PRESENTATION OF
SCIENCE TREK ON IDAHO PUBLIC
TELEVISION IS MADE POSSIBLE
THROUGH THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF
THE LAURA MOORE CUNNINGHAM
FOUNDATION, COMMITTED TO
FULFILLING THE MOORE FAMILY
LEGACY OF BUILDING THE GREAT
STATE OF IDAHO.
JOAN CARTAN-HANSEN: IDAHO HAS
FIVE DISTINCT ECOSYSTEMS.
WHAT KIND ECOSYSTEM YOU LIVE IN
TELLS YOU A LOT ABOUT THE
ANIMALS AND PLANTS IN YOUR AREA.
DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT
IDAHO'S ECOSYSTEMS?
WELL, SCIENTISTS ARE STANDING BY
WITH ANSWERS.
STAY TUNED.
SCIENCE TREK IS NEXT.
(MUSIC)
CARTAN-HANSEN: HI, I'M JOAN
CARTANHANSEN, AND WELCOME TO
SCIENCE TREK .
AND WELCOME TO THE IDAHO MUSEUM
OF NATURAL HISTORY.
SCIENTISTS ARE STANDING BY TO
ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.
AND LATER IN THE SHOW WE'LL
LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT
THE BASE OF MOST ECOSYSTEMS, THE
SOIL.
BUT FIRST, LET'S LEARN A LITTLE
BIT MORE ABOUT IDAHO ECOSYSTEMS.
CARTAN-HANSEN: A HABITAT IS MADE
UP OF FOUR THINGS THAT ALL
ANIMALS NEED: FOOD, WATER,
SHELTER, AND SPACE.
(BAH BAH)
WHEN AN ANIMAL
LIVES IN A PLACE THAT HAS THE
RIGHT AMOUNT OF ALL THESE
THINGS, THEN IT'S LIVING IN A
HEALTHY HABITAT.
LET'S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK.
FOOD, WATER, SHELTER, AND SPACE.
THE FIRST THREE ARE PRETTY EASY
TO UNDERSTAND, RIGHT?
YOU HAVE TO EAT, DRINK, AND HAVE
A PLACE TO STAY.
BUT WHAT ABOUT SPACE?
DO YOU NEED SPACE?
WE ALL NEED SPACE, ALTHOUGH SOME
OF US REQUIRE MORE THAN OTHERS.
A SPIDER WOULD ONLY NEED A SMALL
AREA TO BUILD A WEB, MAYBE IN
YOUR BACKYARD.
BUT WHAT ABOUT A COUGAR?
IT REQUIRES A LOT MORE SPACE
THAN A SPIDER, EVEN AS MUCH AS
120 SQUARE MILES.
THIS DESERT HAS A LOT OF SPACE
BUT VERY LITTLE WATER.
IN FACT, FOR AN AREA TO BE
CONSIDERED A DESERT, IT MUST
HAVE LESS THAN 10 INCHES OF
MOISTURE A YEAR.
THIS AFFECTS THE KINDS OF PLANTS
THAT CAN GROW HERE, WHICH, IN
TURN, AFFECTS THE TYPES OF
ANIMALS THAT CAN ADAPT TO LIVING
IN A DESERT.
PLANTS THAT HAVE ADAPTED TO
DESERT LIFE BY ALTERING THEIR
PHYSICAL STRUCTURE ARE CALLED
"XEROPHYTES."
THEY USUALLY HAVE A SPECIAL WAY
OF STORING WATER, LIKE THIS
CACTUS THAT COLLECTS WATER IN
ITS FAT STEM.
SOME OTHER DESERT SHRUBS HAVE
ALSO ADAPTED BY REDUCING THE
SIZE OF THEIR LEAVES TO
ELIMINATE TRANSPIRATION, WHICH
MEANS THE LOSS OF WATER TO THE
AIR.
DESERT WILDLIFE HAS ALSO
ADAPTED.
MANY ANIMALS AVOID THE HEAT OF
MIDDAY AND ONLY BECOME ACTIVE AT
DUSK AND DAWN.
THESE ANIMALS ARE SAID TO BE
CREPUSCULAR.
A GOOD EXAMPLE OF A CREPUSCULAR
REPTILE IS THE RATTLESNAKE.
(RATTLE) SOME DESERT ANIMALS,
LIKE THIS BAT YIKES GO ONE STEP
FARTHER AND ONLY COME OUT IN THE
COOL TEMPERATURES OF THE DARK
NIGHT.
THESE ARE CALLED "NOCTURNAL
ANIMALS."
OTHERS LIVE IN BURROWS BENEATH
THE SOIL TO ESCAPE HIGH
TEMPERATURES AT THE DESERT
SURFACE.
AND ABOVE IT ALL SOAR THE BIRDS
OF PREY.
THEY FEED ON THE SMALL MAMMALS
WHEN THEY EMERGE FROM THE
GROUND.
ALL HAVE ADAPTED TO EXTREME
TEMPERATURES AND VERY LITTLE
WATER.
WETLANDS, ON THE OTHER HAND,
HAVE LOTS OF WATER FOR AT LEAST
PART OF THE YEAR.
WATER DRIVES THE OTHER TWO
THINGS THAT DEFINE A WETLAND,
HYDROPHYTES AND HYDRIC SOIL.
HYDRO MEANS "WATER," "PHYTES" IS
THE WORD FOR PLANTS.
HYDROPHYTES, LIKE THIS CATTAIL,
ARE PLANTS THAT HAVE ADAPTED TO
WET CONDITIONS.
THESE DON'T SUFFOCATE OR ROT IN
WATERSOAKED OR HYDRIC SOIL.
THAT SOIL IS COMPOSED OF ORGANIC
MATERIALS, PLANTS THAT HAVE DIED
AND BUILT UP WITHOUT BREAKING
DOWN LIKE THEY DO IN DRIER
SOILS.
THESE SOILS WORK LIKE GIANT
SPONGES, ABSORBING WATER DURING
FLOODS.
THE PLANTS IMPROVE WATER QUALITY
BY TRAPPING POLLUTANTS AND
SOAKING UP NUTRIENTS FROM ANIMAL
WASTES AND FARM FERTILIZER.
WETLANDS PROVIDE FOOD, WATER,
SHELTER, AND SPACE FOR BIRDS
LIKE DUCKS AND SHORE BIRDS.
THEY'RE ALSO IMPORTANT STOPOVER
PLACES FOR MIGRATING BIRDS, LIKE
THESE SNOW GEESE, STOPPING IN
IDAHO ON THEIR WAY TO NESTING
GROUNDS FARTHER NORTH.
REMEMBER OUR DESERT HABITAT?
SOME OF THE LESS OBVIOUS
WETLANDS ARE PLACES LIKE THIS,
THE THIN, GREEN LINES THAT WIND
THROUGH THE DESERTS.
THIS NARROW STRIP OF RELATIVELY
LUSH VEGETATION IS THE LIFEBLOOD
OF IDAHO'S DESERT WILDLIFE.
BIGHORN SHEEP, FROGS, ANTELOPES,
SONG BIRDS, AND OTHER SPECIES
DEPEND ON THESE CRITICAL
WETLANDS TO SURVIVE.
FORESTS COMBINE SOME OF THE
CHARACTERISTICS OF WETLANDS AND
DESERTS.
RAINFORESTS HAVE LOTS OF WATER.
OTHER FORESTS ARE DRY.
HERE IN IDAHO THE FORESTS OF THE
PANHANDLE, CALLED "BOREAL
FORESTS," ARE VERY WET; BUT THE
FORESTS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE
STATE ARE DRY OR TEMPERATE
FORESTS.
THE TALL TREES IN A FOREST ARE
CALLED THE "OVERSTORY."
THE WIND SPREADS THEIR SEEDS AND
POLLEN.
THE UNDERSTORY, THE SHRUBS AND
GRASSES BENEATH THE TALL TREES,
ARE DESIGNED TO GROW IN SHADE.
THERE'S USUALLY LESS WIND IN THE
UNDERSTORY, SO THESE PLANTS HAVE
ADAPTED BY USING ANIMALS TO
DISPERSE THEIR SEEDS.
(RAINFALL) IN A TEMPERATE FOREST
PRECIPITATION MAY FALL
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
(WIND)
HOWEVER, DURING THE
WINTER MOISTURE IS LESS
AVAILABLE BECAUSE IT'S FROZEN.
ANIMALS THAT LIVE IN THIS TYPE
OF FOREST MUST BE ABLE TO
TOLERATE HOT SUMMERS, ADJUST TO
COLD WINTERS BY EITHER
HIBERNATING, MIGRATING, OR
KEEPING ACTIVE.
HIBERNATION GETS BLACK BEARS
THROUGH THE WINTER.
THEY FATTEN UP DURING THE WARM
MONTHS ON INSECTS AND BERRIES,
THEN HIBERNATE WHEN FOOD IS
SCARCE.
WHEN GRASSES AND SHRUBS BECOME
BURIED IN SNOW MANY ANIMALS,
LIKE DEER AND ELK, MIGRATE FROM
MOUNTAINS TO LOWER ELEVATIONS
WHERE FOOD IS MORE AVAILABLE.
IF A FOREST ANIMAL DOES NOT
HIBERNATE OR MIGRATE, IT MUST
STAY ACTIVE TO SURVIVE THE COLD.
THIS WOLVERINE REMAINS IN THE
HIGH COUNTRY BUT SPENDS THE
WINTER FEEDING ON DEAD ANIMALS,
OFTEN THE DEER AND ELK THAT
DON'T SURVIVE THE HARSH WEATHER.
IN BOREAL FORESTS, THE SUMMERS
ARE WET AND COOL.
DEAD PLANTS DECOMPOSE SLOWLY,
CREATING THE SAME HYDRIC SOILS
THAT ARE FOUND IN WETLANDS.
ANIMALS, LIKE THIS MOOSE, HAVE
ADAPTED TO THIS WET, COOL
CLIMATE.
IN THE SUMMER MOOSE CAN BE FOUND
FEEDING ON THE AQUATIC
VEGETATION IN PONDS AND MARSHES
TUCKED INTO THE FORESTS.
DURING THE COLD, WET WINTERS
THEY EAT WILLOWS AND SHRUBS.
THEIR LONG LEGS MAKE IT POSSIBLE
FOR MOOSE TO REACH THE TALL
BRANCHES, AND THEIR BLACK COAT
ABSORBS THE WARMING RAYS OF THE
SUN.
SO WHAT IS A GRASSLAND?
LIKE A FOREST, GRASSLANDS CAN BE
EITHER WET OR DRY.
IN IDAHO OUR GRASSLANDS ARE IN
THE NORTH, NEAR MOSCOW.
THIS AREA IS CALLED THE
"PALOUSE."
IT'S ONE OF THE MOST ENDANGERED
ECOSYSTEMS IN THE UNITED STATES;
ONLY 1 PERCENT REMAINS.
THIS AREA IS RICH IN VOLCANIC
SOILS, WHICH MAKE GOOD FARMLAND.
SO WHEN WHITE SETTLERS ARRIVED,
THE NATIVE PLANTS WERE PLOWED UP
TO SOW WHEAT.
SUMMERS AND WINTERS ARE MILD IN
OUR GRASSLANDS.
THE RAINFALL IS EVENLY
DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
THAT MEANS IT'S JUST AS WET IN
THE SUMMER AS THE WINTER.
BECAUSE OF THAT, THE PLANTS
DON'T NEED THE LONG TAPROOTS
DESERT PLANTS NEED TO REACH
WATER.
AND WHAT ARE GRASSLAND PLANTS?
GRASSES, OF COURSE, PLUS SPECIAL
WILD FLOWERS LIKE CAMAS.
GRASSLANDS CAN BE BLUSTERY
PLACES BECAUSE THERE ARE NOT
MANY TREES TO SLOW THE WIND.
THE LONG, NARROW LEAVES OF THE
GRASSES HELPS REDUCE EVAPORATION
BY THE WIND.
WILDLIFE THAT LIVES IN
GRASSLANDS OFTEN SEEKS SHELTER
IN THE GROUND.
NO TREES, RIGHT?
ANIMALS LIKE POCKET GOPHERS,
SKUNKS, AND RED FOXES ARE
ADAPTED TO BURROW INTO THE
GROUND.
SO IF YOU WERE A WILD ANIMAL,
WHERE WOULD YOU LIVE?
IN A FOREST?
A WETLAND?
DESERT?
OR GRASSLAND?
CARTAN-HANSEN: AND JOINING ME
NOW TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS
ABOUT IDAHO ECOSYSTEMS ARE
ROSEMARY SMITH, PROFESSOR OF
BIOLOGY AT IDAHO STATE
UNIVERSITY, AND LEIF TAPANILA,
DIRECTOR OF THE IDAHO MUSEUM OF
NATURAL HISTORY.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US.
ROSEMARY SMITH: THANK YOU.
LEIF TAPANILA: PLEASURE TO BE
HERE.
CARTAN-HANSEN: OKAY.
LET'S GO TO YOUR QUESTIONS.
(MUSIC)
AMBER: HI, MY NAME IS
AMBER, AND I GO TO WHITE PINE
ELEMENTARY, AND I HAVE A
QUESTION ABOUT ECOSYSTEMS.
WHAT IS AN ECOSYSTEM?
SMITH: AN ECOSYSTEM IS ALL OF
THE LIVING AND NONLIVING
ORGANISMS THAT INTERACT WITH ONE
ANOTHER IN A SPECIFIC LOCATION.
THERE ARE MANY KIND OF
ECOSYSTEMS, AND THEY DON'T HAVE
DISTINCT BORDERS.
HANNAH: HI, MY NAME IS HANNAH.
I GO TO DALTON ELEMENTARY.
AND MY QUESTION IS: DOES IDAHO
HAVE MORE THAN THREE ECOSYSTEMS?
TAPANILA: SURE, IDAHO HAS WAY
MORE THAN THREE ECOSYSTEMS.
IF WE THINK FROM THE TOP TO THE
BOTTOM, WE GO FROM THE ALPINE
ECOSYSTEM, DOWN TO FORESTED
ECOSYSTEMS, THROUGH THE
GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEMS.
WE HAVE DESERT ECOSYSTEMS.
AND THEN AT THE VERY LOW POINTS
WE HAVE OUR WATERY RIPARIAN
ECOSYSTEMS.
REBECCA: HI, MY NAME IS REBECCA,
AND I GO TO GALILEO STEM
ACADEMY.
MY QUESTION IS HOW DO THE
DIFFERENT IDAHO ECOSYSTEMS WORK
TOGETHER?
SMITH: WELL, ALL ECOSYSTEMS WORK
TOGETHER BECAUSE THERE'S A
FINITE AMOUNT OF, FOR EXAMPLE,
CARBON AND NITROGEN AND WATER ON
THE EARTH.
AND THERE'S CONSTANTLY EXCHANGE
BETWEEN LIVING ORGANISMS AND THE
NONLIVING WORLD BETWEEN ALL OF
THE DIFFERENT CHEMICALS THAT WE
NEED TO SUPPORT LIFE.
SO EVERY NO ECOSYSTEM HAS
CONTROL OF ALL OF THOSE
MOLECULES, AND SO THEY'RE
CONSTANTLY CHANGING THEM FROM
ONE FORM TO ANOTHER, BETWEEN
LIVING AND NONLIVING FORMS.
AND THIS HAPPENS ACROSS THOSE
ECOSYSTEMS.
AS I SAID EARLIER, ECOSYSTEMS
DON'T HAVE BORDERS, AND SO
THEY'RE ALWAYS CHANGING AND
INTERACTING WITH ONE ANOTHER.
CARTAN-HANSEN: JOHN ASKS: "WHAT
DOES INLAND WETLAND MEAN?"
TAPANILA: AN INLAND WETLAND IS
ANY ECOSYSTEM THAT'S NOT NEXT TO
THE OCEAN.
SO YOU CAN THINK OF A FRESHWATER
ECOSYSTEM LIKE A RIVER SYSTEM OR
A LAKE.
ELIZABETH: HI, MY NAME IS
ELIZABETH, AND I GO TO JEFFERSON
ELEMENTARY.
MY QUESTION IS: WHAT KIND OF
PLANTS ARE IN THE WETLAND?
SMITH: LOTS AND LOTS.
THERE'S OVER HUNDREDS OF SPECIES
THAT LIVE IN WETLANDS.
ONES THAT MIGHT BE FAMILIAR TO
YOU MIGHT BE CATTAILS, WILLOWS,
BULRUSHES, SEDGES, MOSSES, AND
SOME FERNS.
EVAN: HI, MY NAME IS EVAN, AND
I'M FROM DALTON ELEMENTARY.
AND MY QUESTION IS: HOW DID THE
DESERTS GET CREATED?
TAPANILA: WELL, A DESERT IS ALL
ABOUT WATER.
AND IF YOU DON'T GET A LOT OF
RAIN OR A LOT OF SNOW, THEN IT'S
REALLY DRY.
AND THAT'S WHAT A DESERT IS.
AND WE HERE IN IDAHO LIVE IN A
DESERT.
IT'S A VERY, VERY DRY PLACE.
AND SO OUR ANIMALS AND PLANTS
HAVE ADAPTED TO LEARN HOW TO
LIVE IN THESE PLACES.
SMITH: YEAH, JUST TO ADD TO
THAT, A COUPLE FEATURES THAT CAN
ADD TO DESERTS ARE SOMETHING
CALLED THE "RAIN SHADOW."
SO WE'RE IN THE RAIN SHADOW OF
THE COASTAL MOUNTAINS THAT ARE
IN OREGON AND WASHINGTON.
AND SO WATER FALLS THERE.
YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD THAT
WASHINGTON AND OREGON CAN BE
VERY RAINY PLACES.
BUT ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE
MOUNTAINS IS VERY, VERY DRY
BECAUSE THE RAIN HAS ALREADY
FALLEN IN OREGON AND WASHINGTON.
SO AS THEY REACH IDAHO, USUALLY,
THOSE CLOUDS HOLD MUCH LESS
WATER.
AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS
THAT, ESPECIALLY, THE PARTS OF
FARWESTERN IDAHO AND NORTHERN
IDAHO ARE MUCH DRIER.
BUT AS THEY HIT AS THOSE SAME
CLOUDS HIT IDAHO MOUNTAINS, THEY
ACTUALLY ALSO RAIN.
AND SO OUR MOUNTAINS AND OUR
CONIFEROUS FORESTS ARE SUPPORTED
BY A LITTLE BIT MORE RAIN.
AND THEN MONTANA GETS THE DRY
SIDE OF AND WYOMING GET THE DRY
SIDE FROM THE RAIN SHADOW OF
IDAHO'S MOUNTAINS.
MICAH: HI, MY NAME IS MICAH.
I GO TO JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY.
AND MY QUESTION IS: I KNOW THAT
THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF
FORESTS, SO I'M CURIOUS IF THERE
ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF DESERTS?
TAPANILA: OH, ABSOLUTELY, THERE
ARE DIFFERENT KINDS OF DESERTS.
AND PART OF IT IS, AGAIN,
RELATED TO A DESERT BEING ABOUT
WATER, HOW MUCH WATER YOU GET.
BUT DIFFERENT DESERTS COME FROM
DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD
WHERE THE CLIMATE MIGHT BE A
LITTLE WARMER AND DRIER THAN
OTHERS.
AND SO SOME OF THE FAMOUS
DESERTS THAT YOU CAN THINK OF IN
NORTH AMERICA ARE THE SONORAN
DESERT THE GREAT BASIN DESERT.
BUT AROUND THE WORLD WE HAVE THE
GOBI DESERT, IN MONGOLIA, WE
HAVE THE SAHARAN DESERT, IN
NORTHERN AFRICA.
AND THE LARGEST DESERTS IN THE
WORLD ARE ACTUALLY AT THE NORTH
POLE AND THE SOUTH POLE.
CARTAN-HANSEN: LEIF, WHY DID YOU
WANT TO STUDY ABOUT IDAHO'S
ECOSYSTEMS?
TAPANILA: WELL, I'M FASCINATED
ABOUT HOW OUR PLANET CHANGES AND
OUR ENVIRONMENT CHANGES OVER
TIME.
AND THAT'S WHY I STUDY THE
ANCIENT HISTORY OF THE
ECOSYSTEMS IN IDAHO.
I'M A PALEONTOLOGIST, SO I STUDY
FOSSILS, AND I STUDY HOW IDAHO
USED TO BE UNDERWATER AND PART
OF THE OCEAN A LONG TIME AGO AND
THEN BECAME MOUNTAINS, AND THEN
IT BECAME WHAT IT IS TODAY, WITH
ALL OF ITS DIVERSE MODERN
ECOSYSTEMS.
AND SO I'M FASCINATED IN
LEARNING ABOUT ANCIENT ANIMALS
AND HOW THEY INTERACTED WITH
THEIR ENVIRONMENT, HOW THEY
COPED WITH CHANGE, OF HOW
EXTINCTIONS HAPPENED AND HOW
ORGANISMS RECOVER AFTER
EXTINCTION EVENTS.
OF COURSE, THIS IS ANCIENT
HISTORY, BUT IT TELLS US A LOT
ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON TODAY AND
ALLOWS US TO UNDERSTAND BY USING
THE PAST TO UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR
CURRENT SITUATION IS ON THE
PLANET AND PERHAPS GIVE US A WAY
TO UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR FUTURE
MIGHT BE ON OUR PLANET.
(MUSIC)
CARTAN-HANSEN:
ECOSYSTEMS ARE ONE WAY WE DEFINE
OUR WORLD.
PLANT COMMUNITIES FIT WITHIN
HABITATS THAT FITS WITHIN
ECOSYSTEMS THAT EXISTS WITHIN A
LARGER AREA CALLED A "BIOME."
ECOSYSTEMS CAN BE AS LARGE AS
HUNDREDS OF SQUARE MILES OR AS
SMALL AS A POND.
(MUSIC)
CLAY: HI, MY NAME IS
CLAY, AND I GO TO WHITE PINE
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
AND MY QUESTION IS: WHAT IS AN
INVASIVE PLANT?
SMITH: AN INVASIVE PLANT IS A
PLANT THAT'S NOT NATIVE TO ITS
REGION, THAT HAS A TENDENCY TO
SPREAD RAPIDLY, SO IT HAS LOTS
OF SEEDS, AND IS ABLE TO LIVE
ESPECIALLY IN DISTURBED
HABITATS.
AND USUALLY IT HAS TO BE ABLE TO
CAUSE SOME KIND OF ECONOMIC OR
DETRIMENTAL DAMAGE TO HUMANS OR
THEIR LIVELIHOODS, LIKE
AGRICULTURE.
SAWYER: HELLO, MY NAME IS
SAWYER, AND I GO TO WHITE PINE
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU ABOUT
ECOSYSTEMS: HOW DO NONNATIVE
PLANTS GET HERE?
SMITH: SO NONNATIVE PLANTS GET
HERE BY LOTS OF DIFFERENT WAYS.
PROBABLY THE MOST COMMON IS
ACTUALLY THROUGH OUR
AGRICULTURAL SEED.
SO WHEN FARMERS PLANT SEEDS,
SOME OF THOSE SEEDS, THOSE BAGS
OF SEEDS THAT THEY ARE PUTTING
OUT TO PLANT, ARE CONTAMINATED
WITH WEED SEEDS.
AND SO BECAUSE THOSE WEED SEEDS
PRETEND THAT THEY ARE THEY LOOK
LIKE MAYBE A WHEAT SEED OR A
MILLET SEED OR A LENTIL SEED,
AND SO THEN THEY GROW AS PART OF
THE FARMER'S CROPS.
SO MANY OF OUR WEEDS ARE
INTRODUCED THROUGH FARMING
PRACTICES.
THEY CAN ALSO COME IN ON
VEHICLES.
THEY CAN BE STUCK ONTO VEHICLES
OR DIFFERENT FORMS OF FARMING
EQUIPMENT.
AND THEY CAN ALSO JUST BLOW IN.
MANY WEED SEEDS HAVE THE ABILITY
TO TRAVEL GREAT DISTANCES BY
WIND.
JUSTIN: HI, MY NAME IS JUSTIN,
AND I'M FROM WHITE PINE
ELEMENTARY.
AND I HAVE A QUESTION: WHERE ARE
MOST INVASIVE PLANTS SPECIES
LOCATED, AND HOW CAN WE STOP
THEM FROM SPREADING?
TAPANILA: WELL, SOME OF THE MOST
INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES YOU'VE
PROBABLY SEEN BEFORE.
WE HAVE THISTLES, WE HAVE
CHEATGRASS, WE HAVE KNAPWEED.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE PLANTS
THAT ARE ASSOCIATED ESPECIALLY
WITH AGRICULTURAL LANDS, THE
PLACES WHERE WE GROW OUR FOOD.
SO A COUPLE OF WAYS THAT WE CAN
CONTROL THEM IS MAKING SURE THEY
DON'T GET PLANTED IN THE FIRST
PLACE.
BUT IF THEY DO, THEN WE CAN
SIMPLY REMOVE THEM JUST BY
PULLING THEM OUT OR WE CAN USE
CHEMICALS TO KILL THEM OFF.
MAX: HI, MY NAME IS MAX.
I GO TO GALILEO STEM ACADEMY.
AND I AM WONDERING WHERE IS THE
BOTTOM OF THE FOOD CHAIN?
SMITH: SO THE BOTTOM OF THE FOOD
CHAIN IS PROBABLY THE MOST
IMPORTANT PIECE OF THE FOOD
CHAIN.
ORGANISMS THERE, MOSTLY PLANTS,
ARE GOING TO TAKE CARBON, THAT'S
IN THE AIR IN THE FORM OF CARBON
DIOXIDE, AND WITH THE USE OF
SUNLIGHT LINK TOGETHER DIFFERENT
CARBON MOLECULES.
AND THAT FORMS THE BASIS OF THE
FOOD CHAIN BECAUSE THOSE
MOLECULES ARE THE MOLECULES THAT
ALL OTHER ORGANISMS NEED TO
SURVIVE.
SO THAT'S OUR FOOD.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IT'S FOOD FOR
PLANTS, AS WELL AS ALL THE OTHER
ANIMALS.
SO PLANTS WOULD BE THE BASE OF
THE FOOD CHAIN.
JOHN: HELLO, MY NAME IS JOHN,
AND I GO TO GALILEO STEM
ACADEMY.
AND MY QUESTION TODAY IS: IS THE
BUMBLEBEE AN IMPORTANT PART OF
IDAHO?
SMITH: YES.
THERE ARE MANY SPECIES OF
BUMBLEBEES IN IDAHO, AND THEY
ARE ALL VERY IMPORTANT.
BUMBLEBEES ARE IMPORTANT
POLLINATORS OF OUR FLOWERING
PLANTS.
AND YOU MIGHT NOT THINK THAT
THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT, BUT
FLOWERING PARTS PLANTS ARE PART
OF THAT BASE OF THE ECOSYSTEM,
IN TERMS OF PRODUCING THE SEEDS
AND THE PLANTS THAT ARE
NECESSARY FOR ALL THE OTHER
ORGANISMS IN IDAHO AND OTHER
ECOSYSTEMS, AS WELL.
MINJIN: HI, MY NAME IS MINJIN,
AND I'M FROM WHITE PINE
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND I HAVE A
QUESTION.
HOW DO THE PEOPLE IN IDAHO
NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE ANIMALS
AROUND THEM?
TAPANILA: WELL, WE HAVE TO THINK
OF OURSELVES AS BEING PART OF
OUR ECOSYSTEM, RIGHT?
AND WE SHARE THIS ECOSYSTEM WITH
ALL SORTS OF ANIMALS AND PLANTS.
AND WE ALL TAKE UP OUR SPACE.
AND WE ALL TAKE UP THE ENERGY IN
THE SYSTEM THAT'S AROUND.
THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH ENERGY AND
SO MUCH SPACE IN OUR
SURROUNDINGS, AND IF WE THINK
ABOUT HOW WE SHARE THOSE
DIFFERENT THINGS AND PLACES WITH
OTHERS, THEN WE WILL HELP REDUCE
OUR NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THOSE
ANIMALS AND PLANTS AROUND US.
(MUSIC)
CARTAN-HANSEN: SOIL IS THE TOP
LAYER OF THE EARTH.
WITHOUT SOIL OUR PLANET WOULD BE
REALLY DIFFERENT.
SO LET'S LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE
ABOUT SOIL.
SOIL IS THE TOP LAYER OF THE
EARTH.
IT'S MADE OF AIR AND GAS, BITS
OF ROCK, MINERALS, WATER,
DECAYING PLANTS, AND TINY
MICROBES.
SOIL FORMS IN DIFFERENT LAYERS
ON THE EARTH.
WHEN SOIL SCIENTISTS STUDY
LAYERS OF SOIL, THEY CALL IT
STUDYING THE SOIL PROFILE.
TOPSOIL IS THE LAYER YOU SEE,
THE LAYER YOU TYPICALLY WALK ON.
IT CONTAINS DARK ORGANIC
MATERIAL, WHICH IS MADE UP OF
DECAYED PLANT AND ANIMAL MATTER.
TOPSOIL CAN BE ABOUT 6 INCHES
THICK.
UNDER TOPSOIL IS SUBSOIL.
IT'S FROM SEVERAL INCHES TO
SEVERAL FEET THICK.
IT LOOKS LIGHTER BECAUSE IT
CONTAINS LESS HUMUS, IS MORE
TIGHTLY PACKED AND HAS SLIGHTLY
BIGGER PIECES OF ROCK.
NEXT IS THE FRAGMENTED ROCK
LAYER OR PARENT MATERIAL.
NOTHING GROWS AT THIS LAYER.
IT'S MADE OF ROCK PARTICLES,
SAND, CLAY, SALTS, AND MINERALS.
AT THE DEEPEST LEVEL IS SOLID
BEDROCK.
THIS IS THE LAYER OF ROCK FROM
WHICH SOIL BEGINS TO FORM.
SOIL IS CREATED OVER LOTS OF
TIME.
ROCKS FORM WHEN VOLCANOES ERUPT
OR WHEN SANDS GET COMPRESSED.
WEATHERING FROM WIND, ICE, AND
RAIN, BREAKS ROCKS INTO SMALLER
PARTS.
PLANTS GROW IN THE CRACKS CAUSED
BY EROSION, CREATING MORE HOLES
FOR AIR AND WATER.
THEY ALSO DROP LEAVES, WHICH
DECAY.
ANIMALS LEAVE WASTE PRODUCTS
BEHIND.
BACTERIA AND FUNGI HELP BREAK
DOWN DEAD PLANT AND ANIMAL
MATERIALS INTO SMALLER PIECES.
THESE COMBINE WITH ROCK
PARTICLES TO MAKE SOIL.
NOW, THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES
OF SOIL.
THE TYPE DEPENDS UPON THE
ORIGINAL PARENT MATERIAL, HOW
BIG THE ROCK PARTICLES ARE, THE
CLIMATE, AND WHAT ELSE IS IN THE
MIXTURE.
STUDENT 1: CLAY IS THE SMALLEST
SOIL PARTICLE.
CLAY CLUMPS BECAUSE IT CAN HOLD
WATER BETTER THAN SOME OTHER
TYPES OF SOIL.
STUDENT 2: SILT IS POWDERY AND
SOFT TO THE TOUCH AND RETAINS
WATER WELL.
STUDENT 3: SAND IS THE LARGEST
SOIL PARTICLE.
IT IS THE LEAST RESISTANT TO
WEATHERING.
STUDENT 4: LOAM HAS THE BEST
SOIL FOR GROWING PLANTS.
IT IS AN EVEN COMBINATION OF
SAND, SILT, AND CLAY PARTICLES
WITH ORGANIC MATERIALS.
CARTAN-HANSEN: THERE ARE OVER
25,000 DIFFERENT NAMED SOILS IN
THE UNITED STATES.
SOIL SCIENTISTS ARE TRAINED TO
BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY DIFFERENT
TYPES OF SOIL AND WHAT THEY MEAN
FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.
SOIL IS VERY MUCH ALIVE.
ONE TABLESPOON OF SOIL CONTAINS
MORE MICROBES THAN THERE ARE
HUMANS ON EARTH.
INSECTS, BACTERIA, EARTHWORMS,
AND OTHER CREATURES LIVE IN
SOIL.
LARGER ANIMALS DO, TOO, LIKE
BADGERS AND SNAKES.
SOIL FILTERS OUR WATER, HOLDING
BACK CONTAMINANTS AND TAKING OUT
IMPURITIES.
SOIL IS USED IN CONSTRUCTION AND
PROVIDES THE FOUNDATION UPON
WHICH OUR HOMES AND BUSINESSES
ARE BUILT.
AND, IMPORTANTLY, PLANTS NEED
SOIL TO PROVIDE THEM WITH
MINERALS AND NUTRIENTS.
SOIL SCIENTISTS HELP FARMERS
UNDERSTAND WHAT PLANTS TO GROW
AND HOW TO IMPROVE THE SOIL TO
INCREASE THEIR CROP YIELDS.
STUDENT: SOIL IS AN ESSENTIAL
NATURAL RESOURCE.
IT'S FOOD FOR SOME ANIMALS, HOME
FOR OTHERS.
SOIL CLEANS OUR WATER, PROVIDES
NUTRIENTS FOR PLANTS AND GIVES
US A PLACE TO LIVE.
SO LEARN ABOUT SOIL!
DIG IN!
(MUSIC)
NATHAN: HI, MY NAME IS NATHAN
FROM WHITE PINE ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL, AND I HAVE A QUESTION.
HOW DOES EROSION AFFECT IDAHO
ECOSYSTEMS, AND HOW CAN WE
RESTORE WHAT EROSION HAS TAKEN
WAY?
TAPANILA: WELL, EROSION IS A
NATURAL PROCESS ON THE SURFACE
OF THE LAND, BUT IT CAN CARVE
AWAY VERY IMPORTANT THINGS THAT
STABILIZE ECOSYSTEMS.
WE CAN THINK OF SOILS THAT
SUPPORT THE GROWTH OF ALL SORTS
OF PLANT LIFE AND ANIMALS AS
GETTING ERODED AWAY BY
RAINSTORMS AND RUNOFF.
SO ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE CAN
PREVENT THAT IS BY MAKING SURE
THAT VEGETATION AND PLANTS ARE
GROWING IN AREAS AND THAT IF A
FIRE OCCURS AND WIPES OUT THESE
PLANTS, WE COULD REPLACE THEM SO
THAT THE SOILS DON'T GET ERODED
AWAY.
THE OTHER THING THAT WE CAN
THINK ABOUT IS WHERE THAT SOIL
ENDS UP.
IF THEY END UP IN RIVERS AND
LAKES, IT CLOUDS THE WATER, AND
THAT CAN AFFECT ORGANISMS, ALSO.
ADAM: HI, MY NAME IS ADAM, AND I
GO TO WHITE PINE ELEMENTARY.
AND MY QUESTION IS: WHAT IS
IDAHO'S MOST USEFUL BIOME FOR
ANIMALS?
SMITH: SO THAT'S ANOTHER REALLY
HARD QUESTION, BECAUSE
USEFULNESS TO HUMANS MIGHT BE
REALLY DIFFERENT FROM ANSWERING
THE QUESTION FROM A PLANT OR AN
ANIMAL'S POINT OF VIEW.
SO IF YOU WERE A PLANT, A MOST
USEFUL BIOME WOULD BE ONE THAT
HAD JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF
SUNLIGHT, JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT
OF WATER, AND JUST THE RIGHT
AMOUNT OF NUTRIENTS IN THE SOIL.
AND THAT MIGHT VARY FROM PLACE
TO PLACE AND FROM PLANT TO
PLANT.
SAME FROM AN ANIMAL'S POINT OF
VIEW.
IMAGINE THAT YOU WERE A MOUSE,
THERE MIGHT BE CERTAIN BIOMES
THAT WOULD BE BEST FOR A MOUSE,
BUT MAYBE THEY WOULDN'T BE AS
GOOD FOR A SNAKE OR A LIZARD.
SO DIFFERENT BIOMES HAVE
DIFFERENT COMBINATIONS OF BIOTIC
AND ABIOTIC FACTORS.
AND SO THIS QUESTION REALLY
CAN'T BE ANSWERED.
IF YOU'RE ANSWERING IT FROM A
HUMAN'S PERSPECTIVE, THERE MIGHT
BE BIOMES THAT ARE BEST, FOR
EXAMPLE, FOR OUR AGRICULTURE,
SUCH AS GRASSLANDS.
AND CERTAINLY, WE WOULD DO MUCH
BETTER IN FARMING IN A GRASSLAND
ECOSYSTEM THAN WE WOULD IN A
FOREST ECOSYSTEM, BUT WE
WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GET ANY WOOD
TO BUILD OUR HOUSES.
AND SO IF WE WANT LUMBER, THEN A
FORESTRY ECOSYSTEM WOULD BE THE
MOST VALUABLE FOR US.
SO IT DEPENDS ON WHAT ANIMAL
YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT, WHAT
PLANT YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT, OR
MAYBE THE ANIMAL THAT YOU'RE
THINKING ABOUT IS A HUMAN.
AND THEN THAT BIOME REALLY WOULD
DEPEND ON WHAT YOU'RE PLANNING
TO GET OUT OF THAT BIOME.
AVA: HI, MY NAME IS AVA, AND I
GO TO JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY.
MY QUESTION IS: WHAT TYPE OF
PLANTS GROW IN A DESERT?
TAPANILA: SAGE.
SAGE LOVES DESERTS.
AND WE ALSO GET CACTUS AND MY
FAVORITE TREE, THE JUNIPER.
THESE ARE ALL PLANTS THAT ARE
TOLERANT OF VERY, VERY DRY
CONDITIONS.
THEY CAN DEAL WITH VERY WARM
TEMPERATURES.
BUT THEY ALSO KNOW HOW TO KEEP
THEY'RE MOISTURE DURING THE DAY.
CARTAN-HANSEN: VALERIE WOULD
LIKE TO KNOW: "HOW CAN I CREATE
AN ECOSYSTEM?"
SMITH: SO, ACTUALLY, YOU MIGHT
BE CONSIDERED AN ECOSYSTEM.
YOUR BODY, ACTUALLY, IT COULD BE
CONSIDERED A COMPLETE ECOSYSTEM
ALL TO ITSELF.
YOU HAVE MILLIONS AND MILLIONS,
IF NOT BILLIONS, OF BACTERIA
THAT ARE LIVING ON YOUR SURFACE
AND IN YOUR GUTS, AND THOSE
WOULD BE CONSIDERED PART OF YOUR
OWN LITTLE BIOME.
SOMETIMES IT'S CALLED A
"MICROBIOME."
AND WITHIN THAT YOU HAVE LIVING
AND NONLIVING COMPONENTS THAT
CYCLE ALL THE TIME.
THERE'S WATER AND NUTRIENTS
MOVING AROUND.
SO, ACTUALLY, YOU ALREADY HAVE
CREATED AN ECOSYSTEM BY BEING
ALIVE.
ANOTHER WAY, THOUGH, IF YOU WANT
TO CREATE AN ECOSYSTEM IN YOUR
CLASSROOM, MAYBE START WITH A
TERRARIUM OR AN AQUARIUM.
IN THERE YOU COULD PUT FOOD AND
WATER AND SOILS AND GASES, ALL
OF WHICH WOULD BE NECESSARY FOR
RECYCLING OF NUTRIENTS BETWEEN
THE DIFFERENT TROPHIC LEVELS OR
FOOD LEVELS.
SO BETWEEN THE PLANTS AND THE
ANIMALS AND THE SOILS.
CARTAN-HANSEN: ROSEMARY, IF
SOMEONE IS INTERESTED IN IDAHO
ECOSYSTEMS AND WANTS TO GET A
JOB, WHAT SHOULD HE OR SHE STUDY
IN SCHOOL?
SMITH: THEY SHOULD STUDY ENGLISH
AND WRITING AND COMMUNICATION.
THEY SHOULD STUDY MATHEMATICS,
AS MUCH AS YOU CAN.
AND THEY SHOULD STUDY ALL OF THE
NATURAL SCIENCES, GEOLOGY, LIFE
SCIENCES, AND ANY KIND OF OTHER
SCIENCE COURSES THAT THEY CAN
TAKE, THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES, AS
WELL.
BUT, REALLY, WHAT YOU WANT TO
HAVE IS GOOD THINKING SKILLS.
SO THOSE YOU MIGHT LEARN BY, FOR
EXAMPLE, READING A COMPLICATED
BOOK AND THEN LEARNING TO WRITE
ABOUT IT.
OR, PERHAPS, WRITING YOUR OWN
STORY.
ALL OF THESE KINDS OF WAYS OF
THINKING CAN BE REALLY IMPORTANT
FOR DEVELOPING YOUR ABILITY TO
BE A SCIENTIST AND TO STUDY
IDAHO ECOSYSTEMS.
CARTAN-HANSEN: I'M SORRY, WE'VE
RUN OUT OF TIME.
I'D LIKE TO THANK ROSEMARY AND
LEIF FOR ANSWERING STUDENTS
QUESTIONS.
SMITH: YOU'RE WELCOME.
TAPANILA: THANKS FOR THE
QUESTIONS.
CARTAN-HANSEN: OUR THANKS, ALSO,
TO THE FOLKS HERE AT THE IDAHO
MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY AT
IDAHO STATE UNIVERSITY FOR
HOSTING US.
AND IF YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE
ABOUT IDAHO ECOSYSTEMS AND LOTS
OF OTHER SCIENTIFIC TOPICS, YOU
CAN GO TO THE SCIENCE TREK
WEBSITE.
WE'LL ANSWER MORE QUESTIONS
ABOUT IDAHO ECOSYSTEMS ON
SCIENCE TREK: THE WEB SHOW .
AND IF YOU WANT TO SUBMIT A
QUESTION FOR SCIENCE TREK , IT'S
EASY.
AND YOU AND YOUR CLASS CAN WIN
PRIZES.
YOU CAN SEND IT AS AN EMAIL OR
AS A VIDEO QUESTION, RECORD IT
ON YOUR WEBCAM OR CELL PHONE.
AND IF YOU'RE AN EDUCATOR, WE'LL
EVEN LEND YOU A CAMERA.
OUR LAST PRIZE WINNER WAS MARQUE
IN MS. DEWITT'S CLASS AT WILDER
MIDDLE SCHOOL.
SO TO FIND OUT ALL ABOUT IDAHO'S
ECOSYSTEMS, HOW TO SEND IN YOUR
QUESTIONS, AND HOW TO WIN, GO TO
THE SCIENCE TREK WEBSITE.
AND EACH WEEK CHECK OUT MY BLOG
FOR THE LATEST SCIENCE NEWS FOR
KIDS.
YOU'LL FIND IT ALL AT
IDAHOPTV.ORG/SCIENCETREK.
THANKS FOR JOINING US.
WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME ON
SCIENCE TREK .
(MUSIC)
NARRATOR: PRESENTATION OF
SCIENCE TREK ON IDAHO PUBLIC
TELEVISION IS MADE POSSIBLE
THROUGH THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF
THE LAURA MOORE CUNNINGHAM
FOUNDATION, COMMITTED TO
FULFILLING THE MOORE AND BETTIS
FAMILY LEGACY OF BUILDING THE
GREAT STATE OF IDAHO.
BY THE FRIENDS OF IDAHO PUBLIC
TELEVISION AND BY THE
CORPORATION OF PUBLIC
BROADCASTING.
CARTAN-HANSEN: IF YOU WANT TO
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS TOPIC OR
WATCH OUR VIDEOS, CHECK OUT THE
SCIENCE TREK WEBSITE AT
IDAHOPTV.ORG/SCIENCETREK.