Investigating Nature Together. Part 1

This book contains ecological field studies techniques, that can be conducted in wild nature by non-professional researchers - school and university students together with their teachers, single beginning investigators, families, amateurs of all ages.The whole book "Investigating Nature Together" includes 4 parts/series corresponding to a specific season (Autumn-Winter-Spring-Summer) with totally 40 environmental study lessons (see below) covered a wide variety of activities in nature which focus on aquatic ecology, botany, forest ecology, soil studies, landscape analysis, ornithology, anthropogenic effects on nature, etc.Each series contains lessons focusing on practical skills which will be applied in further field studies. The lessons focus on five main themes - landscape, botany, zoology, water ecology and environmental monitoring. Some lessons are closely associated with the seasons and others are more universal.This book promotes a wide variety of outcomes which correspond to established educational standards in many countries. The ecological field study activities address content standards in the areas of earth science, life science, biology, ecology and the nature of science. Intellectual skill development includes questioning, data collection, analysis and drawing conclusions.This book promotes understanding of ecosystems and the protection of the environment through the training of teachers in specific field study techniques, the education of young people in ecology concepts and issues and the sharing of ecological study results between colleagues. The primary goal of this work is connecting students and teachers, addressing important environmental issues and promoting environmental interest, knowledge and values.This book is addressed to the middle and secondary level science teachers and students, and for all those who would like to investigate local wild nature, to share ecological and cultural information and work together to help create a better environment.This specific book "Investigating Nature Together. Part 1: Autumn" is the first in the series. Practical skills emphasize orientation to the study areas and lessons focus on landscape, geology, soil and birds. These activities are the basis of future field work. The first two complex studies of ecosystem status included in this series are air pollution monitoring using lichens and assessment of human impact on an area.The techniques described in this book, were written by Alexander Bogolyubov (1996-2002), translated into English by Tatiana Tatarinova (2002) and edited by Michael Brody (2003).The list of all 40 field study lessons: I. Autumn season: Orientation in the forestDescription of Geological ExposureProfiling of River Valley SlopeSoil Profile PitForest Health of the Coniferous TreesSpecies Composition and Abundance of FungiCensus of Birds by Line Transect CountingIntegrated Study of Landscape ProfileEnvironmental Assessment of Human ImpactAssessment of Air Pollution Using LichensII. Winter season: Making a Fire for Winter SurvivalSimple Survey of Field Study SiteGrowth Dynamics of TreesForest MappingGreen Plants under Snow CoverTerritorial Behavior of Titmouse FlocksWinter Route Census of MammalsMammal Ecology According to Winter TrackingPhysical Properties of Natural WatersSnow Cover ProfileIII. Spring season: Helping Native BirdsEarly Flowering PlantsSpring FlowersVital State of Coniferous UnderbrushForest Invertebrates-1AmphibiansRocks and MineralsDaily Bird Song ActivityBird Census MethodsFauna of Vernal PoolsIV. Summer season: School HerbariumFlora InventoryVertical Structure of a ForestForest Invertebrates-2Birds Nesting BehaviorComparative Description of Rivers and StreamsAquatic Invertebrates and Environmental StatusPlankton in the Littoral ZoneEnvironmental Status of MeadowsStatus of Forests Based on Asymmetry of Tree L