9/4 Nature Walk

Today the Bio Research class took a nature walk in the woods of Emma, known as the 'back 40'. I wasn't able to go on the walk but was able listen from afar over the phone. I learned about biomes and which biome we live in here in Troy, NY. A biome is an ecosystem which encompasses both biotic and abiotic factors. These terms were new to me. Biotic means living organisms and abiotic means non living organisms that play a role in the ecosystem and affect the biotic factors. The type of ecosystem in Troy can be described as temperate and deciduous. Temperate means there are moderate temperatures throughout the year, and although our temperatures changes during seasons they are not on one extreme end of the spectrum. Deciduous refers to forests where the leaves fall off the trees during autumn.  I thought it was very fascinating to learn about our ecosystem! Learning about the environment helps us to appreciate the natural beauty we are surrounded by and the resources we have access to. Here are some images taking by my classmate Theresa on the walk!  

Larvae

Emma eating a pupa, an advanced stage of larva

dead mole

milkweed, poisonous plant