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Log jam vs. habitat. Presented by, The Seahawks. July 12 2013. The Question. How do the newly formed log jams and woody debris piles in the lower Elwha river system create plant and animal habitats?. What we know. Most rivers on the Olympic Peninsula have woody debris
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Log jam vs. habitat Presented by, The Seahawks July 12 2013
The Question How do the newly formed log jams and woody debris piles in the lower Elwha river system create plant and animal habitats?
What we know • Most rivers on the Olympic Peninsula have woody debris • Salmon depend on logjams for shelter and to hide from predators • Many plants depend on pre-existing nutrients from woody debris • Woody debris holds water like a sponge during times of drought
What We Used • A camera • GPS • Tape measure • Notebook • Pencil/pen • Classification sheet • Vehicle and driver combo pack
What We Did • Wrote down observations • Classified the log jam • Measured the width, diameter, and circumference • Photographed them • We hugged the log jam because we are tree huggers and we just love nature • Got the coordinates
Where We Surveyed Elwha River • River mouth • Aldwell basin • Mills basin • Middle site
The Facts • Log jams help organisms • Log jams provide nutrients and shelter for vegetation • Log jams continues wildlife for plants • Log jams can be found along the river and in the forest
Log jam # 1 Logjam 1 Classification: Type 2 What Life is found: We found a wide variety of plant life and insects Where it is along the river: This log jam was located at the middle site Other observation: The log jam was about 9-14 meters from the waters edge
Log jam # 2 Logjam 2 Classification: Type 1 What Life is found: Plants and ground cover. Where it is along the river: This particular log jam was found at mills basin Other observation: good for insects and rodents\small mammals
Log jam # 3 Logjam 3 Classification: Type 3 What Life is found: small trees and ground cover plants and some insects Where it is along the river: the middle site Other observations: it’s providing shelter for the plants behind it.
Log Jam # 4 Logjam 4 Classification: Type 4 What Life is found: there was no plant life growing on this log jam but it may provide shelter for fish and water mammals such as otters and beavers. Where it is along the river: the bridge site Other observation: this is the only log jam we found that was actually located in the river itself
Log Jam # 5 Classification: Type 1 What Life is found: A couple of crawling plants Where it is along the river: The bridge sight Other observation: Not much habitat de to its small size
Analysis • Small log jams as well as large log jams create shelter for newly establishing plant life. • Location, the age, and the orientation of the individual logs in a log jam are important factors in whether the log jam is a successful provider of shelter and nutrients for new plant life.
The Answer!!! • The purpose of log jams is to provide sheltered habitat for fish, small animals, insects, and Young plants from an otherwise harsh environment.
Hypothesis • If the log jams are bigger then they may provide more habitat for more diverse plant life and for salmon habitat, because they provide more space and shelter.
Why you should fund us • Increased salmon populations • Healthier, wild forests • Healthier wildlife • Increased river flow moderation during flood events.
