A-Z Project
“The Earth is not dying, it is being killed, and those who are killing it have names and addresses.� - Utah Phillips By: Jackson Ballance Teacher: Ms. Britt
Aquifer A freshwater aquifer,
Aquifers contain around thirty percent of the Earth’s Freshwater. Aquifers provide fresh water through pumping or natural springs flowing to the surface. these aquifers provide the essential water for human survival and agricultural needs. Most of the freshwater is used for the production of crops and livestock. These aquifers also provide a safe source of freshwater, the water in the aquifers are protected from contamination. APES review sheet
Biotic A Chain Pickerel Found in NC streams, taken by Jackson Ballance
The Chain Pickerel is a perfect example of a biotic factor of NC. Biotic factor are the living factors in a environment. The fish is found widely across NC in weedy streams. Biotic factors make up the environment due to benefiting other biotic factors and abiotic factors. Biotic factors relate to our class due to the section we did on climate and biomes. Biotic factors make up a large section of an environment. http://issuu.com/msbritt123/docs/climates_and_biomes/1?e=15647293/31735651
Climate Climate map of NC
NC climate is very widely variated. Our climate varies from in some places receiving heavy rainfall to others which receive very little. The temperatures also fluctuate greatly across NC it goes from being 90 to 50 in just matter of miles. The climate is one of the biggest factors of an environment it determines what species can survive there. We studied in APES climate and and how it can affect the ecosystem. http://www.enchantedlearning.com/wordlist/science.shtml
Desertification Devastation of logging to clear farmland
Desertification is a great threat in NC. Logging for agricultural needs is causing a tremendous impact on the environment. Desertification is the loss of the topsoil of an area which in hense leaves it barren and infertile. This land is not good for anything but developing buildings upon unless left alone for thousands of years. Desertification relates to our APES class by it is one of the major problems caused by humans and erosion. E. Encyclopedia
Ellipses Oval pattern planets take around the sun
Ellipses show us that the planets do not revolve around the sun in a perfect circle. This relates to our class through our course on astronomy. States that planets revolve the sun in a oval, this is the law of ellipses. This showed us also that the planets do not travel at a constant speed they have to speed up to cover the greater distance of one side of the oval. In APES we done a unit on Astronomy, were we learned the different views people had on our galaxy. http://astro.unl.edu/naap/pos/pos_background1.html
Food web Food web of NC animals
The food web is a very important part of the class. A food web shows you what is being eaten throughout the ecosystem. The food web also shows the different levels of consumers and who is receiving the most energy. Food webs allowed us to better understand the levels of consumers. Food webs are a key part of science they set an easy example for people to understand how predation works. http://education.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/food-web/
GMO’s Shows the great controversy over the use of GMO’S
GMO stand for Genetically Modified Organism, in APES we were showed what they truly were. We also learned that many people say that they want eat them but, they can’t even tell you what a GMO is. People have a very limited knowledge on GMO’S. GMO’S have been in our community for quite some time now, without these GMO’S farmers would not be able to provide the yields that are needed to provide people with food, and many other products. http://www.nongmoproject.org/learn-more/
Humus This is me planting an apple tree in soil full of humus
Humus is the dark organic matter found on top of and mixed in with your topsoil. Humus is decayed matter that provides key nutrients for plant life. We learned about humus in our unit on soil, we learned that without humus it is harder for vegetation to grow. We also learned that when the humus is removed the topsoil is more easily eroded. Humus also helps replenish nutrients in the soil which is needehttp://www.sciencedaily.com/terms/humus.htmd for vegetation to strive.
Indicator species Bullfrog, taken a Spell residence pond
Amphibians are the most widely common indicator species in an ecosystem. These species will begin to become scarce around areas they would normally live in when their is a change in climate or there is a change in their environment. For example if the ph of the water changes the amphibians will leave to it is no longer habitable for them. We learned about indicator species in APES and how they can explain the changes of an ecosystem. APES review
John Muir John Muir, Founder of Sierra club
John Muir was in our early conservation unit. John Muir founded the Sierra club in 1838. He also became the leader of the preservationist movement that called for protecting large areas of wilderness on public lands from human exploitation. John Muir also fought the damming of the Hetch Hetchy unsuccessfully. John Muir was one of the first conservationist to actually stand up for the environment. http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/bday/0421.html
Keystone Species Donkeys in cow pasture protecting herd,
A good example of a keystone species would be the donkey. Even though farmers make their profit of of the cattle they could not earn o profit if their cattle were being eaten by predators. Donkeys protect the cattle by running of predators like coyotes and mountain lions. Farmers use these donkeys as a security guard for their cattle. This relates to our class by showing how the farmer and cattle benefit from the donkey being around. APES review
Loam Loamy Tobacco field from Roseboro NC, Photo by Jackson Ballance
Loam is the perfect agricultural soil, if you are a farmer you look for loamy land to buy. Loam is the perfect balance between sand, silt, and clay. Loam was in our unit about soil were we learned how to characterize soil. Loam is the soil that drains perfectly it hold just the right amount of water for plants. the soil also is very ariated meaning that it has plenty of pore space. APES review
Mutualism Meet LilGirl the hunting dog, Picture by Jackson Ballance
Mutualism is when two organisms of different species benefits each other. For example LilGirl benefits my by helping me obtain food, and pleasure while I provide her shelter and food. Mutualism is an important part of an ecosystem some organisms really on others for food source and even protection from predators. Mutualism is the key to success for many species they really on another organism for their livelyhood. APES review
Nutation Wobbling of a top while in rotation
Nutation is the wobbling of an axis while in rotation(precesion). We learned that the Earth’s axis switches which way it leans every 26,000 years which is called precession during this the axis wobbles and the wobble of the axis is called nutation. The nutation is so little though we can not feel it on Earth. We coverd this in our Astronamey unit. http://issuu.com/msbritt123/docs/astronomy_powerpoints/25?e=15647293/15303860
Ozone Depletion Hole in the Ozone above the Polar ice caps
Ozone depletion is a serious problem whe coverd during our unit on the atmosphere. While the world has stopped the depletion of the Ozne through the Montreal Protocol it will tae many years for the Ozone to Replinish itself. The hole allows more UV radiation to the Earth’s surface which cause skin cancer, cateracts, etc. The hole in the ozone has also had a tremendous impact on global warming it is allowing the ice caps to melt at faster rates. APES review
Permeability Chart of which particles are most permeable
Permeability is the ability for water to pass through particles. Permeability have a lot to do with what types of crops you plant, where you build, and how you live. The finer the particle the harder it is for water to pass through the larger the particle the easier. If you plant crops on an extremly permeable ground then there is a chance of the crops not having enough water, if you plant them on non permeable ground the the plants will die from drowning the soil will not be able to get ride of the water. http://issuu.com/msbritt123/docs/soil__weathering__strat__pt/1?e=15647293/30183089
Quartz Naturally formed Quartz cave
Quartz is a type of precious igneous rock.Quartz is formed while magma cools and hardens the minerals come together to form the quartz. This is found more frequently when the magma intrudes through rock but never reaches the surface. When this happens granite forms from the quartz crystals, you can rarely ever tell the quartz from the granite when it forms together. http://sampsoncounty.nc.schoolwebpages.com/education/page/download.php? fileinfo=TGl0aG9zcGhlcmVfUmV2aWV3X2FuZF9Wb2xjYW5vZXMucGRmOjo6L3d3dzYvc2Nob29scy9uYy9zYW1wc29uY291bn R5L2ltYWdlcy9hdHRhY2gvMzMzMDAvMjA0NDhfMzMzMDBfYXR0YWNoXzUxNDAucGRm
Rachel Carson Author of Silent Spring
Rachel Carson was a very profound environmentalist. She wrote the book Silent Spring to explain the harm of DDT. She used these book to explain to people what was in and on the food they had been consuming. We read her book over the summer for our project in APES. Then we followed up with learning the harms of ag pollution on animals and ourselves. APES review
Summer Solstice Earth at Summer Solstice around June 21
The Summer Solstice is when the northern hemisphere is tilted towards the sun and occurs around June 21. The Solstice marks the end of sprinp and the begining of summer. We learned that the Solstice is the time when the Northern Hemisphere is recievubg the most sunlight in our Astronomey unit. http://issuu.com/msbritt123/docs/astronomy_powerpoints/25?e=15647293/15303860
Tornado Tornado in Wilson NC, WRAL pic
A tornado is a vertically rotating collom of air. Tornados are measured by the destruction they cause. The scsle used to measure their destruction is called the fujita scale it ranges from an F0-F5. Tornados are formed during violent thunderstorms from unequal distribution of the pressure within the storm..We learned the damage and how to rate the size of a tornado during our weather unit. We also watched the movie twister to help us gain a better understanding of a tornado. http://sampsoncounty.nc.schoolwebpages.com/education/page/download.php? fileinfo=V2VhdGhlcl9NYXBfYW5kX0Zyb250c19Ob3YxOC5wZGY6Ojovd3d3Ni9zY2hvb2xzL25jL3NhbXBzb25jb3VudHkvaW1hZ 2VzL2F0dGFjaC8zMzMwMC8yMDQ0OF8zMzMwMF9hdHRhY2hfNTMzOS5wZGY=
Ultraviolet Radiation UV radiation Causing cataracts
UV radiation causes a number of problems anywhere from cataracts to cancer, and poor crop production. To much UV radiation can cause skin cancer, cataracts, sunburns, and sunspots on crops that lower their value. While not enough UV radiation can starve vegetation and crops, without just the right amount plants and animals can be severly harmed by UV radiation. UV Radistion is filtered out through the ozone layer but with the ozone hole there is more radiation reachong Earth’s surface. http://issuu.com/msbritt123/docs/astronomy_powerpoints/25?e=15647293/15303860
Venus Planet Venus, pic by NASA
Venus is the second planet from the sun. Venus is too hot to be inhabitable it is also inhabitable to its lack of a true atmosphere and water. Venus is a scourching 462 degrees Celcius. Venus unlike Earth has no moon. We learned were the different planets were located and what they were like in our astronomey unit. E.Ecyclopedia
Water Cycle Water Cycle
The water cycle is the never ending recycling of the Earth’s water. The amount of water on Earth has never changed its form changes but it never leaves. This is proved by the almost constant sea level. The water cycle reuses the water and distributes it in the form of precipitation through the use of clouds. The water cycle is a part all of its own we coverd it in the water cycle unit and our weather unit. http://issuu.com/msbritt123/docs/water_cycle_review_stream_chara/1?e=15647293/31120319
Xylology Grades of wood cuts
Xylology is the study of wood. We coverd trees which is uncut wood in our course by going over the pros and cons of cutting trees in different ways. Clearcutting, Selective cutting, and seed tree cutting are all examples of different ways to harvest wood. Xylology is important due to no what wood is good to use for building, if you use poor wood to bild with you will have a very poor foundated building. http://phrontistery.info/x.html
Yellowstone National Park Yellowstone National Park Entrance
Yellowstone National Park was the first National Park created in the US. It was founded 1872 by president Ulysses S. Grant. Yellowstone was the first of its kind to be made into a public area for recreation, and being protected from logging. Yellowstone showed the first true steps to preserving these amazing places in nature. Yellowstone was a topic we discussed during our unit on conservation. http://sampsoncounty.nc.schoolwebpages.com/education/page/download.php? fileinfo=RWFybHlfQ29uc2VydmF0aW9uX0ZlYjExLnBkZjo6Oi93d3c2L3NjaG9vbHMvbmMvc2FtcHNvbmNvdW50eS9pbWF nZXMvYXR0YWNoLzMzMzAwLzIwNDQ4XzMzMzAwX2F0dGFjaF81NDcyLnBkZg==
Zebra Zebra herd, National Geographic
Zebras are an excellent example of a population of organisms. Zebras live in herds together in their own little ecosystems. The population is the number of the same type a organism living in the ecosystem. A population can range from 1- the ecosystems carrying capacity. The carrying capacity is the number of organisms that an ecosystem can support. http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/zebra/