Secretary of the Future
The first project of our second year of STEM was the Secretary of the Future. For this assignment we had to change a plot of land in Novato, California, and predict how the change would effect the land in the future. We had to include predictions in 50, 100, 300, and 1,000 years for the climate, soil/ ground condition, aboitic factors, main species, food web, carrying capacity, biodiversity, populations, matter cycling, flow of energy, and species behavior. We then had to create a presentation and send it to a representative.
My group decided to permanently fill Hidden Lake on Mt. Burdell. Hidden Lake is a vernal pool, meaning it dries up in the summer, and refills in the rainy months. We wanted to create an idea that was fun, but was beneficial. The permanent lake would be a reliable water source for the plants and animals around it.
My group decided to permanently fill Hidden Lake on Mt. Burdell. Hidden Lake is a vernal pool, meaning it dries up in the summer, and refills in the rainy months. We wanted to create an idea that was fun, but was beneficial. The permanent lake would be a reliable water source for the plants and animals around it.
Concepts:
Food Web - a diagram that shows the complex interactions in the flow of energy through an ecosystem
Carnivore - an animal that feeds on flesh.
Omnivore - an animal that eats both plants and meat (squirrels, turkeys, water birds, fish, frogs)
Herbivore - an animal that only eats plants
Detritivore - an animal that eat and break down dead animal and plant matter
Autotroph - organisms that make their own food through (trees, grasses, weeds)
Photosynthesis - converting sunlight into food
Chemosynthesis - converting chemicals into food
Heterotroph - organisms that rely on each other for food/energy
Climate - the long term weather of a particular area
Niche - the role of a species and how it lives in an ecosystem
Ecosystem - how populations of different species interact with each other and with their environment
Commensalism - an interaction between two species where one is benefitted and the other is not affected (seeds of plants stick to animals and are spread to grow)
Mutualism - an interaction where both species are benefitted
Parasitism - an interaction where one species is benefitted and the other is harmed
Biotic factor - biological influence on organisms within an ecosystem; living or previously living
Abiotic Factor - physical factor that shapes an ecosystem; anything nonliving
Biosphere - where all life exists in the world
Biome - a group of ecosystems that have the same climate and similar dominate communities
Producer - autotrophs; at the bottom of food web
Consumer - a heterotroph that eats other heterotrophs for food
Greenhouse Effect - heat is retained near the Earth by a layer of gases in the Earth's atmosphere
Competition - an interaction where both species are harmed
Resources - the necessities for living
Carrying Capacity - the number of organisms that can be supported by the resources in a certain ecosystem (lack of water and space lowers the carrying capacity of Hidden Lake area)
Biodiversity - the diversity of life in a certain area
Here is Our Proposal
Hidden Lake is located on Mount Burdell in Novato. It is a vernal pool, meaning it dries up in the summer and refills in the the winter. Right now, because of the drought, many of the usual water sources are dried up, including Hidden Lake. This means that the animals living on Burdell do not have a reliable water source.
We would plant 6 weeping willows in the area to provide more shade for the hikers and prevent the water in the lake from evaporating as quickly. We would also refill the lake. With our policy, we would refill the lake each year until the trees mature and water plants grow in the lake. This will shade the water and prevent evaporation.
We would like to refill Hidden Lake and plant willow trees in order to make it self-sufficient. We would take the water each year from Stafford Lake, around 4,000 gal, which would cost around $3,000 each year. We would plant six weeping willow trees around the lake to mature and help shade the water. For six trees it would cost about $460. The lake will hold more water if it is deep, shaded, and protected from strong winds. The willow trees will help with both shading and wind breaking. The willow trees can grow up to 2 feet each year. For the trees to reach full maturity, it would take about 17 years, but they would be able to fulfill our purposes in about 12 years. Over time, the lake will become a dependable water source for the animals of Mount Burdell.
By filling the lake year round, this would provide a reliable water source for the animals on Mount Burdell. In addition, it would draw more hikers to the preserve, attract more pollinators, and provide shade for the animals and people who come to visit.
In order to implement this change, we need this change to be approved along with a sponsorship from the City of Novato. We would need an expert to check Hidden Lake and make sure it would be okay to refill it. If the lake is very shallow, we would also need to make it deeper. This will help in preventing evaporation.
To refill Hidden Lake on Mount Burdell, we need to be approved. After checking the area to make sure it is possible, we would acquire a sponsorship from the City of Novato. To refill the lake we would take about 4,000 gallons from Stafford Lake every August. We would also plant willow trees to help prevent evaporation. By making Hidden Lake a permanent water source, we would be providing a reliable water source for the animals of Mount Burdell as well as an attraction for the hikers.
Reflection:
This project was socially fun. I loved my group and we got along very well. The project other than that was tedious. The instructions were not clear. I was very confused for most of the project. The project was dull, and when I didn't find the project interesting, I got off task. So I didn't work my hardest on the project.
The thing I have to work on is productivity and staying on task. I goofed off a lot during this project, because I didn't like it, and I wasted a lot of time. Next time I'll try to work harder and stay on task.
Food Web - a diagram that shows the complex interactions in the flow of energy through an ecosystem
Carnivore - an animal that feeds on flesh.
Omnivore - an animal that eats both plants and meat (squirrels, turkeys, water birds, fish, frogs)
Herbivore - an animal that only eats plants
Detritivore - an animal that eat and break down dead animal and plant matter
Autotroph - organisms that make their own food through (trees, grasses, weeds)
Photosynthesis - converting sunlight into food
Chemosynthesis - converting chemicals into food
Heterotroph - organisms that rely on each other for food/energy
Climate - the long term weather of a particular area
Niche - the role of a species and how it lives in an ecosystem
Ecosystem - how populations of different species interact with each other and with their environment
Commensalism - an interaction between two species where one is benefitted and the other is not affected (seeds of plants stick to animals and are spread to grow)
Mutualism - an interaction where both species are benefitted
Parasitism - an interaction where one species is benefitted and the other is harmed
Biotic factor - biological influence on organisms within an ecosystem; living or previously living
Abiotic Factor - physical factor that shapes an ecosystem; anything nonliving
Biosphere - where all life exists in the world
Biome - a group of ecosystems that have the same climate and similar dominate communities
Producer - autotrophs; at the bottom of food web
Consumer - a heterotroph that eats other heterotrophs for food
Greenhouse Effect - heat is retained near the Earth by a layer of gases in the Earth's atmosphere
Competition - an interaction where both species are harmed
Resources - the necessities for living
Carrying Capacity - the number of organisms that can be supported by the resources in a certain ecosystem (lack of water and space lowers the carrying capacity of Hidden Lake area)
Biodiversity - the diversity of life in a certain area
Here is Our Proposal
Hidden Lake is located on Mount Burdell in Novato. It is a vernal pool, meaning it dries up in the summer and refills in the the winter. Right now, because of the drought, many of the usual water sources are dried up, including Hidden Lake. This means that the animals living on Burdell do not have a reliable water source.
We would plant 6 weeping willows in the area to provide more shade for the hikers and prevent the water in the lake from evaporating as quickly. We would also refill the lake. With our policy, we would refill the lake each year until the trees mature and water plants grow in the lake. This will shade the water and prevent evaporation.
We would like to refill Hidden Lake and plant willow trees in order to make it self-sufficient. We would take the water each year from Stafford Lake, around 4,000 gal, which would cost around $3,000 each year. We would plant six weeping willow trees around the lake to mature and help shade the water. For six trees it would cost about $460. The lake will hold more water if it is deep, shaded, and protected from strong winds. The willow trees will help with both shading and wind breaking. The willow trees can grow up to 2 feet each year. For the trees to reach full maturity, it would take about 17 years, but they would be able to fulfill our purposes in about 12 years. Over time, the lake will become a dependable water source for the animals of Mount Burdell.
By filling the lake year round, this would provide a reliable water source for the animals on Mount Burdell. In addition, it would draw more hikers to the preserve, attract more pollinators, and provide shade for the animals and people who come to visit.
In order to implement this change, we need this change to be approved along with a sponsorship from the City of Novato. We would need an expert to check Hidden Lake and make sure it would be okay to refill it. If the lake is very shallow, we would also need to make it deeper. This will help in preventing evaporation.
To refill Hidden Lake on Mount Burdell, we need to be approved. After checking the area to make sure it is possible, we would acquire a sponsorship from the City of Novato. To refill the lake we would take about 4,000 gallons from Stafford Lake every August. We would also plant willow trees to help prevent evaporation. By making Hidden Lake a permanent water source, we would be providing a reliable water source for the animals of Mount Burdell as well as an attraction for the hikers.
- “Open Space: Mount Burdell.” Marin County Parks, www.marincountyparks.org/depts/pk/divisions/open-space/mount-burdell.
- “Novato Water.” North Marin Water District, www.nmwd.com/services_novato.php.
- “Hiking with Kids in Marin: Mount Burdell Open Space Preserve.” Marin Mommies, 24 Sept. 2016, www.marinmommies.com/hiking-kids-marin-mount-burdell-open-space-preserve.
- Rent it Today, 2006, http://www.rentittoday.com/
- “Weeping Willow Tree.” NatureHills, www.naturehills.com/weeping-willow. Accessed 6 Oct. 2016.
- “Weeping Willow.” Arbor Day Foundation, www.arborday.org/trees/treeguide/TreeDetail.cfm?ItemID=938. Accessed 13 Oct. 2016.
Reflection:
This project was socially fun. I loved my group and we got along very well. The project other than that was tedious. The instructions were not clear. I was very confused for most of the project. The project was dull, and when I didn't find the project interesting, I got off task. So I didn't work my hardest on the project.
The thing I have to work on is productivity and staying on task. I goofed off a lot during this project, because I didn't like it, and I wasted a lot of time. Next time I'll try to work harder and stay on task.