Over spring break, I visited Niagara Falls, a very different ecosystem than Lone Rock. Niagara Falls was created thousands of years ago, during the Ice Age when water hurtled over the rim of a steep slope called the Niagara Escarpment. It is predicted that Native Americans living in the vicinity of the falls were the first to discover it, and it was further traversed by European settlers and explorers. I saw many squirrel tracks in the snow and watched as squirrels scampered around the trees by the edge of the falls. I also heard and saw birds such as gulls and a cardinal. I read that there are many animal species that live in that region including about 300 bird species, including the Great Horned Owl. There are also 53 mammal species, including animals such as white tailed deer, red fox, weasels, rabbits, and muskrats. There were deciduous and conifer trees by the falls. I think that there were oak trees, but I am not 100% sure as it is harder to tell in the winter. There was also White Ash and Maple trees. Compared to Lone Rock, both sites have many species in common. This makes sense, as they are both located in the American North East. Lone Rock, however, is much less urbanized, therefore has a stronger ecosystem and hosts many species, especially those that are endangered.
Works Cited:
Niagara Falls History. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.niagarafallsstatepark.com/niagara-falls-state-park/history
Fauna. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.tourniagara.com/geologynature/fauna/