this plant cal be up to 10-20 cm tall grows in mild latitudes, and has several flowers on one base, the leaves surround an bunch near the base of the plan.
pink colored bells hang form several stems, the leaves maintain color all year long.
grows in forest mainly, this plant is also known as bog wintergreen
it Isa mainly a Ornamental plant which is admired for smell an decoration.
reproduce by pollen in the antenna stems inside the flowers.
The roots of Pink Wintergreen and other species of the genus Pyrola have symbiotic associations with soil fungi.
like mushrooms an lynches.
Because of the resemblance of the basal leaves of this plant to the leaves of a Pear Tree, Linnaeus gave it the name "Pyrola", a diminutive of "Pyrus", the Pear Tree.
bllom in june though august.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Black Bear
Ursus americanus
Black bears are the most common North American bear, living in forested areas. They are also the smallest of North American bears.
Black bears are 2-3 tall feet at the shoulders and 4-6 feet long from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail. Males are larger than females and weigh 300 lbs or more.
The Black bear has a 20-25 year lifespan.
The color of black bears can range from black to white. On Kermode Island and in British Columbia the bears go through a phase were their fur is a creamy white color. Black, brown and cinnamon are the three most common colors in Alaska. Some bears have a patch of white fur on their chest.
Black bears can be distinguished from brown bears by looking at their facial profile, claws and body shape. They have a straight profile, with larger more pointy ears than a brown bear. Black bear claws and prints are smaller than a brown bear. Brown bears are larger than black bears and have a distinctive hump on their back.
Male & female black bears will not tolerate each other, unless it’s time to breed. In fact black bears are solitary; mothers with cubs are the only exception. Mating occurs in June & July. The fertilized egg does not implant in the uterus and begin to develop until the fall. This is called delayed implantation and ensures that the cubs are born when they have a greater chance of surviving. This delay prevents cubs from being born at the beginning or middle of winter, when food is scarce. The gestation period is seven months. One to four cubs are in a littler. The cubs are born blind, mostly hairless & weigh .4kg. When the cubs come out of their den in May, they weigh about 2.3 kg (5 lbs) and have very fine fur. The cubs spend their first year with their mother.
Black bears spend the winter months hibernating. Their metabolism slows down, their body temperature drops and the bears sleep, but can be woken. Bears have been known to occasionally come out of their dens in the winter. This is very rare and only happens in the southern parts of Alaska.
Bears are omnivores, eating grass, berries, roots, mammals, bird eggs, fish, and insects. Bears are very opportunistic, eating whatever they can find. This is why it’s so important, to put garbage in its proper place & never leave food sitting out. Bears can easily be conditioned to look to humans for food, which is not a good situation for the bears or people.
Black bear cubs could be at a slight risk of being killed by cougars & wolves, but both adults and cubs are most likely to be killed by humans. The best hunting areas for black bears in Alaska are in Prince William Sound.
Resources:
mountainnature.com How do you distinguish a black bear from a grizzly bear?
http://www.mountainnature.com/wildlife/Bears/BearID.htm
nationalgeographic.com Mammals; black bear.
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/black-bear.html
Alaska Department of Fish & Game
Black bear fun facts.
http://www.wc.adfg.state.ak.us/index.cfm?adfg=funfacts.blackbear
Black Bear
http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/pubs/notebook/biggame/blkbear.php
Defendersofwilidlife.com Black bear information.
http://www.defenders.org/wildlife_and_habitat/wildlife/black_bear.php
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
River Beauty
River Beauty
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Also known as: Broad-leaved Willowherb/ Dwarf Fireweed
Related to: Fireweed, Evening Primrose/ Onagraceae
Habitat: Streams or rivers on slops of mountains all over Alaska
Blooming Time: July and August
Description: The River Beauty can get up to anywhere to 20”. Their leaves are grayish green color, they have four sepals that are pointed and are a purplish color. They also have four bright pink petals that are ovate which give it a symmetrical shape, because they have all equal sizes. They say that is flower is very rarely white are light pink
Resources:
Alaskan Wildflowers by: Verna E.Pratt
12 Mile and Valdez Glacier
12 Mile
Date: 6/15/2009
Time: 12:30p.m – 2- p.m
Temperature: About 65 It was a beautiful sunny day, with some clouds.
Plants we seen on our trip:
Sitka Alder
Broomrape Ground Cone
Black Cotton Wood
Sitka Spruce
Mountain Avens
Sidebells Pyrola
Coastal Reindeer
False Pixie Cup
Willow Tree
Elegant Goldenrod
Pink Pyrola, Wintergreen
Eskimo Potato
River Beauty
Insects/other things we seen on our trip:
Convergent Lady Beetle
Moth
Bees
Fly
Again Tons of Mosquito
Poop (dog maybe)
Valdez Glacier
Date: 6/15/09
Time: 3:00p.m – 3:40p.m
Temperature: About 50’s maybe 60’s, Still it was a beautiful sunny day, with some clouds.
Plants we seen on our trip:
River Beauty
Sitka Alder
Willow Tree
Elegant Goldenrod
Dwarf Willow
Arctic Willow
Pea
Birds/ Other thing just seen on our trip:
(2) Tundra Swans with babies
Eagle
Black Bear Cub (So very cute)
The different things that I had seen between the two places was for one at 12 mile there was rocks everywhere as there was at the Glacier as while. But there was no water there; to me it seemed as if all the wildflowers and trees were growing out of the rocks. Between both places there was the same wildflowers and trees, I didn’t see much deference there at all.
I would have to say that my all time favorite thing on this trip would have to be seeing the little baby cub. That was the very first time I have ever seen a bear it was so cute. But I guess we should have known that we might have seen a bear, because I did over hear you say that there were signs of bears. I just think that its crazy that there are bears just walking around like that and I got to see it for the first time ever. That’s so cool!
Date: 6/15/2009
Time: 12:30p.m – 2- p.m
Temperature: About 65 It was a beautiful sunny day, with some clouds.
Plants we seen on our trip:
Sitka Alder
Broomrape Ground Cone
Black Cotton Wood
Sitka Spruce
Mountain Avens
Sidebells Pyrola
Coastal Reindeer
False Pixie Cup
Willow Tree
Elegant Goldenrod
Pink Pyrola, Wintergreen
Eskimo Potato
River Beauty
Insects/other things we seen on our trip:
Convergent Lady Beetle
Moth
Bees
Fly
Again Tons of Mosquito
Poop (dog maybe)
Valdez Glacier
Date: 6/15/09
Time: 3:00p.m – 3:40p.m
Temperature: About 50’s maybe 60’s, Still it was a beautiful sunny day, with some clouds.
Plants we seen on our trip:
River Beauty
Sitka Alder
Willow Tree
Elegant Goldenrod
Dwarf Willow
Arctic Willow
Pea
Birds/ Other thing just seen on our trip:
(2) Tundra Swans with babies
Eagle
Black Bear Cub (So very cute)
The different things that I had seen between the two places was for one at 12 mile there was rocks everywhere as there was at the Glacier as while. But there was no water there; to me it seemed as if all the wildflowers and trees were growing out of the rocks. Between both places there was the same wildflowers and trees, I didn’t see much deference there at all.
I would have to say that my all time favorite thing on this trip would have to be seeing the little baby cub. That was the very first time I have ever seen a bear it was so cute. But I guess we should have known that we might have seen a bear, because I did over hear you say that there were signs of bears. I just think that its crazy that there are bears just walking around like that and I got to see it for the first time ever. That’s so cool!
12 minle an valdez glacier
60 degrees out at 12 mile,
sunny
slight breeze
6-15-09
12 Mile
plants
animal skat, of wild an domain animals
Sitka spruce
bloom rape ground cone
mountain Adler
black Cotton wood Michel found
false pixy cup
coastal reindeer
side bells pyrola
orange mushroom
willow trees Atlas 3 kinds
elegant goldenrod
mountain sage wort
pink wintergreen
northern yarrow
Eskimo potato or called bear root
Out at Valdez glacier
55 degrees,
slightly breezy
plants:
tones of water
Adler trees
willow tree
fireweed
dwarf willow
Eskimo potato
Arctic willow
purple beach pea
dwarf fire weed/ river beauty
single delight shy median
northern goldenrod
kill Deva
animals:
black bear,
animal diggings bear
some similarity's that i found were out at 12 mile it was much dryer an a lot of diff rent vegetation's like likens, an trees , but not a lot of wild flowers. The two places had alot of same plants, but it also has differences between the places.
Some of the differences i noticed was the vegetation by the glacier was less but more wild an the trees grew more out there an at 12 mile, but were fairly younger than anywhere else.
It was also wonderful to notice the water.
Very peaceful, an it was quiet. The black bear was a cub only this year.
but out at 12 mile the ground was covered by moss an a thin Lear of dirt. It has a lot of gravel an rocks.
sunny
slight breeze
6-15-09
12 Mile
plants
animal skat, of wild an domain animals
Sitka spruce
bloom rape ground cone
mountain Adler
black Cotton wood Michel found
false pixy cup
coastal reindeer
side bells pyrola
orange mushroom
willow trees Atlas 3 kinds
elegant goldenrod
mountain sage wort
pink wintergreen
northern yarrow
Eskimo potato or called bear root
Out at Valdez glacier
55 degrees,
slightly breezy
plants:
tones of water
Adler trees
willow tree
fireweed
dwarf willow
Eskimo potato
Arctic willow
purple beach pea
dwarf fire weed/ river beauty
single delight shy median
northern goldenrod
kill Deva
animals:
black bear,
animal diggings bear
some similarity's that i found were out at 12 mile it was much dryer an a lot of diff rent vegetation's like likens, an trees , but not a lot of wild flowers. The two places had alot of same plants, but it also has differences between the places.
Some of the differences i noticed was the vegetation by the glacier was less but more wild an the trees grew more out there an at 12 mile, but were fairly younger than anywhere else.
It was also wonderful to notice the water.
Very peaceful, an it was quiet. The black bear was a cub only this year.
but out at 12 mile the ground was covered by moss an a thin Lear of dirt. It has a lot of gravel an rocks.
12 Mile & Valdez Glacier
6/15/2009 12:30pm - 3:00 pm
Sunny with a temperature around 65 at 12 mile. The temperature was 55-60 with a light breeze at the glacier.
Plants:
Black Cottonwood
Sitka Alder
Sitka Spruce
Broomrape Ground Cone
False Pixie Cup
Lichens
Willow
Elegant Goldenrod
Mountain Sagewart
Northern Yarrow
Eskimo Potato (Bear Root)
Arctic Willow
Dwarf Fireweed
Red Fescue
Insects:
Mosquito
Bee
Fly
Convergent Lady Beetle
Birds:
Immature Eagle
Tundra Swan with fledglings.
Bird chirping.
Mammals:
Humans left trash.
Canine feces.
Black bear cub.
Yesterday was a beautiful day to be out. Our first stop was at a trail just off the road at 12 mile. The first thing I noticed was the canine feces that I almost stepped in. The feces were from both wild & domestic canines. The ground was dry & rocky, with a lot of lichens. There were also a lot of cottonwood, Sitka Alders, Sitka Spruce and Willow along the path. Did you know that Alaska has 27 different species of willow? Alaska also has 25 spices of mosquito. The mosquitoes were out in full force yesterday. Surprisingly I didn't get bit.
On the drive from 12 mile to Valdez Glacier we saw a Tundra Swan with fledglings in a pond. As we were arriving at the glacier I spotted a immature bald eagle flying over us. The water from the glacier is gray and cloudy. This is caused by glacial silt, which is formed as the glacier moves over rocks breaking them down. You could think of it as rock dust. We found the same plants growing near the glacier as at 12 mile. This is due to the similarities between the two areas. They both have very rocky, thin soil. The rocks were left by glaciers as the moved along the ground. It's amazing that so many plants thrive on rock! These are also moist areas and the plants we found do well in a moist environment. The plants we identified also like low to middle elevations, which is another reason we found the same plants at both places.
This was an enjoyable trip. The best part for me happened as we were leaving the glacier. As we drove past the shooting range one of my classmates spotted a black bear cub. We backed the van up to get a look at the cub. Staying in the van, we watched the cub for a moment as he/she tried to get into the dumpster. We did not see mama bear, but know she was close. Mother bears are extremely protective of their cubs, just because you don't see her with the cub does not mean she does not see you.
Sunny with a temperature around 65 at 12 mile. The temperature was 55-60 with a light breeze at the glacier.
Plants:
Black Cottonwood
Sitka Alder
Sitka Spruce
Broomrape Ground Cone
False Pixie Cup
Lichens
Willow
Elegant Goldenrod
Mountain Sagewart
Northern Yarrow
Eskimo Potato (Bear Root)
Arctic Willow
Dwarf Fireweed
Red Fescue
Insects:
Mosquito
Bee
Fly
Convergent Lady Beetle
Birds:
Immature Eagle
Tundra Swan with fledglings.
Bird chirping.
Mammals:
Humans left trash.
Canine feces.
Black bear cub.
Yesterday was a beautiful day to be out. Our first stop was at a trail just off the road at 12 mile. The first thing I noticed was the canine feces that I almost stepped in. The feces were from both wild & domestic canines. The ground was dry & rocky, with a lot of lichens. There were also a lot of cottonwood, Sitka Alders, Sitka Spruce and Willow along the path. Did you know that Alaska has 27 different species of willow? Alaska also has 25 spices of mosquito. The mosquitoes were out in full force yesterday. Surprisingly I didn't get bit.
On the drive from 12 mile to Valdez Glacier we saw a Tundra Swan with fledglings in a pond. As we were arriving at the glacier I spotted a immature bald eagle flying over us. The water from the glacier is gray and cloudy. This is caused by glacial silt, which is formed as the glacier moves over rocks breaking them down. You could think of it as rock dust. We found the same plants growing near the glacier as at 12 mile. This is due to the similarities between the two areas. They both have very rocky, thin soil. The rocks were left by glaciers as the moved along the ground. It's amazing that so many plants thrive on rock! These are also moist areas and the plants we found do well in a moist environment. The plants we identified also like low to middle elevations, which is another reason we found the same plants at both places.
This was an enjoyable trip. The best part for me happened as we were leaving the glacier. As we drove past the shooting range one of my classmates spotted a black bear cub. We backed the van up to get a look at the cub. Staying in the van, we watched the cub for a moment as he/she tried to get into the dumpster. We did not see mama bear, but know she was close. Mother bears are extremely protective of their cubs, just because you don't see her with the cub does not mean she does not see you.
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