Ecologists conduct field studies in a habitat to gather data about ecoregions over time. Here are some examples of data they collect using habitat monitoring devices:
Air temperature & humidity data help ecologists understand the conditions that local plants and animals experience throughout the year, or at different elevation levels in an ecoregion.
Water sensors collect information about how much moisture is in a habitat and the temperature or acidity of the water there. This data helps us understand the health of aquatic environments for fish and other wildlife.
Light sensors can measure the amount of sunlight reaching different parts of a habitat. This helps explain which plants can thrive in the shaded understory versus the sunnier areas.
Acoustic monitoring devices can record the sounds of the environment, like bird songs or frog calls. This helps ecologists study animal populations, their mating seasons, and the types of species in a habitat.
GPS trackers can be attached to animals to record where they travel in an ecosystem and their habitats. This data reveals how animals use their habitat and interact with the landscape.
THINK-PAIR-SHARE
Think about the types of ecoregions around North Carolina. Consider at least two ways ecologists may want to use different field monitoring devices, and how they may use them in a specific ecoregion.
Here’s an idea to get you started:
In the Blue Ridge, ecologists may want to use temperature and humidity sensors to track the temperature at different elevation levels. This would help them understand how climate influences high-elevation forests and their unique species, like certain salamanders or Fraser fir trees.