For this post, I chose to explore a source of ecological information that relates to backyard ecosystems and plant-animal interactions.
a) Source of Ecological Information
The source I selected is an article from the National Wildlife Federation, titled, “Gardening for Wildlife: Plants that Support Local Ecosystems” (https://www.nwf.org/Garden-for-Wildlife/About). The article discusses how different plant species can attract wildlife such as birds, pollinators, and beneficial insects, providing ecological benefits for both residential and rural environments.
b/c) Classification of the Source
Based on the information provided in the “How to Evaluate Sources of Scientific Information” tutorial, this source can be classified as a non academic article. While the National Wildlife Federation is an organization that promotes scientific research and conservation, the article itself is not written academically. It provides summaries of scientific findings and ecological principles, but it does not present original research. It is a good place to start to find ideas on what to research but I will need to find an article with in-depth data analysis for my primary research. This source was to just help me figure out where I wanted to start. This webpage was just a place for me to start to get ideas on what I want to focus on. It was an easy to read webpage that helped me figure out what I wanted to do. I will not be using it as an academic source in my research but it helped me gain an idea of what I wanted to do and what I wanted my focus to be on for my project.