by Gabriell DeBear Paye
What is a Field Guide?
Field guides are books used by
scientists, students and amateur naturalists to help them identify species they
encounter. Field guides contain photographs or accurate illustrations along
with clear descriptions about a group of organisms. There are guides for all
kinds of organisms such as weeds, edible plants, medicinal plants, trees,
grasses, mushrooms, fish, birds and mammals. The use of field guides during
outdoor expeditions has become a popular hobby. It gives us a way to
understand, interact with and appreciate our environment. Field guides can also
assist us in measuring the natural diversity of an area and monitoring changes
over time.
Field guides often use a system called
a dichotomous key, which gives you two choices to select from as you narrow
your search in identifying a species. Each time you make a choice you move to a
more focused group of two new descriptions to chose from. This continues until
you get to your final destination which is the species you want to learn about.
The field guide will tell you the scientific name of the species and usually
some other facts about it such as its identifying characteristics, range and
habitat.
Make your own field guide:
You can make your own field guide featuring
plants around your home or school. You can use your customized field guide to
teach other students or friends about special plants growing in your community.
1. You should select a focus for your field guide. Below are
some examples of possible names for your field guide:
Invasive
plants.
Native
wild flowers.
Mosses
and ferns.
Edible
and useful plants growing in my neighborhood.
Plants
of ______________ and how they were used by Native Americans.
2. The theme for my field guide
will be:
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Note to the teacher: Each student or small group may decide to make their own field guide or an entire class can include their work together for one larger field guide.
3. You can use photographs, drawings or specimens for the visual part of your field guide. If you want to use specimens, follow the instructions in the previous lab activity (Plant Identification and Preparation) to prepare the plants you wish to include. The pictures or specimens must be clear so that people will be able to use them to learn to recognize the plants. For a really professional looking field guide, scan your pictures into a computer and type the text.
4. On every page with each specimen or picture, write or type
the following information about the plant:
a.
The common and scientific name of the plant.
b.
Identifying characteristics of the plant.
c.
The uses of the plant.
d. Information about how the plant grows, as well as its range, life
span, abundance, and climatic and soil requirements.
5. What kind of information would be
helpful to people who might read your field guide?
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6. Once all your specimens are completed, organize them into
a logical order and create a key that can be used to assist anyone who uses
the field guide to help them identify the species. On the next page is a simple
key of some common trees using leaf comparisons to identify them. Write the
name of each type of tree in the space provided below the drawings using the
key to help you. You can use the outline of this key as a guide to help you
develop a key for your own field guide by substituting your own descriptions
of the plants in your collection for the ones given here.
1 a. Leaves are evergreen,
thin,
needle-like……………………………….……………...………..2
b. Leaves are broad,
deciduous……………………………………….……………...…………..6
2. a. Needles are over one
inch long, in
clusters……………………….……………………..……3
b. Needles are one half inch or less……………………………….……………………………..4
3. a. Needles in clusters of
three…………………….…………………….Pitch
pine (Pinus rigida)
b. Needles in clusters of
five……………………….………
Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus)
4. a. Needles scale-like,
sharp, cover twigs………….....Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus
virginiana)
b. Needles protrude from the
twigs……………………….……………………..………………5
5. a. Needles flat, rounded
tips in two rows along twig…..….Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga
canadensis)
b. Needles in whorl around the
stem………………….……...……White
Spruce (Picea glauca)
6. a. Compound leaves divided
into 7 leaflets…………………....White ash (Fraxinus
americana)
b. Simple
leaves………………………………………….…….………………………………..7
7. a. Lobed, rounded leaves
with 7 to 9
lobes…………….………...…..White
Oak (Quercus alba)
b. Toothed
leaves………………………………………………….…………………………….8
8. a. Long slender leaves
which droop down……………....…Weeping Willow (Salix
babylonica)
b. Leaves
are less than twice as long as
broad………………….…...…………………………..9
9. a. Leaves have an
elliptical
shape………………....………American
Beech (Fagus grandifolia)
b. Leaves are toothed and
lobed………………….……..………Sugar
Maple (Acer Saccharum)
7. How will you organize the plants in your collection? Will
they be arranged according to their family, flower color, size, country of
origin or other factor?
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8. In developing the dichotomous key you should determine
which characteristics you will use to describe the plants. Look for obvious
characteristics that distinguish each plant such as flower color and form,
size, arrangement, veins, and outline of the leaf, etc. Plants are often divided
by families; those with shared characteristics or evolutionary relationships.
Each subdivision of the key can focus on a different feature. Write down the
features, which you will use to identify plants in your key.
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9. How can field guides help us
preserve biodiversity?
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10. Why is the use of field guides such a popular pastime
for naturalists, hikers and people who care about the environment?
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11. Punch holes in your pages and put them in a 3 ring
binder. Put the key in the front. Entitle your field guide. Now you have your
own personal field guide about plants growing in your own community!