Site: backyard
Date: 5/22/08
Time: 5:40 pm
Temp: 61ºF
Weather: Cloudy, breezy and raining
Soil: Wet
In the past few weeks, i have seen a large increase in the amount of mice in and around my house. The numbers seemed to have plateaued recently and the hawks are a more common sight. I often see them carrying the mice in their mouths. This is an example of a predator prey relationship. The hawks keep the mice populations at a minimum as do the lower mice populations keep the hawk populations down. I have noticed imbalances in this relationship in the past but it seems balanced recently. I have also noticed that I hear and see fewer birds. I assume this is because they are seeking shelter in the large trees form the never ending rain.
1 comment:
Good detailed connections made to a lot of the ecology terms. I liked that you connected an increase in the mice population with an increase in the hawk population, showing the interdependence between species. Continue to look at your area with a critical eye and maybe look at identifying some specific species of plants and animals.
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