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Learn how to identify and describe oak, elm, maple, birch, and conifers in Nahanton Park. Discover why tree identification is crucial for ecosystem understanding and creating a scientific reference book. Get ready to start your own herbarium!
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Major types of trees in Nahanton Park How to identify and describe specimens
Why do we need to ID the trees?! • To recognize the key organisms at our field site • To understand their role in the ecosystem • To create a scientific reference book • You will make a herbarium - an index of major plant species
Which trees should we know? • Oak • Elm • Maple • Birch • Conifers Many of these types of trees have 100s of individual species…. Let’s review a few general features of each!
Oak Tree ID and Info • Look for lobes • Produce acorns • Hard, gray bark • Deep grooves & ridges in bark
Elm Tree ID and Info • “Toothed” edges – look jagged • Oval shape – comes to a point • Asymmetrical at base
Maple Tree ID and Info • Look for lobes – 5 lobe structure • Check both sides – top side is a darker green than the underside • Veins run through each lobe • Produce “samaras”
Birch Tree ID and Info • Look for the bark! • Papery, peeling bark • Leaves are triangular • Teeth • Distinctive fruit
Conifer Tree ID and Info • Needles instead of broadleaves! • Look for cones • We will work to distinguish pine vs. spruce vs. fir trees
Today’s lab activities: • Identifying the seeds of common plant species – add this table to your tree ID lab in your lab notebook! • Preparing specimens for your herbarium – we will collect more on Friday too
What’s an herbarium?? • A collection of preserved plant species • Leaves are pressed and dried for several days • Mounted (glued) on to a page • Written info: • Plant name • Where/when it was collected • Habitat • Color • Name of collector