Tag: nature at work
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Nature at Work: Salt Marshes and Sparrows
Salt marshes are coastal wetlands that are flooded and drained by tides. These ecosystems occur along temperate shorelines worldwide. Tidal inundation occurs every twelve hours, flooding the habitat with higher tides around the new and full moons every two weeks. These intertidal habitats are an essential space for healthy wildlife communities, including some species that…
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Nature at Work: Ecosystem Engineers (Part 2): Aquatic Architects
Coral Reefs: This Ecosystem – It’s Alive! Did you know corals are actually tiny animals, and these giant reef structures are made up of millions of exoskeletons, with mouths and stomachs? Now you do. Corals use calcium and carbonate ions from seawater to build these exoskeletons, building reefs that can go on for miles (such…
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Nature at Work: Ecosystem Engineers (Part 1): Terrestrial Technicians
We appreciate wildlife for plenty of reasons, but it’s rare that we take a moment to admire their natural technical abilities. These animals may never have taken a statistics class or used CAD software, but they use their own special skillsets to shape their habitats–earning them a place in the special category of species called…
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Nature at Work: Not-so-plain Floodplains
Rivers have influence far beyond their banks. Many rivers naturally have spaces around them known as floodplains. This month’s edition of Nature At Work is all about these fascinating freshwater features. You might have noticed the water level in your local river getting higher after heavy rain, and lower after several days of no rain–the…
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Nature at Work: Wetlands
What in the world is a wetland? The word “wetland” can refer to a variety of ecosystems, including swamps, marshes, bogs, floodplains and ponds. Generally speaking, wetlands are *lands* that are *wet* (that is, covered by water) at least some of the time. It’s a big group, and this impressive crew of landscapes are a…
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Nature At Work: Are these cicadas magicians or mathematicians?
Depending on where you live, you might have noticed a new winged critter popping up… everywhere. Don’t worry! Despite their giant, buzzing wings, unending eerie song, and those bright red eyes, cicadas aren’t here to do any harm. And this year, they’re actually a natural event you won’t want to miss. These cicadas are known…
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Happy Earth Day! Introducing Nature At Work
It’s Earth Day, so we’d like to talk about some of our favorite environmental engineers: Mangroves! The term mangrove actually refers to over 70 species of trees and shrubs that share common characteristics: namely, the ability to live partially submerged in salt water. Mangroves live in tropical and sub-tropical intertidal zones around the world, lining…