Conclusion

Conclusion

           Throughout my time visiting the field study site, I noticed many things, and saw several changes.  The overall experience gave me mixed feelings about the project. When first assigned the project, I really liked the idea, and was eager to get going. However, after picking my site area, I realized that it would be more difficult than I had initially expected. I chose Huddart Park because it was the very first place that came to mind, and this was probably a mistake. While I do find Huddart to be a lovely park, and I do enjoy visiting it, I did not give proper consideration to its location and how that would effect me. Despite only being a 25 minute drive, the distance made things harder that they ought to have been. It was difficult for me to find time to drive up to Huddart, making the entire trip over an hour at the very minimum. On occasion, when I did manage to find time, I arrived just minutes too late, and the park would be closed, meaning I would have to make the trip again on another day. That being said, aside from the drive, I enjoyed the site itself. I chose the site upon seeing it after taking a small hike. The majority of the hike was shrouded with the canopy of redwood trees, and I rounded a corner, and there was my site, illuminated in a patch of sunshine. It was easily accessible from the marked trail, and never provided me with any discomfort. However, again, I think again I might have chosen a bit too hastily. Throughout the year I did notice activity, but the activity remained basically the same each time I came to the site. I should have chosen a site father down the trail where there was a fresh water source, which would provide me with more to observe and take note on. I did notice a general change at my site, and it followed the changing of the seasons. More plants grew during the winter months in the cooler climate, and the increased rainfall. I did not directly witness a great amount of animal activity, but did find evidence of it. Overall, I found the experience to be satisfactory, but not highly enjoyable. 

            The selection of my site could be improved by taking more time to explore the park, and other sites it has to offer. As previously stated, I chose the first site I came across that I thought would be interesting. I did not take the time to explore a large region of the park to locate a site that would possibly be more interesting, giving me more results. In the future, a whole day should be taken to explore more possible options for site locations. There are also several ways in which data could have been more effectively taken. Upon providing scales to my data tables, I used rough estimation. This estimation detracts from the accuracy of my data. In future experimentation, a ruler, or other measuring devices should be brought along to accurately measure distances and sizes. Additionally, I used my smartphone to provide the temperatures for each of my journal entries. This temperature was the general measurement for the entire park, and not completely specific to my exact area, thus making my data less accurate. In future experimentation an actual thermometer should be brought to the site to obtain a better measurement of the temperature. 

           There are many connections between the biotic and abiotic factors found at my site. For example, the weather, an abiotic factor, played a very large role in the growth of the varying types of fungi and mosses found at my site, which are biotic factors. As the temperature cooled and rainfall increased, the amount and different types of mosses greatly increased. The change in the weather seemed to boost the growing of most of the grasses and mosses, providing them with more moisture, allowing their growth to really flourish. The decrease in harsh sunlight also allowed the moisture to stay locked in, decreasing the amount that the plants dried out. Additionally, the wind, an abiotic factor, had a very large effect on many of the large trees and bushes, biotic factors on the site. When returning to the site in January, I noticed a large increase in the amount of fallen logs and branches. The stormy weather meant an increase in the strength and occurrence of wind blowing through my site. The wind at times would become so strong that it would blow branches directly off the trees. The strength of this abiotic factor was so powerful that it caused direct damage to many of the other biotic factors it came in contact with. 

          Throughout my time observing my site, I found definite evidence of human interaction and interference. For example, one very direct impact could be seen in March when several women rode their horses through my site. These horses often poop on the trail running through my site. This poop can be beneficial due to the way it acts as a fertilizer, as well as providing a source of food for the decomposers. The horses also eat many of the weeds surrounding the bases of the trees, ridding the trees of those parasitic relationships. However, with humans riding their horses through that area on a daily basis, there is a definite risk for erosion of the trail as the heavy horse walks across it. The horses could also possibly harm or kill smaller organisms that move across the path. Another human interference can also be seen in the footprints left behind by joggers, as well as seeing the joggers themselves. The ability to job through the site allows people to get a closer and direct look at the site, and can therefore help promote awareness about preservation, as well as educational opportunities. However, much like the women on horseback, the runners also can cause erosion, as well as leaving behind trash that harms the site. Finally, the largest human impact can be seen as the trail itself. The clearing of the trail also generates educational opportunities, which creates more awareness and eduction about nature, hopefully promoting conservation.  However, the clearing of the trail would obviously mean the disposal and removal of many different types of plants, decreasing the biodiversity of the site. Additionally, the trail acts as a barrier in between the two sides of the trail, which can cause speciation of the species on either side. 

           As previously stated, as the seasons changed from warmer to cooler, there was a general increase in the amount of vegetation found in the site. With the increase in rainfall and the decrease in temperature, there was an increase in the amount of grasses, small plants, weeds, as well as fungi and mosses. The moisture promoted the growth of these species, and the cooler temperatures allowed them to grow without being killed by the heat. This trend coincides with the general climate and growing patterns found in the forests of Northern California. This also provided me with a new perspective. Going into the field study, I thought that as the temperature decreased, the amount of plant species would also decrease, and that I would see an increase in amount of death in the site. However, the trend s and patterns found in the site contradicted the belief, and instead taught me something new about how the local ecosystems function and manage. There is life all around us at all times, no matter what the conditions may be. There are species that live in all types of conditions, and there is always new information to discover and explore.