Plants. Cottonwood. When the pioneers crossed the Great Plains on the Santa Fe or the Oregon Trail, they often went for a long time without seeing any trees. The prairie was frequently seen as a very foreign and hostile environment to people from the Ohio valley, the Appalachian mountains or New England since they were used to forested surroundings. No trees meant no wood for cooking. Dried bison dung was used for cooking fuel instead! No trees also meant no shade, which can be very precious on a hot day in summer. There is a tree that is well-adapted to life on the prairie, however.
After settlement, other kinds of trees became established across the Great Plains, due to the control of wildfires and intentional planting of shelterbelts and woodlots. In summer, while looking over a cottonwood tree you may spot a large black and white insect. Top of page - This page was spun by Jim Mason - Questions or comments? How Cranberry Bogs Work" What is it about the cranberry that enables it to grow and thrive in a bog? Considering the berry's delicate nature and vibrant ruby red glow, it's hard to imagine that the ideal environment for its survival would be such an unusual and harsh place.
Bogs are one of North America's most distinctive types of wetlands. They're strange ecosystems characterized by thick sphagnum moss, acidic waters, peat deposits and a spongy, mat-like substance on the water's surface. Cranberries thrive best in beds within the bog, which consist of alternating layers of sand, peat, gravel and clay. Cranberry vines produce horizontal stems called runners that may grow up to six feet (1.82 meters) long and can spread profusely over the bog's floor. Plants that grow in bogs have to contend with a host of unfavorable conditions, but the cranberry plant's durability allows it to survive in this habitat. For example, cranberries need fresh water to survive. Animals. Water bear. Wolves, Wolf Pictures, Wolf Facts. Wolves are legendary because of their spine-tingling howl, which they use to communicate.
A lone wolf howls to attract the attention of his pack, while communal howls may send territorial messages from one pack to another. Some howls are confrontational. Much like barking domestic dogs, wolves may simply begin howling because a nearby wolf has already begun. Population and Conservation Wolves are the largest members of the dog family. Adaptable gray wolves are by far the most common and were once found all over the Northern Hemisphere. In the lower 48 states, gray wolves were hunted to near extinction, though some populations survived and others have since been reintroduced.
Red wolves live in the southeastern United States, where they are endangered. The maned wolf, a distant relative of the more familiar gray and red wolves, lives in South America. Wolf Pack Behavior Wolves live and hunt in packs of around six to ten animals. Animal Guide: Star-Nosed Mole | Nature. Star-Nosed Mole (Condylura cristata) Type: MammalFamily: TalpidaeHabitat: Areas with moist soil and poor drainage, such as forests, marshes, peat land, and the banks of streams and ponds.Location: Native to eastern North America, from Quebec and Newfoundland, south to at least Virginia, and west to North Dakota.
Also found throughout the Appalachian Mountains.Diet: Carnivore (vermivore)Average lifespan in the wild: 3-4 yearsSize: Length: 6-8 inches (15-20 cm); tail: 2.6-3.4 inches (65-85 mm)Weight: .12 lbs (55 g) Set aside the 22 fleshy pink tentacles that form the “star” on the nose of this mole, and it remains an odd-looking creature. The mole, which is covered in dense, blackish brown, water-repellent fur (ideal for its life in moist, mucky soil), has broad, scaly feet with large claws for fast digging, a stout cylindrical body, and a long thick tail that swells with fat to three to four times its normal size during the winter. Did you know?