Fall 2014
Turkey tail fungi: Nature’s recycling enthusiasts
Turkey tail fungi are found in mixed-wood forests on every continent except Antarctica. Known as Trametes versicolor to natural scientists, these fungi are admired for the colourful concentric ring pattern on the cap (or ‘pileus’) of their fruiting bodies. These fungi are in the order Polyporales meaning they have multiple openings known as pores under […]
The Abundance of Earthworms with Human Activity
Introduction We are McGill university undergrad students studying environmental biology. In the course St. Lawrence Ecosystem (ENVB 222), we will be conducting a research project geared at evaluating earthworm abundance in the Morgan Arboretum. To expand on the data collected by researchers in last year’s class, we chose to further study earthworms, but in relation […]
Critters in the Litter
Arthropods are a successful group of invertebrate animals; they are members of the phylum Arthropoda, which is known to be the largest phylum in the animal kingdom. The distinguishing feature of Arthropods is the presence of a jointed external skeleton composed of chitin, a nitrogen-containing sugar (Barnes,2014). Furthermore their body is divided into distinct parts, […]
Squirrel Nests in the Morgan Arboretum
Squirrels are mammals that belong to the Sciuridae family, which is included in order Rodentia (rodent) (Macdonald 2009). They are among the most common and widespread mammals and are found in almost all regions of the world, excluding the arctic, Madagascar and desert areas. These large-eyed, bushy-tailed, diurnal (active during the daytime) animals are relatively […]
Walnut Trees and Plant Species Diversity
Natural History of The walnut trees In North America, some of the most common members of the Juglandaceae family are Juglans cinerea and Juglans nigra, otherwise known as the Butternut or White Walnut and the Black Walnut or American Walnut respectively. These trees are found throughout eastern North America, and prefer deep, moist, fertile soils […]
The St. Lawrence Lowlands 