Albuquerque's Environmental Story

Educating For a Sustainable Community

Eye Opener Worksheet 1

Getting to Know a Habitat

Although you can not really get to know a habitat unless you return to it frequently, there is much you can learn in one visit by careful observation. Use this worksheet to help you record your observations.

Name of Site___________________________________________________ Date_________________

Location (City)_________________________________________________ County_______________

Size of the Area_________________________________________________ Altitude____________(m)

Boundaries______________________________________________________

Circle the choices which best describe the site.

Weather

Season

winter, early spring, late spring, early, summer, midsummer, late summer, early fall, late fall

Condition

sunny, cloudy, rainy, snowy, windy

Temperature ___________(C) ___________(F)

What is the weather like in the city of Albuquerque at the time?

If it were different from the weather at the site, what would account for it?

Are there any signs of recent rain or snow in the area?

What is the average annual precipitation for that area?

How much of this precipitation is snow and how much is rain?

Habitat Type

Forest

young, mature, recently lumbered, recently burned, considerable windfall damage, evergreen, summer green (deciduous), mixed

Thicket

low shrubs, tall shrubs and a few trees

Grasslands

short grass prairie, open meadow, cultivated cropland, pioneer weed community with annual plants predominating, lowland meadow, upland meadow with perennial grasses and herbs predominating, permanent pasture, unkept pasture with scattered trees and shrubs, old field reverting to thicket or marsh

Aquatic environments

marsh, pond, river stream, lake

Landform

mountain, mesa, plain, canyon, valley, arroyo, bosque, hill

Slope

Facing Direction

N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, NW

Degree

nearly level (0-3? degrees), gentle (3-8?), moderate (8-15?), steep (15-25?), very steep (25-35?)

Soil Type

sand, clay, loam, rocky

Fertility

high, moderate, fairly low , low

Drainage

excessive, excellent, good, imperfect, very poor, permanently wet

Erosion

little or none, moderate sheet erosion,, occasional gullies, severe erosion, deeply gullied, subsoil exposed

Light Intensity

_______________at ________ o'clock. Device used for measuring ___________

Plants and Animals

List the animals, seeds and plants identified Describe plants you can not identify. Record any animal signs or homes observed, like droppings, tracks, nests, feathers, webs, etc. How do observed abiotic, non living, conditions influence kinds of plants and animals found?

Plants	Animal Signs and Animal Homes

Discuss how the actions of people have affected the biotic or abiotic features of this habitat.

(Up to Section I, Back to Introduction - Albuquerque - Then and Now, On to Eye Opener Activities 1)