Far Out! "Water is critical to sustaining life on Earth." NASA Hydrological Science Research Portal: https://neptune.gsfc.nasa.gov/hsb/ Study tracks “memory” of soil moisture MIT News: http://news.mit.edu/2017/smap-satellite-memory-soil-moisture-0116 The Apple and The Earth: http://www.iupui.edu/~ghw/lessons/materials/EarthAppleFarmlandNov02.pdf Carefully peel an apple in quarters (4/4). In comparison, three-fourths (3/4) of the apple represents the amount of water on Earth and one-fourth (1/4) represents Earth's total land surface. Yet, one-eighth (1/8) of this slice of land is "Uninhabitable and Non-Arable Land" - approx. 1/8 of the Earth's surface is inhospitable to people and to crops. This includes areas such as polar regions, deserts, swamps, and high or rocky mountains. The other one-eighth (1/8) represents one-half (1/2) of Earth's surface in which people live, but cannot necessarily grow food. If this one-eighth (1/8) of the apple is sliced into 4 even cross-sections, consider that three out of thirty-two (3/32) slices represent land in which people can live but cannot grow food. "Some of it use to be arable, but isn't any longer because it has been developed or turned into cities, suburbs, highways, etc., so it can no longer be formed. Governments have earmarked other areas, such as parks, nature preserves and other public lands to remain undeveloped forever". This leaves 1/32 remaining, which we will call our "most valuable part" - our "topsoil". Topsoil is our dark nutrient-rich soil that holds moisture and feeds us by feeding our crops. "Currently, 90% of U.S. croplands lose soil above the 'sustainable rate'." Some Facts About Farmland: "Erosion by wind and water is the most serious cause of soil loss and degradation. Although it is a natural process, erosion is accelerated greatly by things like construction, deforestation, and unsustainable practices in farming and animal grazing. In the U.S., soil is now eroding at 17 times the rate at which it forms (via 2014). The soil erosion rate is estimated to be double in Asia, Africa, and South America. In order to feed the nearly 80 million humans added to the population annually, 12 million acres of new land must be put into production. More than 25 million acres of productive arable land are severely degraded and abandoned worldwide every year—that’s an area the size of the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota put together." How can we preserve farmland? By not building on arable land: Land covered up by buildings, highways, and other forms of development can't be used for growing crops. In the U.S., nearly 2.2 million acres of land are converted to urban and other uses each year. About 25% of that land is former cropland. By eating lower on the food chain: While over a billion people suffer from malnutrition or starvation, meat production requires a disproportionate amount of grain input. Producing a pound of beef in a feed lot requires seven pounds of grain, a pound of pork requires four, and a pound of poultry requires two pounds of grain. The land that is used to produce grain for consumption by animals is unavailable for growing grain for human consumption. By reducing pollution: Pollution impairs the ability of the land and the seas to provide food that's both sufficient in quantity and free of contaminants. By stabilizing human population growth: Food supply is an excellent example of the relationship between any resource and the size and consumption patterns of the population that depends on it. Simply put, the more people there are to feed, the less food there is to go around. Source: http://www.iupui.edu/~ghw/lessons/materials/EarthAppleFarmlandNov02.pdf ODA: Preserving Farmland http://www.agri.ohio.gov/divs/FarmLand/ Explore Climate Change Topics and Discover What Actions Humans Can Take Author: Marta Farrell, Education Specialist
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Thanksgiving is all about family, friends, and TURKEY! If you are looking for some kid-friendly fun this week, try constructing your own wild turkey call. Before we get into the activity, did you know we have wild turkeys in Ohio? The wild turkey is Ohio’s largest upland game bird, standing three to four feet tall and weighing up to 24 pounds. It has a slim build, long neck, and nearly featherless head. The body feathers appear drab brown at a distance, but are actually iridescent when the bird appears in good light; this iridescence gives the bird its true coloration--bronze with hints of red, green, copper, and gold. Wild turkeys are very adaptable animals. Although they prefer mature forests, with substantial cover and suitable food sources, they can live successfully in areas with as little as 15 percent forest cover. The feeding area should include a mix of forbs, grasses, and insects. Wild turkeys make a variety of sounds, including a male’s gobble, the hen’s yelp, a poult’s peep, an alarm call that sounds like putt, and an assortment of purrs, trills, croaks, whines, and barks. The best known of these vocalizations is the gobble. (Ohio DNR Division of Wildlife). What do these turkey calls mean? (National Wild Turkey Federation)
Who knew turkeys had so much to say? Are you ready to make your own call? Project BEAK has a great activity that can be done in the classroom or at home. Here's how to make a turkey call: Materials needed: Clear plastic cup and two 12 inch long pieces of strong thread (not string or yarn).
See the full instructions from Project BEAK below:
Bat Acoustic Survey Monitoring Bats are not blind (myth); in fact, they can see almost as well as humans (truth). To fly around and hunt for insects in the dark, bats use a remarkable high frequency system called echolocation. The Division of Wildlife extends a "Thank you!" for contribution toward this bat monitoring effort: "Without your assistance, this project and the coverage we get across the state (Ohio) annually would not be possible. As you likely already know, the data from this project allows us to monitor population changes for bats through long-term assessments. With potential threats to bat populations increasing (e.g., White-nose Syndrome, habitat destruction) in Ohio, it is imperative that we continue to monitor and assess our Ohio bat populations." - Sincerely, Bridget Gladden, ODNR Battle For Bats: Surviving White Nose Syndrome (WNS) The greatest harm to bats is not knowing anything about them. Learn the difference between what are Bat "Myths" and Bat "Truths" . Myth: Bats aren’t necessary. Truth: Without bats, humans would be in trouble. Bats help control insect populations, reseed deforested land, and pollinate plants, including many that we eat. Researchers and scientists also learn from bats to improve medicine and technology. See why our bats are truly amazing and beneficial mammals: Sarah Blair coordinated our 2016 Warren County route departing from the Caesar Creek Nature Center. Mike Schumacher formerly coordinated this route.
Thank you for your awesome work and collaboration!
The Division of Wildlife uses information from Bat Acoustic Survey Monitoring to help track our bat species, population rates and document the progression of White-Nose Syndrome (WNS). Sadly, signs of WNS has officially shown up far west in the state of Washington as of 2016.
Find out up-to-date information about White-Nose Syndrome (WNS), the deadly disease that affects North American bats by cilcking on the black box below. Extensive groups of state, federal, tribal, university, and non-governmental partners are helping minimize the impacts of White-Nose Syndrome. They also need our help! #Save the Bats
Ohio Department of Natural Resources - Contact Information:
www.whitenosesyndrome.org/partner/ohio-department-natural-resources In the winter of 2006-07, the New York Department of Environmental Conservation found approximately 10,000 bats of the genus Myotis (little brown bats, M. lucifugus, and Indiana bats, M. sodalis) dead and dying in four caves in New York. Since 2006, White-Nose Syndrome (WNS) has killed millions of bats in eastern North America, including several Myotis species, Perimyotis subflavus (Tri-colored bat), and Eptesicus fuscus (big brown bat). In March 2011, the first Ohio case of WNS was confirmed in an abandoned mine in Lawrence County, Ohio. Several counties in Ohio have been confirmed as WNS positive, including Lawrence County in 2011, 5 counties were added in 2012 (Geauga, Summit, Cuyahoga, Portage, and Preble), and 10 counties added in 2013 (Medina, Jefferson, Union, Wayne, Ashland, Athens, Clinton, Madison, Warren, and Sandusky). Updates on WNS in the State of Washington: wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/health/wns/ www.whitenosesyndrome.org/news/deadly-bat-fungus-washington-state-likely-originated-eastern-us
Bats Truly Need Our Help:
Devouring 1,000 Mosquitoes nightly; Bats are now welcome guests as "Zika Fears Rise": www.nytimes.com/2016/07/05/nyregion/devouring-1000-mosquitoes-an-hour-bats-are-now-welcome-guests-as-zika-fears-rise.html?_r=0
Why should you put up a bat house?
Bat houses benefit bats, you, your family, communities, farmers, gardeners and the ecosystem as a whole.
See Additional Bat House Designs:
—Bat Facts:
Over 1,000 Species Worldwide —45 species native to U. S. —11 species in Ohio (2016) —The only true flying mammal —Primarily nocturnal, but most times can be seen flying about in the early evening (crepuscular)
Teachable Moments:
The Save Lucy Campaign was created to raise awareness of White-Nose Syndrome
and its devastating impact on North American Bats.
Creatures of the Night
The Order name ‘Chiroptera’ means “hand-wing”
—Order Chiroptera =“hand wing” —Megachiroptera =“large “bats: Found in tropics - —large fruit bats/flying foxes —Microchiroptera =“small” bats: all bats in U.S. —Varied diets and ID characteristics |
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