colaruaa's Journal

Today I chose to walk on the beach in Onset, MA. I thought this would be a good place to observe interactions among species and I was able to capture some examples of predation in seagulls picking on snails on the shore, algae and seaweed growing on shells and crabs, and barnacles growing on shells as well. They were good examples of predation, commensalism, herbivory with birds, and maybe even ammensalism. I found this to be a good change of scenery. When on the beach, I do not often think about different species on the beach and how they interact, but this walk opened my eyes a bit.

Today I paid special attention to fungi and insects on my walk on an overcast evening in Leominster, MA. When I went on this walk, seeing insects and fungi with more knowledge and familiarity reminded me of a few things. Fungi are more closely related to animals than they are to plants. This still seems counterintuitive to me, but I know that they are both heterotrophs, meaning they obtain their food and do not produce it themselves. Fungi absorb it and animals consume it. Fungi are so incredibly diverse in their appearance and role, and today it was highlighted by this elder whitewash, shelf fungi,
and mildew on trees and leaves. I had to pay attention to insects and animals as they are enormously diverse as well. I made sure to mark this with a moth, fly, mosquito, and bumble bee. My species of plant were oak tree with galls (evidence of insects), a knotweed, and thyme moss to remind me of nonvascular plants from last time.

Today I went on a nature walk that I found very refreshing. I was working earlier that day, drove right to a trail near where I live, and enjoyed the beautiful conservation area. It was nothing short of a beautiful evening. It was around 5:10 when I started and the temperature was about 70 degrees. I saw a variety of vascular plants, angiosperms particularly, and I believe only one gymnosperms in a pine conifer. The first two links I took some pictures of moss to highlight the most common nonvascular plant I encountered. I took these as potential evidence of bacteria and archaea.

The links below contain my favorite angiosperms I saw today. I did not see many flowers, but I did see what looks like a False Solomon's-Seal and dandelion. I now clearly understand that flowers are for sexual reproduction and contain male and female gametes.

The links below contain a pine and a pine cone. I observed this gymnosperm carefully and the fact that it is a vascular plant without flowers. Seeds are not in a fruit, but in a cone.

I observed some more seedless vascular plants in ferns. These are unique as they reproduce using haploid spores.

Today I went on a nature walk that I found very refreshing. I was working earlier that day, drove right to a trail near where I live, and enjoyed the beautiful conservation area. It was nothing short of a beautiful evening. It was around 5:10 when I started and the temperature was about 70 degrees. I saw a variety of vascular plants, angiosperms particularly, and I believe only one gymnosperms in a pine conifer. The first two links I took some pictures of moss to highlight the most common nonvascular plant I encountered. I took these as potential evidence of bacteria and archaea.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/219195704
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/219200299
The links below contain my favorite angiosperms I saw today. I did not see many flowers, but I did see what looks like a False Solomon's-Seal and dandelion. I now clearly understand that flowers are for sexual reproduction and contain male and female gametes.
false solomon https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/219200325
dandelion https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/219198449
The links below contain a pine and a pine cone. I observed this gymnosperm carefully and the fact that it is a vascular plant without flowers. Seeds are not in a fruit, but in a cone.
pine https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/219209635
cone https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/219197132
I observed some more seedless vascular plants in ferns. These are unique as they reproduce using haploid spores.
fern https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/219196416