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Learning from our Trees
Learning from our Trees
One of the remarkable features of the University of Washington is the extent to which it may enhance learning, not just in the classrooms, but from the resources present on its extensive grounds. The University oversees not only the main body of campus but also the Union Bay Natural Area and Washington Park Arboretum. These places all serve as living laboratories, locations where a dedicated seeker may learn something new about the world, find connections, and apply knowledge directly. It is our hope an belief that the UW Campus Tree Tours can serve as an outdoor classroom from which students of the University and members of the public may learn for themselves and teach others. This tour is designed to show off the wonders of evolution, and the creation of new species!
Did you know that trees have families too!? Its True!
Did you know that trees have families too!? Its True!
You may already know that some different types of trees are closely related, but how do we distinguish between them? Scientists connect relatedness of living species by using special scientific names which take a format called binomial nomenclature. This means that every species has a name composed of two parts, a genus name, and a species name. The species name is...specific (its in the name)! Species names identify individuals which are so similar that they can easily be identified as belonging to the same specific grouping. But what about a genus name? Well a genus, or plural genera, is a classification which is simply a broader grouping than species, and it can be thought of kind of like a surname. Imagine a person named Rowan Akamatsu. Rowan is an individual and has a name is different from that of their family members. Akamatsu is the family name however, and all of Rowans immediate family share that last name. The same is the case for tree families. The Oregon White Oak is called Quercus garryana by scientists. Quercus is the genus name given to all the oaks of the world, while garryana is the specific species name of the one oak type native to Washington State. It is closely related to other oaks, which have the same genus name, like Quercus lobata, the Valley oak, or Quercus alba, the White oak.
Why do I need to tell trees apart?
Why do I need to tell trees apart?
Why on earth does identifying trees even matter? Well for one thing, knowing a trees name can help us to learn about how an individual species fits into the environment. If one can identify that two species are separate types of organism, they can begin to learn how those organisms act as individuals, and what other types of life they are connected to. The trees on these tours have been grouped in such a way that they may help the walker explore some of the different tree families present on campus. The Oaks Family Tour and Pine Family Tour allow the viewer to compare and contrast the range of traits seen amongst members of their respective families.
A graphic displaying the appearance of leaves for different species of Oak Trees. These trees are all individual species, but part of the same genus, Quercus. Graphic created by Catherine Song at TreeHugger.
Discover Differences Between Campus Oaks
Discover Differences Between Campus Oaks
The Beech Family (Fagaceae), is composed of between 900 and 1000 species worldwide, including 65 species of trees and 10 species of shrubs native to North America. The species are divided into 8 genera, one of which is the genus Quercus, also known as the Oaks. While only one species of Oak is native to Washington state, 28 different species may be found in easy walking distance on the University of Washington campus. This is only a small percentage of the over 600 species in this genus worldwide, however, these trees give anyone who takes the time to walk this tour the opportunity to observe the morphological differences between each species (variation between the features of the different trees). This is a fantastic way to practice critically observing trees to distinguish differences between them, which helps with identification! They can also be compared to some of their relatives belonging to the other genera on campus, the Beech Trees of the genus Fagus and the Chestnuts of genus Castanea. By comparing the various growth patterns, leaf types, reproduction strategies, and other features of these trees, we can gain insights into the different habitats and climates these trees evolved in. Although they share a common ancestor, each and every species in the family expresses unique traits and features that distinguish it from its cousins.
You're in for a tree-mendous experience, the rest of this page is going to be great...but not quite yet! Some of this page is still under construction!
The Pines, A Distinctive Group of Trees
The Pines, A Distinctive Group of Trees
This tour explores the various traits and aspects of the 20 species of pine found on campus.
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