Archive Status!

While this blog will stay on-line for students and visitors to enjoy, it will not be updated regularly. To reach Mr. Lafond, please send an email to mrlafond@gmail.com.

Please Join Me

...on a virtual field trip to the rainforest of Puerto Rico between May 24th and June 3rd. With luck and technology on my side, this blog will be updated daily with journal postings and pictures.

Sunday, May 27, 2007

Assignment for Kiwi Students!

Howdy Kiwis,

For Tuesday's class with Ms. McCarthy please be prepared with the following:

1. Journal Response: If you were in the middle of the forest (any forest, even one near your house) and you wanted to collect data on that forest, what kind of things would you measure and how? Try to think of at least 3 features of the forest you would measure. When explaining your methods, remember that someone else should be able to repeat your methods.

You ideas should be written. If it helps, you can use diagrams to explain your ideas.

2. Journal Response: What is your favorite picture from the blog and why?

On Tuesday, I will post more about the techniques we are using to analyze the forest and what exact features of the forest we are focusing on.

I look forward to hearing about your ideas.

~ Mr. Lafond

Another cool frog... this is a white lip wood frog.


12 comments:

Anonymous said...

That froggy is soooo smalll!!!!

Anonymous said...

I like the picture of the frog because it shows you variation in species. That frog is tiny but I've seen huge frogs like the bullfrog. That shws you that the same species can be so different! They all are just frogs!

Anonymous said...

is that frog in your hand?????
its soo cute!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Hi, Matt!

I have two questions re: the measurement of tree frogs as an indicator species for the impact of line planing on the forest ecosystem.

1) They are at the top of the food chains, so is the reasoning that if anything is wrong along the entire food web it will be reflected in decreased tree frog populations?

2) I read in the article in the Resource section of your site that Dr. Silverstone is also going to study anoline lizards to provide a more balanced database. Is this because they, too, are at the top of the food chains and in that way are comparable to the tree frogs? Or do they occupy a different niche? If so, why did she choose them for study?

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Paula

PS How tall is a mahogany tree with a breast height circumference of 3 cm?

How big is a hectare?

Mr. Matthew Lafond said...

Hi Paula,

Thanks for your questions. I will try my best here.

After talking to the scientists here, the coqui are near the top of the food web. There are not many large animals here, but I imagine the birds around, like the screech owls, might be on top. The coqui frogs are used because they are common, yet have specific needs. What you wrote is true: if anything is wrong, then it will be shown in decreased frog populations.

They hope to expand the survey to include the lizards for the same reasons.

We have been focusing on mahogany trees that are at least 15cm in diameter. Most of them seem to be around 80-100 feet tall.

looking forward to talking to you when I get back.
Matt

Anonymous said...

I think the picture of you and your twin is so funny! How did you do that? Did you crop it?

Anonymous said...

i love the little frog!

Anonymous said...

I think that frog from desended from some ancient flies.they are so koool. :)

Justin G

Anonymous said...

Wow! That frog is REALLY small, but still not as small as the coqui picture. Are coquis really that small? It has similar markings as the frog in your hand.

Mr. Matthew Lafond said...

Hi all,

I hope to be able to learn more about the local frogs, including the coqui, tonight during our frog survey. I haven't seen any as small as the one in the "tiny coqui" photo, but the locals say they exist. I'll keep looking.

Graham, the "silly twin" photo is from a neat split-screen option on my camera. I gave many of the other folks here evil twins too!

Mr. L

Anonymous said...

what do the coqui frogs normally eat besides bugs?

Anonymous said...

i think you are coolio! i just like the rainforest and the animals are so intrigueing ecspecially the coqui frogs but my favorite animal is the zebra! I know im not on your team but one of my friends told me about you and your website. i hope its ok i posted on here.

P.S. What is the most interesting animal you found?