Our Everyday Nature
I began my observation of the ecosystems around me in the Library Mall at the University of North Texas. I consider this to be the core of campus. It was the thirteenth of February, 2014 and the sun was finally shining bright and warm after several weeks of cold cloudy weather. I first noticed that almost all of the plant life here was oriented with a decorative purpose. I’m sure a landscaping company contracted by UNT is responsible for the arrangement and maintenance of these plants. I believe most of the plants here are non-native species and are here for their aesthetic appeal; however, some of the trees here are tall and old and are a subtle reminder that this was once a wild forest. As I watch the mass of students flowing through the corridors to their next class I notice three squirrels foraging in the grass; no doubt hungry after the cold winter. No one seems to notice the squirrels as they hurry to their next lecture. In fact it appears the squirrel don’t notice the students either! They pay no heed to the ‘potential threats’ that walk by them as they eat their lunch. I image this is because a mutual relationship has formed from the UNT campus being a part of the squirrels range. The students leave food (intentionally or not) behind that the squirrels can eat due to their niche to digest a wide variety of foods. The students benefit by not having rotten food lying around and get to enjoy the presence of this delightful mammal. Many of the trees I previously talked about are nut bearing and are an important contributor to the squirrels range. My ears are consumed by the sounds of construction due to the remodeling of the University Union. But hidden behind the sounds of construction and people I hear a single bird singing a song. I believe it is a mocking bird although I cannot say for sure. I ask myself, do I not hear more birds due to the chaos of campus or is it simply due to the time of day.
As I transition from the core of campus to my backyard north of campus, I move from a university setting through a small commercial area and into a residential area. As I move through campus it resembles the core in many ways, such as decorative plants and a plethora of squirrels. The commercial area commonly referred to as Fry Street has few signs of nature and is dominated by buildings and parking lots. Once in the residential segment of my transition there is notable difference to the components of the ecosystem. There are many yards that are home to grasses, trees and gardens. Cats and dogs can be found in almost any direction you look. There are several intermitted streams that run through the neighborhoods that send rainfall to the Elm Fork of the Trinity River. I’m sure I overlook many details of the ecosystem every day as I roll by on my bicycle.
I spent the majority of my time observing my backyard. It was the sixteenth of February, 2014 and would be considered a perfect day by most. The sun is warm and the breeze is cool. There are clouds in the sky but do not dominate it. Mostly the vast blue light that is scattered by our atmosphere is seen above. I hear the sound of a woodpecker pecking for bugs to eat in a distant tree. Sometimes I will see him at the top of a large pecan tree that resides in my backyard. The tree is about fifty feet tall and provides excellent shade for the house as well as a home for many bugs and food for the squirrels and birds. There are several yuccas in our backyard that were transplanted by my roommate from the alleyway behind our yard. The yucca is native to this area and I wonder if they grew in the ally naturally. A hawk briefly glides over my yard and then quickly flies off to the northwest possibly spotting his next meal. There are noticeably more birds present here than at the core of campus. I can hear many different songs being sung from my backyard. Every so often the sound of a dog barking or running can be heard. There is no question that the range of the dog has dramatically expanded due to their companionship with humans. Where there are humans there are dogs. You will also notice many cats if you have the eye and the time for it. There is a cat that lives in the greenhouse next door. He is in there now, lying on his towel bed on the top shelf of the greenhouse. The door is left open by our neighbor so that the cat may come and go as he pleases. I have often wondered what an outdoor cat does with its time. How far is its range, what corridors it uses, how often does it hunt birds and mice.
There is a three foot by five foot plot of land at the back of my yard that I dug up last summer to plant a garden. This was when I learned that an above ground garden would have been much less labor intensive than digging one out. The garden was once blooming with life full of tomatoes, peppers, onions, strawberries and squash. After the many days of freezing weather this winter all that remains is the bare and dead steams of the tomato plants and the freeze tolerant strawberry plant. In fact the strawberry plant is flourishing! It no longer has other plants to compete with and has begun to spread across the garden, splitting into individual plants. When I dug out the garden I discover many sea shell fossils, signs that this was once a sea home to ancient sea creature. The stone they are fossilized in is named the Grayson Marl formation. This dirty limestone is a huge determinant of the type of soil here. The type of soil impacts affects the types of plant that grow here and even how suitable this area is for urban development. The clay rich soils produced by the Grayson Marl have a high shrink swell potential. After a strong rain many of the doors in our house will have trouble shutting. The last thing I notice before going back inside is that the soil I have been talking about is covered by the smaller portion of the ecosystem. Hidden within the patches of different types of grass are countless insects crawling about. I once heard that there is a spider within a few yards of you at all times. With a enough time searching through the grass, you will find a spider.
From Under a Tree
I was fortunate enough to have a car with a busted radiator because it forced me to ride my road bike to Clear Creek today. I could write a whole paper on my journey that took me from my house to the tree I am sitting under and writing these words. However, that is not the purpose of this paper, but I do want to mention the rabbit I encountered during that bike ride. I was carrying my bike through a section along 380 with no side walk when a fairly large rabbit darted from the grass towards the woods. He was foraging no more than 5 feet from the busy highway. It was a subtle reminder that we share this land with wild animals, although we may not always see them. Once I arrived at Clear Creek I made my way towards the prairie. The first thing that catches my eye is a female white tail deer. She was very cautious of me and gradually traveled to the protection of the forest. I found a decent tree to lean against and began to write my observations
As I was preparing my notebook to write in a little creature crawled onto my neck. After shaking it off my neck and onto my leg, I discovered it was a spider. The spider appeared harmless so I guided it back to the tree. The next animal I notice is a hummingbird foraging amongst the flowers while also helping to pollinate them. The mutual relationship between that bird and the flowers is fascinating. These are all things that occurred before I even began writing. It seems as though every time I look up there is something worth noting. Considerably more than the Observation paper that was based on the UNT campus and my backyard.
There are countless birds singing from inside the forest. A single honey bee has passed by me as she traveled from one flower to the next. I expected to see many more bees. Perhaps the time of day is the reason for the absence of bees, for the sun has drifted below the northeastern tree line. There is a noticeable change in temperature. Next I look at the grasses around me. The grasses here in the prairie are taller and much more diverse than the grasses in my backyard. There are even many plants that might not be considered a grass but are about the same height as the grasses. I could not begin to count the number of little insects there are wondering amongst the grass. Each one has their own agenda and contribution to the ecosystem. I wonder how many of these insect species would only be found here in the prairie and not in the forest.
There are at least seven young cedar trees that have been chopped down. I predict this was done to prevent them from taking over this relatively small prairie. The deer I saw earlier may be contributing to the issues we are having with cedar trees. Deer prefer to eat post oak saplings over cedar saplings. A male cardinal just flew into the field and dived at the ground. Perhaps he found dinner. As the sun sets there are noticeably less birds singing. Now I really notice the variety in sound and volume of the birds. The robin in a tree near me has a quiet and gentle song while the grackles that are flying by have a very loud and obnoxious song. It’s worth saying I’ve seen four people and three dogs getting their evening dose of nature and recreation.
I see a bird of prey on the far end of the prairie. The bird is strategically perched at the top of a large tree that is overlooking the field. I watch patiently to see if he will find his evening meal in this field. I wonder if the bird I am watching is watching me too. It is now getting late and I must head back to the city. The things I have written are far from capturing every observation and thought I have had while under this tree. But it is a collection of the ones I was apparently compelled to write about.
Another thing that the wildlife will need in this area is water. The Elm Fork of the Trinity had ample water at this time. As I walked down to the sandy area on the bank I startled a flock of black ducks or they startled me not really sure who was more surprised. There were also a few turtles in the river which lead me to believe that the river was supporting several different species and was perhaps somewhat healthy. I also observed the signs of human neglect and wastefulness of fisherman as beverage cans, fishing tackle and the remains of what appears to be a gar. I did not find any tracks for deer in this area but recent activities from humans probably eliminated them. I return to the upper bank and continue along the trail. I quickly find what I was looking for on several of the game trail leading up the decent down to the water, the footprints of the whitetail deer.
