https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx 360 hilltop views spanning all of Kalamazoo, set among gravestones and towering oaks. This presentation of pictures and quotations seeks to showcase every part of this small ecosystem. en-us 2020-11-24 16:06:24 UTC 2023-03-31 09:28:19 UTC hello@padlet.com https://pixfeeds.com/images/18/452763/1200-16716073-red-maple-leaf.jpg nostrantian98 https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/956849154 From the mighty maple, you can view the whole of the graveyard.]]> 2020-11-24 16:19:59 UTC https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/956849154 nostrantian98 https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/956854609 "All fo the leaves on this maple seem to be suffering from some sort of disease causing leaf pigment to turn black in splotches, almost like a burn."]]> 2020-11-24 16:21:14 UTC https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/956854609 nostrantian98 https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957037844 "One fairly large and old tree stands here, not sure what type but if I had to guess I'd say it's a maple tree due to the shape of its leaves." ]]> 2020-11-24 17:04:01 UTC https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957037844 nostrantian98 https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957066732 "It's late fall and the leaves on my maple tree are all but gone ... The branches are bare, looking almost like root systems reaching into the air."]]> 2020-11-24 17:10:58 UTC https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957066732 nostrantian98 https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957116384 2020-11-24 17:23:32 UTC https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957116384 nostrantian98 https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957122555 Every organism surrounding the tree and leaving a trace.]]> 2020-11-24 17:25:06 UTC https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957122555 nostrantian98 https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957134993 Everything non-living that effects the maple tree ecosystem.]]> 2020-11-24 17:28:14 UTC https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957134993 nostrantian98 https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957147818 The floor is spotted with broken branches, leaf litter, several types of grasses, and dirt piles.]]> 2020-11-24 17:31:25 UTC https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957147818 nostrantian98 https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957231637 My place has examples of disturbance/succession, Climate Forcing: Milankovitch Cycles, autecology: acclimation, mutualism and commensalism, though I'm sure there are many more I was unable to observe.]]> 2020-11-24 17:52:26 UTC https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957231637 nostrantian98 https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957269703 A biotic relationship in which both organisms benefit from eachother.]]> 2020-11-24 18:02:05 UTC https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957269703 nostrantian98 https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957295292 I saw signs of broken acorns and maple seeds strewn across the ground, and as well saw a squirrel frequent my tree. The squirrel seemed to frequent the tree for the purpose of shelter (commensalism) for preparing it's food and for the gathering of seeds which I'm assuming they created little dirt mounds for storing; this serves the dual purpose of scattering and planting tree seeds (mutualism).]]> 2020-11-24 18:08:25 UTC https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957295292 nostrantian98 https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957298083 A biotic relationship in which one organism benefits while the other is not harmed.]]> 2020-11-24 18:09:06 UTC https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957298083 nostrantian98 https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957302789 In itself, lichen represents a mutualistic relationship between algae and fungi. The algae photosynthesizing for food while the fungus manages the structure by protecting and collecting moisture and nutrients. The rough bark of the maple tree allows for the lichen to get a good foothold and offers it some protection and exposure to moisture and rainfall, though the lichen doesn't affect the tree (commensalism).]]> 2020-11-24 18:10:15 UTC https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957302789 nostrantian98 https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957304417 This maple is sufficiently old and thus has a thick trunk, more than I can wrap my arms around.]]> 2020-11-24 18:10:40 UTC https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957304417 nostrantian98 https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957336468 From September to October the temperature changed from warm and humid to cool and dry, starting around 70F on average and dropping to 40F.]]> 2020-11-24 18:18:37 UTC https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957336468 nostrantian98 https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957346645 During early fall there was far less rain and wind, the days were temperate and less thick cloud cover let in more sunlight. As the season progressed towards winter, rain, wind, and even snow became more common, increasing cloud cover and weather events while decreasing sunlight hours. Not to mention the Northern hemisphere tilted away from the sun causing shorter days due to less direct sunlight (Milankovitch Cycles).]]> 2020-11-24 18:21:13 UTC https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957346645 nostrantian98 https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957384656 Being on a hill, the only source of water seems to be the rain and potentially a graveyard attendant. While the soil seems to be brown brown and moisture containing, the constant mowing may deplete the tended areas of some nutrients.]]> 2020-11-24 18:30:59 UTC https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957384656 nostrantian98 https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957398011 The change of the earths orbit shape, tilt, and north facing direction (precession) which effect the climate.]]> 2020-11-24 18:34:07 UTC https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957398011 nostrantian98 https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957440957 The bark is solid and dense, not scab-like like the oak trees are. You would be hard pressed to be able to remove a peace of bark from this maple. There are deep cracks running throughout the bark, splitting it into almost scales of square pieces.]]> 2020-11-24 18:44:58 UTC https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957440957 nostrantian98 https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957447517 2020-11-24 18:46:41 UTC https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957447517 nostrantian98 https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957469016 "There are small grasses and leafy plants growing out of the crevices in the tree roots ... It seems that dirt may have accumulated in the channels between the roots allowing these plants to grow."]]> 2020-11-24 18:52:12 UTC https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957469016 nostrantian98 https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957494144 Disturbances are natural events that reset an ecosystem (fires, storms, disease) and succession describes how the ecosystem rebuilds with basic organisms paving the one for more complex ones.]]> 2020-11-24 18:58:45 UTC https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957494144 nostrantian98 https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957539280 "I'm noticing lots of grasses here. Normally when you think og a patch of lawn it seems pretty homogenous, just one type of green grass, but that's not necessarily true."
In my plot there were common grasses with small blades that formed everywhere, and then more sparse grasses with larger blades. It could be that the latter of the two normally grow larger and live amongst the common grass before larger shrubs and bushes succeed these organisms. This cannot happen here due to the disturbance off the lawn mower, but an example of a more mature plain can be seen on the nearby hillside.]]> 2020-11-24 19:09:38 UTC https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957539280 nostrantian98 https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957600535 2020-11-24 19:26:26 UTC https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957600535 nostrantian98 https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957619791 2020-11-24 19:31:52 UTC https://padlet.com/nostrantian98/qcrx4r2dckmdqjnx/wish/957619791