יומן של Sarasota-Manatee EcoFlora Project (FL, USA)

ארכיון יומן של אוקטובר 2020

אוקטובר 1, 2020

Oakey Poakey - October's Ecoquest

October's or better said Oaktober's monthly Sarasota-Manatee Ecoquest, the Oakey Poakey! This challenge will be focusing on the 11 native oak species found in Sarasota and Manatee Counties all in the genus Quercus. These shrubs and trees are important to our local ecosystems. Their branches provide shelter, their leaves a natural mulch, their acorns a critical food source for animals, and their shade important to both forest and urban microclimates. The spanish moss that often hangs from oak trees makes excellent nesting material for birds. The threatened Florida scrub jay, Florida’s only endemic bird, thrives in areas with large quantities of oak shrubs. Oaks are also important trees in our home and urban landscapes and historically important sources of timber.

To join the Oakey Poakey Ecoquest click here: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/sarasota-manatee-ecoflora-october-ecoquest-oakey-pokey

To learn more about Oak Trees and their identification check here: https://selby.org/wp-content/uploads/ecoquest_oakey_pokey.pdf

For this month's Ecoquest video and helpful tips check out our video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJs3BMk0g9k&feature=youtu.be

Hope you do OA-K finding the Oak trees in this month's Oakey Poakey!

הועלה ב-אוקטובר 1, 2020 07:19 אחה"צ על ידי sean_patton sean_patton | 0 תגובות | הוספת תגובה

אוקטובר 9, 2020

Ongoing Project: Tracking the Invasive Mexican Bromeliad Weevil

Part of the Sarasota-Manatee EcoFlora Project is to help conserve and monitor local plant species and help protect native and threatened species. Unfortunately an invasive weevil the Mexican Bromeliad Weevil (Metamasius callizona) has made protecting our native bromeliads much more difficult. The Mexican bromeliad weevil plays a role in the ecology of its natural habitat in Mexico and Central America. However, an accidental introduction through the bromeliad trade into Florida has resulted in the decimation of certain native Florida bromeliads, particularly Tillandsia utriculata and Guzmania monostachia. The weevil has also attacked many cultivated species in Florida.

Please help to map its distribution either through direct sightings of the insect, or by mapping affected plants (usually seen on the ground broken into many pieces). Photographing the various stages of insect development is critical for observations being elevated to Research Grade. In the absence of evidence, downed bromeliad observations are welcome, though should not be elevated to Research Grade as downed specimens can be caused by several factors. This project will be ongoing in perpetuity as we track where the weevil is, where damage is most severe, and where the weevil is absent. All data will help us preserve and restore or epiphyte community.

We welcome older legacy photos if they can be geolocated with a high degree of accuracy, and Mexico/Central America sightings are also much appreciated.

If you are interested in further work with conserving epiphytes, looking at examples of the weevil and tracking the Mexican Bromeliad Weevil please follow the project here: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/mexican-bromeliad-weevil-metamasius-callizona

הועלה ב-אוקטובר 9, 2020 02:00 לפנה"צ על ידי sean_patton sean_patton | תגובה 1 | הוספת תגובה