Thursday, June 11, 2009

Shoup Bay trail, the beach & meadow.

6/10/09 12:30pm - 3:45pm

Cloudy, the temperature was around 60 degrees on the trail. It was windy along the beach with a temperature between 45-50 degrees.

Plants:

Dune Grass

Red Alder

Raspberry

Chocolate Lilly

Baby’s Breath

Beach Greens

Sea Lettuce

Lady Fern

Alaska Violet

Crow Parsnip

Wild Celery

Captive Valarian

Nagoon Berry

Corn Lilly

Wild Lilly Of The Valley

Elder Berry

Skunk Cabbage

Death Camas

Bog Candle

Sedge

Horse Tail

Red Fescue

Shooting Stars

Bracken Fern

Northern Yarrow

Beach Pea

Yellow Paintbrush

Cottonwood

Dandelions

A seed pod from an Iris.

Rockweed

Lichen

Fungus:

Small Mushrooms

Dried Shelf Mushroom

Isopod:

Idotea

Decapod Crustacean:

Crab

Mollusc:

Snail

Blue Muscle (Bay Muscle)

Insects:

Bee

Mosquito

Gnats

Fly

Moth

Mites:

Spider Mite

Mammals:

Humans

Dogs

Vole running along the creek.

Tunnels, which are evidence of voles & mice.

This field trip came with a bonus; we got some exercise! We walked about 1 mile down Shoup Bay trail to the path which leads to the beach. Once on the beach, we walked out as far as we could to identify the organisms living in the water. We identified rockweed & few of the creatures that live around it, when the tide started coming in quickly. We explored the beach, turning over rocks & sticks to see if anything was living underneath. We found, a couple dead crabs, a shelf mushroom that had dried out & snail tracks. It was windy & cool on the beach so we headed back to the trail. As we walked up the trail the wind died down & you could feel the temperature rise.

We made couple stops along the trail to identify plants. We saw several “full grown” red alders. It’s amazing when you think about how the little sapling we saw in the bog last week grows into a big tree. As we were walking up the trail we stopped at the meadow, where we came across a few hikers & their dogs. They had two chows & a cocker spaniel with them. In the meadow I quickly identified red fescue, the years working for a lawn care company helped with that. I have to say, that I actually enjoy sitting on the ground identifying plants.

As we headed back toward the trail head, we stopped to identify a few more things & got a good look at a huge cottonwood tree, with lichens on it. I found this field trip to be very relaxing & hope everyone else did as well.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Cave Lion

skulls & bones of ice age lectur

the presentation i thought was well put together. i learned allot about the animals that migrated to Alaska from the beringia land Brig, which was 5 miles wide an there since 1.8 million years ago to 10 million years later,wich is named after the danish explorer Vitus. I never knew that Alaska was a dry land an now look at it its wet an green an beautiful..

some of the things i learned are about the plants that were here back then, like the grass, sage, trees like tamaracks an spruces, an fewer lakes an streams every thing was really limited only about 10% of the state of Alaska was covered by plants an 30 % by ice...
some of the animals are i learned about was camels, ground sloths, horses, stepp bison. giant beaver's woolly mammoths, wrangle island dwarf mammoth, mastodon, dire wolf,saber tooth cat: smildon Californians, American lion, giant short faced cave bear....
most of the animals i named except the wrangle island dwarf mammoth is 2 or 3 time bigger than the actual animals that we have now a days... even though they were bigger they had a smaller brain size...

these animals that i have mentioned have all been discovered in the state of Alaska...
the presentation lasted about 35- 45 minuets, an was very educational, an allen had brougth some of the bones that were replicated an orginal to the presentation... i enjoyed it very much


Monday, June 8, 2009

Moss

The peat moss (Sphagnum) in the Mineral Creek bog in a member of the Sphagnaceae family. The moss was growing on top of a bog, a very wet environment. The moss had tiny leaves growing together tightly like a carpet almost as if it were woven. To the touch it was slightly damp, also the smell was very Earthly. This picture was shot off of the goat trail back in april.
Peat moss is used in many ways including soil additive, fuel and a key ingredient in mushroom (mycelium) production.
Resources :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peat_moss

Sunday, June 7, 2009

bog Rosemary


Description:Bog Rosemary is a small shrub like plant that is related to Rhododendrons and Azaleas plants but these two plants grow alot in moist soils ,or in peat moss, bogs


Normal common name of plant:Bog Rosemary
Botanical Name: Andromeda
type of plant evergreen shrub
grows fairly fast

Soil Preference:will grow in wet lands an moist sandy coils with hp..

needs sun from moderate to little light

diffrent types of Rosemary:

blue ice Rosemary

description of plant: pink colored flower heads are bell shaped. can be blue or purplish color...
Bloom Color: Pink

Bloom Time: May

Foliage Color: Blue/green

Height: 12-24

Spread: 24-36"
this plant is used to slow down pulse, lower blood pressure, lack of coordination...

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Week 1

On June, 2nd 2009 at 14:21 the winds were 7-10 knots with a clear sky and a temperature of 62 degrees fahrenheit above at the Mineral Creek Bog. I identified several different species of Alaskan wild plants and flowers. The first plant I came across was the CrowBerry (Empetrum nigrum), it was a small bush like plant with small evergreen needles. There was no evidence of blueberry like berries on the bush. The CrowBerry is a member of the Ericaceae family. 
The second plant I came across was the Bog Rose Mary (Andromeda polifolia) it was small with long evergreen like needles and a light pink flower on it's top. The Bog Rose Mary also belongs to the Ericaceae family. I also identified a Wild Iris (Iris Setosa) it had 3 purple/blue flowers on top of a long green stalk. This Iris is a member of the Iridaceae family.  The fourth plant I came across was the Chocolate Lilly (Fritillaria camschatcensis) it had rows of dark green pointy leaves growing around in a circle. There was no evidence of flowers. The Chocolate lilly belongs to the Liliaceae family. The Nangoon Berry (Rubus arcticus) was the fifth plant I came across it had small tough green leaves and grew close to the ground. I didn't find any berries present. The Nangoon Berry belongs to the Rosaceae family. Second to last I saw a Highbush Cranberry (Viburnum trilobum) it was a larger bush with medium sized green leaves, Dr Fronzuto pointed out a berry present from last years growing season it made it threw the winter snow ! The Highbush Cranberry belongs to the Caprifoliaceae family. Lastly was the False Hellebore (Veratrum viride ) it had long broad green leaves that came to a point that grew in a bunch. The False Hellebore belongs to the Melanthiaceae family.   Until next week, Goodbye 

Chocolate lily



A Chocolate lily can be found in open dry woods and meadows; they grow on well-drained soils on open slopes. The Chocolate lily can grow anywhere from one to four feet tall. The color is a brown/black and is shaped like a bell. Like several of the lilies, the bulbs of the Chocolate Lily were eaten by Native Americans. The Chocolate Lily, like their relatives, the Northern Rice Root has a number of rice-like bullets surrounding its single main bulb.

The Chocolate Lily is also called, Skunk Lily, Dirty Diaper and Outhouse Lily, because it does not have a nice sent to it as other flowers do. I would have to say I picked this flower/plant because when it is all bloomed it is very pretty, and because of its color. You don’t see to many chocolate colored flowers around anywhere.

Work Cited

National Geographic

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/lewisandclark/record_species_248_16_15.html

Plant Guide

http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache:_haRjiKpVS8J:plants.usda.gov/plantguide/doc/cs_fraf2.doc+chocolate+lily&cd=35&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Mineral Creek

Time: 12:30 to 3:30
Date: Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Place: Mineral Creek
Temperature: 6o’s
Climate: Mostly sunny, some clouds with a light breeze

Plants I discovered on the trip:


Crowberry

Bush Cranberries

Bog Blue Berries

Nagoon Berry

Low bush cranberry

Dogwood berry

Alaska Violet

Bog Rosemary

Corn Lily White

Chocolate Lily

Red Alder

Canadian Dwarf Coronel

Fireweed

Willow Tree

Muskeg

Wild Iris

Insects we seen on trip:

Moth

Bee

Spiders

Lots of Mosquitoes

Flies

Others:

Robin

Magpie

And the head from so kind of animal

Well I would have to say it was kind of fun. I don’t know much about what we seen or even where we were. I never did think that I would be sitting on the ground in a bog on a bunch of moss. I would have to say that was a first for me. And I’m sure there will be many times I will say that.

It was a very beautiful day to be out doors looking around at all the different things. I think that a lot of the plants and flowers we seen today was very beautiful I guess I never realized all the different things that was have living all around us.

Red Alder



Alnus Rubra (Red Alder)

Also called Western Alder & Oregon Alder.

Found in Alaska, Washington & Oregon.

Identified in Mineral Creek Bog.

Deciduous tree that grows up to 25m tall.

Red Alders grow quickly but have short life span. 50yrs is considered old for this tree.

Grows in moist rocky soil, bogs & along beaches.

Leaves are 5-15cm long, oval shape with pointy ends. Leaves have a wavy appearance, green color, with a rusty color underneath. Top of leaf is smooth, while bottom appears hairy.

Young twigs appear hairy, becoming red with light dots.

Flowering April to May. Both male & female flowers hang in catkins, which look like 7.5 - 15cm long spikes.

The fruits are cone shaped clusters 12-25mm long, containing nutlets or seeds. Seeds mature in August; dropping in the fall and early winter. The cones remain on the tree throughout the winter.

The bark is grayish white.

When the wood is cut it's white, then turns reddish brown.


Red Alder wood is believed to be the best type of wood for smoking fish, especially salmon. The wood is soft, lightweight and smooth. It is used to make bowls, rattles, mask and a variety of other things.

The bark is used to make dye. Different variations of color can be obtained by using bark of different ages as well as the quantity used.

Red Alder bark has been highly valued for it's medicinal properties by indigenous people of Alaska and those along the northwest coast. It's been used as a tonic to treat respiratory aliments, as well as wounds and skin infections. Red Alder is also know to have strong antibiotic properties.

Red Alder provides food for several creatures. Mountain beavers, deer and elk make use of the bark, twigs and branches. Mice, voles and birds eat the seeds. A variety of insects use the trees as well; for example, alder aphids, alder flea beetle, flat head wood borer, caterpillars and ambrosia beetles.



Resources:

Red Alder A State Of Knowledge -- Biology and Ecology of Red Alder By Constance A. Harrington. http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/publications/pnw_gtr669/pnw_gtr669b.pdf

Plants Of The Pacific Northwest Coast By Pojar & Mackinnon

Alaska Trees And Shrubs By Leslie A. Viereck, Elbert Luther Little, David F. Murray, George W. Argus

Pacific Northwest Research Station- Science Findings. Issue #63 May 2004

http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi63.pdf

US Forrest Service

http://www.fs.fed.us/cgi-bin/texis/searchallsites/search.allsites/






hike to mineral creek

time: Started at 12:30 left at 3:20
Date: 06/03/09
place: mineral creek bog
temperature: 65' f
climate: light breeze, mainly sunny some clouds....

things we have seen/ discovered on our adventure...
Narcissus Anemone
muskeg
crow berry
low bush cranberry
Alaska violet
fire weed
chocolate lily
wild Iris
geranium
bog rosemary
club rush
dogwood, bunch berry
Canadian dwarf Cornell
red alder
dwarf MagoonBerry
high bush berry
willow tree
false lily of the Vally
green fake hellebore
corn lily white

animals
vole...
Robbin
magpie
a duck

I found the trip to be very educational an a very interesting experience, it was a wonderful day to be out an about. I also love that we found so many diff rent types of plants an wild flowers in one place..
i hope all the trips were this fun, but next time I'm going to wear more comfy clothing an bring more water... i really liked the feeling of the moss an the mud too ha ha...
i like sunk in the mud it was funny i thought i was going to fall but i loved it

Mineral Creek Bog

6/3/09 12:30 pm - 3:30pm
Sunny with a few High-level clouds; about 62 with a light breeze.

Plants:
Muskeg
Peat Moss
Chocolate Lilly
Crow Berries
Low Bush Cranberries
Fire Weed
Bog Blue Berries
Bog Rosemary
Narcissus Flowered Anemone
Licopodieum
Alaska Violet
Western Butter Cup
Sundew
Tufted Clubrush
Cotton Grass
Red Alder
Nagoon Berry
Willow
False Lilly Of The Valley
Corn Lilly

Insects:
Moth
Fly
Bee
Mosquito
Spider

Birds:
Robin
Magpie
We heard a duck.
Bird tracks.

Mammals:
Tunnels, which are evidence of mice & voles.
The head of a Vole.
Canine tracks. Possibly coyote, but could just be a large dog.
Humans left trash, as well as tire tracks.


Today was a beautiful day to be out exploring. I had a lot of fun identifying the plants. The amount of life in the bog is fascinating. What bothered me was seeing trash left behind & tire tracks. Some people are so careless & stupid. I honestly don't understand how driving through a bog could be entertaining. Also how hard is it to dispose of trash properly?

I just looked up canine tracks & don't think we saw coyote tracks, unless it was a large coyote. I think it was a large dog, possibly wolf but I'm not sure if we have any wolves in the area.

The bird tracks may have been magpie, but I'm not sure. There was a magpie "hopping" around; there was also a robin.

I do wish we could have done more walking & spent more time looking around. I really enjoyed this field trip.










Monday, June 1, 2009

About Me

My name is Jenica Barber. This is the very first time that I have ever taken a class such as this one. So I guess we will all see how I do. What I hope to get from this class is knowing all the different things there is to know about this place (world). I hope to be able to learn new things and have fun doing them all with my classmates. I have to be honest I don't know anything at all about plants and others things that we will be learning in this class, but that is why I hope to learn all the diffternt things that we will be going over. I am ready to learn and a really hard worker. It may take me some time, but I am willing to do the work. I am excited to go on all the out doors trips we will be taken and even the over night ones. I have to say I am not an out doors type of person, but I am here and ready for anything, hey maybe not only will I learn something from this class, maybe I will learn that I am really an out doors person.

salutations to new classes

greeting new class blog....
Ive currently been in VValdez, Alaska for the last two years, i moved here form Dell Rapids SD, I'm 17 years of age i graduated in JJanuary of this year an wanted to get in as much schooling as possible before i have to start my recommended classes... for going to be a bio engineer chemists.... so yeah

What I'm hoping to get out of this class is to learn more about the state i live in an also about my surroundings this class will give me an opportunity to see things i probably wouldn't recognize on an average day.... an also that thing i found interesting so far is that everything is open minded you dont have to look outside of what is really there like in normal life....
so this is me an i am hoping to love this class by the end of the 8 weeks

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

In Alaska-Summer 2008

Here's a slide show of summer 2008. I made a spring show too, let me know if anyone wants the link to it.


Thursday, August 7, 2008

Conclusion Compilation

Valdez Glacier- Flora- Alder, Willow, Arctic Willow, Alpine Willow, Moss Campion, black, orange, yellow, and white Lichen, mosses, Birch, Black Cottonwood, Aspen, Fireweed, Horsetail. Fauna- Mountain Goat, birds singing, Raven, Crow, black spider, Mustard White butterfly, Bald Eagle, possible Pine Siskin or Wilson's Warbler, beetle, Mew Gulls (a pair), possible Swift.

Dock Point Trail- Flora- Salmonberry, Spiny Wood Fern, Devil’s Club, Red Alder, Starflower, Northern Rice Root, Goats Beard, Sitka Spruce, Arctic Willow, False Hellebore, Chocolate Lily, Dwarf Cornel, Yarrow, mosses and lichens, False Solomon Seal, Shell fungus, Skunk cabbage, Corn Lily, Horsetails, Blueberry, yarrow, cornel, Sitka Alder, Scoular Willow, Dandelion, Shelf Fungus. Fauna- Slug, Snail, gull, duck, remains of a dead Bald Eagle, Sea Otter, Arctic Tern, mosquitoes, sparrow, bee, crows, red squirrel, aphid.

Shoup Bay Trail- Flora- Alder, Dandelion, Chocolate Lily, Stinging Nettle, Fern, Horsetail, Salmonberry, Devil’s Club, Cottonwood, False Hellebore, Bog Adder’s Mouth, Cow Parsnip, Yellow Paintbrush, Peat Grass, Daisy, Shooting Star, Rockweed, Willow, Wild Celery, Red Elder, Nagoonberry, Pacific Silverweed, Crane’s bill, Valerian, Wild Geranium, Beach Pea, Iris, Dwarf Dogwood, Rose Aven, some type of Chickweed, Beach Greens, Rockweed, Witches Hair seaweed, Sedge grass, Peat. Fauna- Slug, Raven, Crow, Sea Gulls, Swallow, Mussel and Clam shells, Barnacles, a crab’s leg, Mosquito, an orange slug, Humans, white butterfly, bee, caterpillar, Bear scat, the singing of many small birds, including a hummingbird, red mites, sand worms, a tiny shrimp-like creature.


Columbia Glacier and Heather Bay- Flora- Seaweeds, black salt-tolerant lichen, Algae, Willows, Shooting Star, Sitka Spruce, Marsh Marigold, Siberian Aster, Sundews, Caribou Lichen, Bog Bean, Wood Fern, Arctic Willow, Fungi, Gray Hanging Lichen, Yellow Pond Lily, Sea Lettuce, Rockweed, Beach Greens, Dwarf Fireweed, Mosses, including reproducing parts, Alpine Willow, Beach Grass, orange lichen, Peat Moss, Buttercups, Dwarf Dogwood, Bog Blueberry, Crowberry, Skunk Cabbage, Purple Aster, Starflower, Columbine, Violets, Juniper, Caribou Lichen, Cladonia (a gorgeous red lichen), Mountain Heather, Huckleberry, Mushrooms, including shelf fungi, Poppies, Fauna- Puffins, Barnacles, Sea Gulls, Arctic Terns, Crab, Snail, Limpet, Shrimp, MOSQUITOES, Bear scat, Moon Jelly Fish, Blue mussels, Rough Keyhole Limpets, Sea Lions, Glaucous-winged Gull, Arctic Tern, Marbled Murrelets, Sea Otters, Geese, Mudfish (Blenny), Clam, Tube Worm or clam holes, Kitiwakes, large black spider, Duck with ducklings, Robin, Loon, Pink Salmon.


Mineral Creek Trail-Flora- Siberian Aster, Common Fireweed, Nagoonberry, Elegant Paintbrush, Coastal Paintbrush, Wild Celery, Goat’s Beard, Sitka Valerien, Alaska Spiraea, Tall Cotton Grass, Low-bush Cranberry, and High-Bush Cranberry, Chocolate Lily, Wild Celery, Yellow Anemone, Peat Moss, Dwarf Dogwood, Caribou lichen, Narcissus, Flowered Anemone, Watermelon Berry. Fauna- Bear evidence.

Thompson Pass and Worthington Glacier- Flora- Alder, Mountain Heather, Narcissus Anemone, Bog Blueberry, Caribou Lichen, Dwarf/Arctic Willow, Nagoonberry, Geranium, Roseroot, Fireweed, Yellow Paintbrush, Fern, Starflower, Mountain Heather, Dwarf Blueberry, Mosses, Arctic or Wooly Lousewort, Dwarf Fireweed, Violets, Saxafrage, Crowberry, Leafy Lichen, Licopodium, Wild Geranium, Lupine, Horsetail, Fauna- Marmot, Gull, Arctic Ground Squirrel, Crow, Hare.

McCarthy Road- Flora- Nagoonberry, Labrador tea, Bearberry, Black Spruce, mosses, Shrubby Cinquefoil, Sedges, mushrooms, Fireweed, Crowberry, Cotton grass, Northern Bedstraw, Puff balls, various fungi, Dryas, Rose Hips, Strawberry Spinach, Fox Grass, and some plants that live off decaying matter and, thus, do not photosynthesize. Fauna- Grey Jays, evidence of Bear, Hare, White winged Crossbill, Ducks, Ravens, Crows, Dragonflies, Thomas Ginn, Mosquitoes.

Kennecott- Flora- Gemmed Puffball, Fireweed, Horsetail, Siberian Aster, Roses, Alpine/ Common Willow, Lichens, Saxifrage, Bearberry, Lupine, Juniper, Dwarf Dogwood, Twin Flower, Monkshood, Crowberry, Glaucous Gentian, Elegant Goldenrod, Chives, Horsetail, Lichens, Aspen, Shrubby Pine, White Spruce, Black Spruce, Bluebell, Ferns, mosses, Soapberry, Pink Pyrola, purple flowers from the Pea family, Paintbrush, Leafy Lichen, Bolete mushroom, red infestation on willow, orange lichen. Fauna- Butterfly, Spider, Red Fox, Bee, Mosquitoes, Canine Domesticus, Grey Jay, Hare, Moose scat and tracks, Carpenter Ants, a moth with blue body, brownish orange wings, squirrel chatter.

Monday, August 4, 2008

Finally! A bear!






















Hey guys! After all the time we spent on the trails, avoiding bears and such, I finally saw a bear right across the street from my house near the hospital! He or she was eating salmon berries, minding his own business. I know this is not the best photo, but my hands were kinda shaking from adrenaline.

Also, you should be aware that there was one up at Dock Point Trail, just the other day, also eating the berries. I heard it on the other side of the bushes from me, yelled out "Yo Bear!", and walked away. The blueberries we saw there early in the summer are now ripening/ ripe.

I also took a walk on a drizzly day last week, with my husband, along the Mineral Creek Trail. I will attach some photos I took there, as well as some I took at Dock Point Trail. The spider was on my house.