Blog 1: Observations

I have chosen to study the creek and surrounding area next to my childhood home in southern Alberta. The field is approximately 160 acres of grassland with hills and a creek running through the middle. This creek’s depth varies depending on the amount of annual precipitation and it is surrounded by and contains types of grasses. This location was visited on 02-06-2024 at 16:00. At this time, it was a beautiful spring day with a cloudy sky, a slight breeze, and a temperature of 21˚C. During my observations on this day I observed gophers, geese, and coyotes naturally inhabiting the area. I also observed cattle as the area is used for cow-calf grazing in the spring. During past visits, I have also observed badgers, swans, ducks, prairie chickens, what I believe to be sparrows, and hawks in the area. The vegetation consists of native prairie grass with jumping cholla (cactus) being abundantly dispersed throughout the field. There are also cattails found directly adjacent to the creek and very few trees.

Questions:
How does allowing for cow-calf grazing in the area affect the natural development of the ecosystem, both in terms of how it affects habitation by other animals and how it affects the vegetation?
How does the amount of annual precipitation, and therefore the depth of the water in the creek, affect the species attracted to the area? Are different species or different relative amounts of species found in dry vs wet years?
How does the abundant distribution of jumping cholla affect the soil and grass growth? Are more jumping cholla found in areas with poorer soil conditions and minimal grass growth?