January Check

January 2, 2011

2:55 PM

Detailed Weather: 

Wind - 

• none.  There was absolutely no wind for the entire time I was at my ecosystem. 
• Beaufort Scale: 0
• Direction: NA

Clouds - 

• There were no clouds in the sky.  

Temperature -

• Air: 8° Celsius

• Water:  The water was still frozen over...but I foolishly decided to stand on it so some of it would break off and I could still do my measurements and fell in.  But here are the measurements.

• Water Temperature: 3° Celsius

General Observations: 

Measurements - 

• Bur oak tree branch - I measured my branch and was interested to find it was only 116.5 centimeters.  I couldn't figure out why this was and then figured out that it must have been broken off.  Possibly by a human, or maybe because of harsh winds.  

• bur oak tree branch = 116.5 cm
• water depth: 32 centimeters (underneath the ice) 

Biota - 

• 2 bur oak trees

Differences from previous months - 

• Seasonal changes: 
• The pond is less frozen than before.  Some of the ice has melted, which was why I was able to break through it this time.  
• Most of the snow also melted.  This is because the drastic increase in temperatures since the blizzard.  

• There was more water (underneath the ice) since last 

• my bur oak tree "measuring branch" is set back in growth!
• My ecosystem was completely silent.  Usually I can hear frogs croaking and crickets chirping.  However, there was no sound at all.  I also did not find any biota besides the two trees that are there no matter what.  It is shutting down for hibernation!  

Ecosystem Journal Check

December 27, 2010

3:14 PM

Detailed Weather: 

Wind - 

• It was slightly windy.  Not a whole lot of wind, but enough to feel it blowing in your face.   
• Beaufort Scale: 3
• North: I confirmed this by bringing a compass and measuring 

Clouds - 

• There were a few whispy clouds.  Not a whole lot, only in the higher areas of the sky.  
• They were very pure white, almost blending in with the sky which was not blue. 
• cirrus clouds.  

Temperature -

• Air: 24° Fahrenheit
• Fahrenheit to Celsius: 

     

C = (24 - 32) x 5/9

C = -8 x 5/9

C = -8/1 x 5/9

C = -40/9

C = -4.444444444444444444

• -4.4444444444° Celsius
• Water:  The water was frozen over because of the snow storm!  I tried to break some of the ice to measure the temperature but it didn't work. 

General Observations: 

Measurements - 

• Bur oak tree branch - 65 inches 
• inches to centimeters conversion - 

2.54n = c

2.54(65) = c

c = 165.1

• bur oak tree branch = 165.1 cm
• water depth: NA
• water temperature: NA

Biota - 

• 2 bur oak trees

Differences from previous months - 

• Seasonal changes: 
• The air was finally cold enough to freeze the creek!  It is getting colder and we are officially in winter now.   
• I am required to visit earlier now because it gets dark so much earlier

• my bur oak tree "measuring branch" is not growing as quickly as it was before.  This must be because it is no longer growing season.  
• There was snow on the ground!  It was very difficult to walk through my ecosystem because there was more than a foot of snow on the ground!