My chosen phenology site has changed marginally over the course of the past couple of weeks. The most notable change being that the red maples have lost all of their leaves, and the grasses in the area have lost some their vitality and green hue. The red maples help define the site because of their importance to the state of Vermont and the foliage industry, as well as their resiliency faced with urban pressures. The eastern white pines give the site its character; their height gives nature a sense of equality amongst the tall buildings in the area. The Kentucky bluegrass lining the mulched eastern white pine vegetation gives the site curb appeal, and also serves as an important permeable surface for rainwater that would otherwise be thwarted entry into the ground by impermeable roofs, pavement, and asphalt. The eastern gray squirrels and common gulls found bustling around my site represented the only animal activity in the area. Both were attracted to the site by its vegetation.
By mapping my site I felt that I gained a better understanding of how my place operates, and how each organism interacts with each other. I also was drawn to the lack of diversity in my site. In the roughly 100 square foot plot, there was only three types of plant species, and two animal species occupying the area. This is shocking considering that 100 square foot plots in other more natural and robust spots in Vermont could contain more than four times that number. It was also obvious that all of the organisms in my site were chosen to be there either because of their aesthetic appeal or heartiness. The topography was little to consider given that it was flat and contained little diversity between the mulch and Kentucky bluegrass. It was obvious that the vegetation in the area had to deal with high amounts of water in times of rainfall given its position amongst many impervious surfaces.
Currently no phone or way to take pictures, so all pictures detailing my site will be uploaded at a later date.
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