: a red-fruited species with short leaves and thin branches.
Black hawthorn: crataegus douglasii is a compact, bushy shrub covered in fan-shaped green leaves with teeth along the distal margin. Thorns along the branches are one to two centimeters long.
Bristly black currant (ribes lacustre): maple-like leaves, 3-4 cm across, heart-shaped base; with 3-5 deeply cut lobes; smooth to sparsely hairy; toothed.
R. laxiflorum: a type trailing shrub usually growing one half to one meter in height.
Hawkweed, Hieracium, Scabruisculum: They grow to 5–100 cm tall, and feature clusters of yellow, orange or red flower heads, similar to dandelions, atop a long, fuzzy stalk. They are usually small and weedy.
This native perennial wildflower is 2-5' tall; it has an erect central stem and often develops short side stems in the upper half. The central stem is light green to purple, glabrous, and glaucous. The alternate leaves are up to 8" long and 6" across, becoming gradually smaller as they ascend the stems.
Mayfly: Class - Insecta. Order - Ephemeroptera. Suborders - Schistonota or Pannota They are aquatic insects whose immature stage usually lasts one year in freshwater. The adults are short-lived, from a few minutes to a few days depending on the species. About 2,500 species are known worldwide, including about 630 species in North America.
Higher Fly
Daddy Longlegs: An arachnid with an egg- shaped body and eight legs. Two small arms (pedipalps) at the front of the body are used to steer any food into range between the jaws. It has a pair of fangs to feed on dead animals or the eggs of insects and spiders.
Trophic levels | Feeding strategy | Food chain |
3 | Secondary conusmer | Daddy long legs |
2 | Primary consumer | Mayfly and higher fly |
1 | Primary producer | Sitka mountain-ash, holodiscus discolour, Trembling aspen: popullu tremuloides, Amelanchier alnifolia, tall grass, wild red raspberry: rubus idaeus, Black hawthorn: cragtaegus douglasii, Bristly black currant ribes lacustre, R.laxiflorum, Hawkweed, Hieracium, scabuisculum and lettuce glaucaus white |
Table 1: The trophic levels, feeding strategy, and general food chain of the organisms found in the forest biome of Nosehill Park, Calgary, Alberta, Latitude 51°, 6.794m N and longitude 114°, 7.754m W 70clockwise from north.
Trophic levels are levels which group organisms from the same distinct feeding level in on ecosystem. Primary producers are organisms that can make their own food, independently. Primary consumers are organisms that intake primary producers for energy, while secondary consumers are species that ingest primary consumers or any other species. From these definitions, we can conclude that the following plants: Sitka mountain-ash, holodiscus discolour, Trembling aspen: popullu tremuloides, Amelanchier alnifolia, tall grass, wild red raspberry: rubus idaeus, Black hawthorn: cragtaegus douglasii, Bristly black currant ribes lacustre, R.laxiflorum, Hawkweed, Hieracium, scabuisculum and lettuce glaucaus white are primary producers because they provide their own food and energy for other organisms. Also, we can conclude that mayflies and higher flies are primary consumers because they feed on other plants, but do not produce their own food. Lastly, the daddy long legs that was found is a secondary consumer because it captures all primary producers to feed on.
References:
Bryant, R. et al. (2007). The plant finder. Buffalo New York. Firefly books Ltd. P992.
Cole, T. (2001). Canadian encyclopedia of plants and flowers. Toronto, Ontario: Korling Kindersley Limited. P720.
Freeman, S, et al. (2008). Biological science, Third edition. New York:Pearson Education, Inc. Glossary.
Tenenbaum,F. (2003). Encyclopedia of garden plants. Boston, New York: Houghton Mifflin Company. P 447.
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