Afleveringen
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Have you been noticing a 2-3 foot tall wildflower sporting a terminal cluster of conspicuous purple flowers? If so, it is probably Dame’s Rocket. That is not a native plant. It might look pretty, but as they say, looks can be deceiving.
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Have you ever wondered how Native Americans, early explorers, and settlers got around the region without getting lost? These days, well-marked highways and GPS make modern travel easy. But historically, knowledge of the landscape and landmarks were key to traveling the region.
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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I suspect that most people have heard of the Jack-in-the-Pulpit plant, but may not know that it is native to North Dakota. And it might surprise you, but it is not always "Jack" that is in the pulpit. It could be "Jill."
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Have you been fighting the weeds yet this spring? Whether it is in gardens, yards, or fields, the weeds seem to be a perpetual problem. But we often give little thought to the native weedy species.
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Consider making an effort this summer to spend more time observing the nighttime sky.
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Seeing the first robin of the year is perhaps the most widely recognized harbinger of spring.
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Next time you see a spider web, you might want to look at it a bit more closely: The spider silk is generating considerable interest and research into the production and applicability of a synthetic spider silk.
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You might want to monitor the night sky over the next few weeks: The Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower is on now, and will continue through much of May. There are nine meteor showers each year, and this one is among the better shows.
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In the absence of burning, grazing, or other active management, native prairie can quickly deteriorate. Historically, bison grazed the prairie, wildfires occurred, and Native Americans set the grasslands on fire for a variety of reasons. They learned early on, for example, that burned over grasslands attracted bison because the regrowth was more accessible, palatable, and nutritious. Today, prescribed burning has become a widely accepted management tool for natural resource managers.
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People have been known to be badly injured in the desert by getting tangled up with cactus, particularly a species of cholla commonly known as “jumping cholla.” There is no cholla cactus in North Dakota, but the state does have a native cactus, commonly known as fragile prickly pear or brittle pricklypear, that could be accused of “jumping.”
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Chuck Lura explores the species of woodpeckers found in North Dakota and the vital role they play as keystone species in maintaining healthy forest ecosystems.
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This time of year, there is not a lot of color on the landscape. But there is a red stemmed shrub that may catch your attention. If so, it is probably red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea ).
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On Friday, March 20, at 9:46 a.m., the sun crossed the celestial equator — marking the spring equinox. As the term “equinox” indicates, there is roughly equal time between sunrise and sunset around the globe.
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Have you noticed geese flying overhead recently? If you haven’t, you will soon. That is because the spring migration is on. Although some have the impression that birds fly non-stop to their winter or summer destination, there is considerable variation in the migration patterns of our feathered friends such as migration distance, time of arrival, or flight time.
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Most North Dakotans know that the Red River Valley is a portion of the former lakebed of glacial Lake Agassiz, but there are other glacial lake plains in the state that are less well known.
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I read an article in the February issue of National Geographic about horned lizards in Texas. Their populations are being decimated, largely due to habitat loss and invasive predators. Most people probably think if horned lizards as species of the desert southwest. However, there is a species of horned lizard native to North Dakota, as are a couple other close relatives.
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While long-stemmed roses dominate Valentine’s Day sales, native members of the rose family are woven into North Dakota’s landscape — including the State Flower, the Wild Prairie Rose.
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Do your ever wonder what the winter landscape looked like on the prairie long ago when there were no farmsteads, transmission lines, and the few trees that were present were largely restricted to the floodplains of major rivers? There are some interesting written descriptions of that landscape.
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During winter cold spells, concerns are often voiced on how the animals manage to make it through the season. Of course, there is variation in how well-adapted animals are to winter. It is similar with plants, which is exemplified by the development of plant hardiness zones. But how about plant seeds during the winter months? There is probably a lot more going there than most people would think.
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Groundhog Day is coming up Monday, February 2. Do not look for any groundhog in North Dakota to poke its head out of their burrow. It is far too early for that.
