A UVM blog Wonderblog Nr009

Entry #2 Gedney Park

Saturday Duly 2nd 8:00 AM

Humid, overcast, rain expected later today, but still warm considering the time of day.

I am noticing that almost all the shrubbery near the water’s shore is gone. Instead, there is short clipped grass in its place. As I look around the entirety of the pond, I notice the same pattern. In addition to this, many of the vibrant purple and yellow flowers have either disappeared or wilted.

I’m left wondering what the point of removing these plants and grasses was. From the perspective o a park visitor, it is not easier to walk directly to the pond’s edge and peer into the water. From a park management perspective, maybe these plants were invasive or maybe they were too powerful and overbearing of the pond ecosystem, controlling valuable resources that many nearby species rely on at the same time.

The short and stubby branches and grasses are beginning to brown, as they can no longer maintain homeostasis. I would also assume that the tall plants which were once here provided shelter to the frogs and turtles that called the pond home. Now they are left with far fewer options to camouflage in with their surroundings and hide from predators and park visitors.

Occasionally I also hear a deep croak from a front and I am puzzled by the pattering sound of raindrops against the water, although, there is no rain falling. The noise and whatever is creating it, also leaves small little ripples in the water, although they require you to observe much closer as the pond is still covered in a thick layer of algae. This morning almost all of which lays in the northeast embankment. Maybe something to do with wind?

The species that I identified is the sallow sedge/calex lurida (which I will attach a sketch of) found in anthropogenic (man-made/disturbed habitats), marshes, meadows, fields, and shores of rivers/lakes/swamps and is native to North America. It has achenes (dry seeded fruit that does not separate or split open) or spikelets that appears a shade of yellow/brownish-green. I identified this species using the signage near the opening of the park, which provides the names of common species, and continued my research online when I returned home.

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