Physical Features—Abiotic Investigation Area_____________
1. Ambient Temperature__________ 2. Soil Temperature___________
3. Light Reading________________ 4. Soil Moisture______________
5. Relative Humidity ______%
Dry-bulb reading _________-- Wet-bulb reading ________ = _________
6. Soil pH_______________________
Soil Investigation
Description of Soil
color______________________________________
smell______________________________________
structure___________________________________
texture_____________________________________
Soil Type_______________________
Is this soil ___good, ___fair, ___poor for growing plants?
What is the reason for their prediction:____________________________________
Soil Color:
dark—black, dark gray, or dark brown
medium—brown to yellow brown
light—pale brown to yellow
Soil Particles: Structure
blocky platy columnar granular
Determining Soil Texture: Soil Type
very gritty Sandy
smooth and slick, or somewhat gritty and sticky Loamy
smooth, very sticky Clayey
Biotic Investigation
Plant Life
Density Chart: Mark the chart with an X under the category that best describes the vegetation in that layer.
Forest Layers Sparse Moderate Dense
Forest Floor
Herb Layer
Shrub Layer
Understory
Canopy
Animal Life
Bird ID List:____________________________________________________________
Micro hunt List:____________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Animal Signs Scavenger Hunt
Can you find: Evidence of::
· a shredded pine cone ________________
· half eaten nut ________________
· scratches on tree trunk ________________
· scratches on the ground ________________
· egg casings on a leaf ________________
· nibbled on leaves ________________
· a home or shelter of an animal ________________
· tracks of an animal in the dirt ________________
· animal scat (droppings) ________________
· holes in trees ________________
· holes in the ground ________________
· animal trails ________________