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The Olympic Peninsula contains the world’s best example of old-growth, temperate rain forest. An unusual combination of climatic factors, including year-round mild temperatures, winter wet season and summer dry season, and abundant yearly precipitation produce ideal conditions for dense, old- growth forest. Olympic Mountains have world-record sized trees which grow to 300 feet, attain great diameters, and survive for 300 to 800 years. Plants and animals are well adapted to climatic and ecological conditions. The Florida Everglades are equally unique in their plant associations, with mangroves, tree islands, pinelands, and sawgrass marshes. Everglades plants and animals are adapted to spatial and temporal heterogeneity because of periodic severe weather events such as hurricanes, floods, droughts, freezes, and fires.
Classroom and field activities focus on developing an understanding of Connecticut ecology and climate. Plant collecting and a hawk watch field trip are described. Classroom materials include color slide sets for the Olympics and the Everglades.
(Recommended for Honors Biology, grade 9, College Biology, grade 10, and Biology, grades 7-8)
Ecology Environmental Studies Climate Ecosystems