Zoology

North Carolina Zoological Adaptations

Adaptations are genetic traits that increase an organism's fitness. The fitness of an animal is a measurement of its ability to survive in a particular environment. A change in environment can make an organism's fitness increase or decrease. There are three main categories of adaptations. The first category is a structural adaptation. This is a physical change in an organism. The second category is a behavioral adaptation. This means that an organism changes how it interacts with their environment. The third category is a physiological adaptation, the body chemistry and metabolism of the animal.

Before our trip to North Carolina, our group studied the adaptations of several animals in Missouri. One animal we studied and observed in North Carolina was the White-tailed Deer. White-tailed Deer are born scentless; this helps ensure that predators won’t find them. Another adaptation that helps the babies survive attacks from predators is an instinct to remain motionless when threatened (Animal Spot, 2019). When the deer are adults, they can sprint up to 30 miles an hour. This helps them get away from slower predators. Unfortunately, some of the White-tailed Deer’s predators are as fast as, or even faster than they are. To get away from their faster predators, the deer can jump up to 10 feet high and 30 feet outwards (UWSP, 2019). This helps them jump over fallen trees or bushes whereas predators would most likely have to go around. Even if this is not enough to get rid of the predator, White-tailed Deer are very talented swimmers. In the time that a deer jumps in the water, most predators do not want to follow them (Nat Geo, 2019).

One of the many animals we studied in North Carolina is the Northern River Otter. These otters are remarkable swimmers and have webbed feet that help them to swim up to 9 mph. They propel themselves farther to get away from predators, such as bears, coyotes, foxes, and bobcats. (The National Wildlife Federation, 2019). Frequently they will purposely entangle themselves in seaweed so they do not float away with the current of the river. The River Otter’s tail is also very important. Their tails help them propel through the water, and their long, narrow bodies as well as flat heads are great for gliding through the water. Another adaptation is that their long whiskers are used to detect prey in cloudy or murky water (The National Wildlife Federation, 2019).

Adaptations are an important part of zoology. They let us figure out how and what an animal does to survive in its natural habitat. An example of a structural adaptation is the White-tailed Deer. It has strong legs that can jump ten feet high. A physiological adaptation is an internal response to help an organism gain stability. One example is the Desert Lizard.

Their kidneys help regulate and absorb as much water as possible. These are specific examples of adaptations. All in all, adaptations are one way we can study and understand an animal’s relationship to the environment.

Sources:

(AS,2019) White-tailed Deer. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.animalspot.net/white-tailed-deer. html.

(Nat Geo,2019) White-Tailed Deer. (2018, September 21). Retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic. com/animals/mammals/w/white-tailed-deer/.

(UWSP, 2019) Wildlife EcologyCollege of Natural Resources. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.uwsp. edu/wildlife/Ungulates/Pages/White-tailed Deer/White-tailed-Deer-Behavior.aspx

https://www.animalspot.net/white-tailed-deer.html. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/w/white-tailed-deer/ https://www.uwsp.edu/wildlife/Ungulates/Pages/White-tailed%20Deer/White-tailedDeer-Behavior.aspx

Otter https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Mammals/NorthAmerican-River-Otter https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/n/north-american-river-otter/

Zoological Methods

We used many different ways to collect data at our site studies. When we caught animals, we wrote down what time we found them, their behavior, where we found them, and what they looked like. We also drew the animals if we had time, and at the very end of the site study, we would count all of the animals we found to calculate the species richness. Another way to gather data is using nets. They helped to see the animals up close, which is important when observing and writing down small details. While at our site studies, one of the ways we caught an animal to observe it is by using throw nets. Using the throw nets takes practice and skill, and it’s easy to become angry if it takes a number of tries to get a perfect throw. After an animal is caught, place it in a bin and write down the certain traits it

may have. Remember to take a picture of it on the iPad before releasing it. The iPad has an app called i-Naturalist, which we used often. It helps to identify specific species.

Dip nets were an integral way for collecting aquatic data. They are used for scooping up smaller animals that are near the shore. One way we used them was to catch frogs. When we needed to catch a smaller frog, we slowly snuck up on it and scooped it up to examine the details. Another tool that we used were throw nets. Throw nets are used to catch bigger animals like crab or larger fish. When we used them for Field Ecology at Goose Creek, we were out on the shore taking turns at throwing the nets to see if we could catch anything. After we went swimming ,we spent most of the evening before dinner hanging out on the shore using the throw nets. When we brought up the net, we saw that there was a Blue Crab fighting to get free.

At Creve Coeur Lake, our first site study, we canoed to find a spot where we gathered our data. During our site study we used the throw nets to try and catch fish. One creature we caught was a small Cypress Minnow, and in our journals we wrote down the things we observed. Later, we watched someone catch a fish which we were told was a grass carp. On Field Ecology, the first study was at Black Balsam Knob. Because of a fire that ruined the soil, trees were unable to grow there. That means there weren't any plants and shrubbery for insects like butterflies or beetles. There wasn’t any shelter or shade, so bigger forms of animal life had to go elsewhere. During the site study at Goose Creek, we saw green anoles and a small lizard that can be found in deeply wooded areas. We went on night walks to go owl calling for owls, such as Barred Owls, Screech Owls, and more. Before long, we saw a Screech Owl hidden in the trees. That afternoon, we used throw nets to catch fish and we caught a Blue Crab. We acquired the Digital Data Collectors to take photos so we could draw it later.

How to Use a Butterfly Net 1. Pick up the net, and with one hand, begin running in the direction of an insect. 2. When the insect is in the net, twist the pole 180 degrees, capturing the insect in the net. 3. Hold the net up to the sun, and look for the shadow of the insect. 4. Lightly pinch the bug through the net, and hold it in one hand. 4. Twist hand, opening the net, and quickly put the insect in a closed container.

NOTE: Never leave the net in the dirt.

How to Identify Animals 1. Put the animal in a container where it is easily visible. 2. Take out a journal, and begin a light sketch of the animal. 3. Once the animal is drawn, use a book or ipad to identify the animal. 4. If in a rush, have DDC take a picture of the animal for future identification.

NOTE: make sure not to release the animal until it is identified.

Zoological Data

All of the locations on Field Ecology have many different species and habitats. To calculate how healthy an ecosystem is, we count species richness, meaning the number of different species in a specific area. We found an average of 7 animals at each site study; the most diverse areas being Riverlands, having 11 different species, and Goose Creek having 18.

At Black Balsam Knob, our first site study in North Carolina, we only found small insects like grasshoppers, beetles, and butterflies. There were no trees because of heavy logging. This makes it difficult for larger animals to survive. Our second site study at Graveyard Fields was a waterfall downstream of Black Balsam Knob. There we found mostly mayflies and salamanders because of the extremely healthy stream systems.

Many of the islands at Fontana Lake showed heavy erosion because the dams drained and filled the lake every season. It also had low species richness, containing mostly small insects and fish. Although we didn’t find many animals, we still found a spider nest. Goose Creek had a very healthy ecosystem. There we found crabs, owls, birds, beetles, fish, and many other species. One of the most fascinating species we observed was a male Atlantic Blue Crab; it was incredibly large and aggressive. Goose Creek was one of the healthiest ecosystems we studied. We even saw as many as three great horned owls at once, which is incredibly rare.

Lastly at Fort Macon, a beach bordering the Atlantic ocean, we found crabs, birds, and a sand dollar. Although the ocean was teeming with life we weren’t able to catch any marine fish due to the high surf and being limited to the beach. Lastly, at the salt marsh, we found an overwhelming number of Arthropods (Arachnids, Crustaceans, and Insects) and Egrets which were the dominant species. One of the arthropods we found was a Golden Silk Spider, about the size of a palm; it had black and yellow legs with an orange body and white spots. Most species (excluding egrets) could survive a long time both on land and underwater, because of the constantly changing tides.

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Zoological Conclusions

We collected fascinating data at Black Balsam Knob and found there were only butterflies, bees, grasshoppers, and ladybugs. We observed that this was because the mountain was very dry and had no trees. This limited the different species that lived there. One connection we made to the Botanists and Soil Chemists was that dry soil often caused few species of plants to grow, as these conditions made life difficult. The data we observed was significant, because it reflects the variety of different species in the environments that we studied.

One connection we made with the Meteorologist was that data indicated animals are often redirected due to storms. Birds often get caught in the eye of the storm and are relocated in another place. Then they have to adapt in order to survive. The animals in North Carolina were much different than the animals living in Missouri. One reason was because of the difference in temperature. Temperature is an important piece of data for a Meteorologist's job. If it gets really hot on the surface of the water, fish often dive down. One connection we made that related to North Carolina was that North Carolina's Blue Crabs were impacted from hurricane Florence. Because of this, they were carried towards the shores where fisherman took advantage and caught many of them. This made the blue crab population decrease greatly. As time has passed, the population is thriving once again.

There was a diverse population of crabs that we collected in North Carolina, and we caught crabs at all of our site studies. At Goose Creek, we saw two Blue Crabs and several fiddler crabs. At the Barrier Island, the next day, we saw several Ghost Crabs. At the Salt Marsh, we saw hundreds of fiddler crabs. With our data from each of these places, we made connections with the Chemists. We identified that the reason there were Ghost Crabs on the beach and not at Goose Creek was because of the type of water, soil, and sand. The water Chemists said their tests at the beach and at Goose Creek were different. At Goose Creek, it was a pH level of 7, meaning that the water was neutral, but at the beach the pH level was 8, meaning that it was less acidic. Because the water at Goose Creek was brackish, meaning a mix of salt and freshwater, there were no Ghost Crabs there;

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and because the water at the beach was pure salt water, there were no Fiddler Crabs. The Salt Marsh was closer to the beach, but it had no Ghost Crabs in it. Instead, it had a large number of Fiddler Crabs. The pH of the water there was 7. We thought this was especially interesting because when the pH was 7, there were Fiddler Crabs and no Ghost Crabs, and when the pH was 8, there were Ghost Crabs but no Fiddler Crabs.

At Graveyard Fields, we made a connection to the Water Chemists. When searching for creatures in the water, we found Mayfly Larva, which indicated that the water is clean because the Mayflies have gills that are very sensitive to polluted water. We talked to the Water Chemists about their test on turbidity. Turbidity is how clean the water is. Their test results were less than or equal to 0 JTU which is the best result when testing the water.

Advice for Future Zoologists

From catching animals, drawing them, and studying their behaviors, zoology has a lot to offer in terms of learning. In order to be successful, make sure to be prepared for the job by having organized documentation and by working with other sciences. It’s important to write down any information needed once you catch an animal. This will help later on in the trimester. Writing all the information down as soon as there is a break is a very good idea. This helps prevent having to catch up on data later. It is especially important on Field Ecology because the class goes to different places constantly. Waiting to write down information is not a good idea because details for specific animals are easy to mix-up. Additionally, working on learning how to write down information in the best and quickest way is very beneficial. The best way for writing down information quickly is by using abbreviations or other quick reminders. Be constantly looking for animals at each site study. Identify the animal before releasing it. Another important note is always draw the animals and have the Digital Data Collectors (DDC) take pictures of the animal before it is released. Additionally, it’s crucial to remember never to forget to keep the supplies clean.

Connections are very important in the scientific world. Finding connections to other sciences can be helpful when figuring out why the animals are there and how they got there. Look for connections with the chemists, because depending on how healthy the water and soil is, certain types of animals will be living in or near it. One example we found is that Mayflies only live in exceptionally clean and healthy water. Their gills are super sensitive and can be damaged if polluted. Also, look for connections to the Botanists. Animals use plants for lots of things, from food and shelter to protection, and even tools. The types of plants in an area can drastically affect the types of animals that live in that environment. If no trees are in a certain area, it is less likely to find birds, for example. Be sure to make connections with the Meteorologists. The climate and weather can greatly affect where animals live.

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