COMMUNITY FIELD GUIDE

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.


A Key to the leaves of some common trees of the northeastern USA

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!

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