Although many of our labs take place at Baruch, we are focused on the outside world! The New York metropolitan region offers the chance to observe many different natural habitats, ranging from valleys, streams, and rivers to the Atlantic Oceans. In addition, you can observe organisms and learn about environments from around the world (and across millennia) through local collections (zoos, museum, etc.). During the semester you will take advantage of these local resources to visit some local sites. These may include botanical gardens, zoos, and/or museums. These visits will enhance the class by extending ideas we have already introduced in lab and introducing some new ones.
These instructions focus on a trip to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden.
Students will explore concepts including evolution, adaptations, biomes, and species interactions by visiting a botanical garden.
Students should be able to
Relate plant traits to the biomes in which they are found
Explain how natural selection may lead to observed plant traits
Identify species interactions
Explain how long-term events such as glacial cycles have impacted local communities
Adults: $18
Students (12+ with ID): $12
Seniors (65+ with ID): $12
Children under 12 attending with an adult: Free
Pay-What-You-Wish Winter Weekdays (through February): Please support Brooklyn Botanic Garden by paying what you can.
Welcome to your self-guided field trip to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden! This assignment is designed to enhance your understanding of plant ecology, evolution, and species interactions within diverse biomes. Document your visit with photographs of yourself at the locations mentioned, engaging with the plant life.
In our class discussions on adaptations we discuss how evolution leads to populations that are adapted to their environment (and eventually biological diversity). In the natural world, terrestrial biomes (more info @ https://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/terrestrial-biomes-13236757/ and https://openstax.org/books/biology-2e/pages/44-3-terrestrial-biomes ) are large communities shaped by patterns in the physical environment; temperature and precipitation, for example, play a major role. Since plants are generally sessile (not mobile), plants must generally be adapted to survive in these environments, and thus plant growth forms are also used to identify biomes (e.g, many people associate cactus with deserts). Growth forms include factors like leaf retention (evergreen vs deciduous), thickness, and related ability to retain moisture (succulence).
Visit two different areas of the Brooklyn Botanical Garden to observe plant growth forms related to the topics of biomes and evolution. Choose from the following areas:
Native Flora Garden
Desert Pavilion in the Steinhardt Conservatory
Aquatic House in the Steinhardt Conservatory
Cherry Esplanade
Tropical Pavilion in the Steinhardt Conservatory
Bonsai Museum
Capture images (or draw) of three plants from each of the two areas you visit, focusing on different growth forms. Describe the growth forms, their adaptations to specific climates/areas, and the biomes where you'd expect to find these plants.
Visit the “Plants in Bloom” section of the BBG website. Find three of these plants listed in the gardens to explore the theme of evolution and diversity. Take photos (or draw) all three plants, add where in the garden you found them (reference park map).
Describe the diversity observed in these species and speculate on the evolutionary processes that might have led to this diversity. Mention the location of each plant in the gardens, and explain what stage it is in. Is it still flowering? In early bloom? Late bloom? Reference the life cycle of flowering plants graphic below, if needed.
Look closely, do you see any signs of fruit? How can you tell?
What do the fruit look like when they do arrive? Use Google images to answer this.
As we will discuss species interactions in class, identify and document two examples of interactions between plants and their pollinators (such as bees, butterflies, etc.) or other types of interactions (e.g., herbivory, predation, competition) within the garden. Describe how each organism involved is impacted by the interaction.
Reflect on the role and significance of the Brooklyn Botanical Garden as an urban green space. Compare and contrast the garden with its surrounding urban environment based on your personal observations and experiences during your visit.
Submission Requirements
- Photographs or drawings as specified in each task.
- Detailed descriptions for each section.
- Submit your completed assignment through Blackboard.
Enjoy your exploration of the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, and use this opportunity to deeply engage with the natural world within an urban context.