Sunday, September 27, 2015
What I Already Know and What I Would Like to Know
I am interested in the invasive plant species topic for my investigation because it is something that affects my everyday life. When I take a walk past a local wetland, I see where phragmites has taken over what used to be cattails. The river where I hike is being completely overrun by Japanese knotweed. Our lakes and ponds are being clogged up with milfoil. I feel very strongly about this topic because it affecting me personally and is disrupting our environment.
I know that these species are pushing out native plants like cattails. Water invasives like milfoil are ruining our water quality and damaging our lakes and rivers. Invasive species almost always spread like wildfire. With Japanese knotweed even the smallest piece can sprout a new plant. Lots of these plants are also very hardy, being able to survive the harsh winters here.
I have lots of questions concerning this topic. The first one is why are invasive species such a bad thing? Is the change in our environment just changing how Vermont looks or are there deeper scientific changes that need to be investigated. Why is it so bad that they are pushing out native plants? What are the long term consequences of not removing the plants. Would they continue to spread out of control or would they find an equilibrium?
My next set of questions involves what we can do to stop invasive species. What different ways are there of removing these plants? Are there herbicides to help fight these plants or do we need to approach this task by hand? What are people already doing to help and what more can we do?
I am going to do my best to investigate these questions and discover what I can do to help with this issue. I look forward to uncovering things I never knew about this subject and sharing what I discover with my readers.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Marianna,
ReplyDeleteWow! It seems that you are very knowledgeable in plant species and your environment. Issues concerning the environment are so important, and I would love to learn more about how this affects you personally. Why did you choose this topic?
I loved your questions that you want to investigate. Remember to revisit the overarching question if this topic is socially worthwhile. What does it all mean?
I loved your last paragraph! Always keep in mind that learning cannot happen without there being uncertainty about how to do something.
Your writing is easy to follow, and I look forward to hearing where your research leads you next week.
Best,
Dianne
Hi Marianna,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Kate Carroll and I teach at Middlebury Union High School with Mr. O'Leary.
As I read through your initial posts, I was struck by how attuned you are to specific and diverse local issues (e.g. milfoil and the jeopardy of your community's teen center). Basically, I love that your very specific questions derive from your observations of your surroundings and that your extended list of questions illustrate your capacity to consider and weigh any new perspectives and knowledge that you will gain in the learning process. I also think you have created a list of questions that will generate learning for yourself as well as your immediate readers! I have heard the reports, mainly on VPR, about invasive species but I don't really understand what has triggered their growth and what the short and long term consequences are.
Regarding your comment about the multi-modal aspect of the course, I recommend that you start experimenting now. For example, is it possible to take a close-up and panoramic shot of your local wetland to show what has inspired your topic? In other words, it's fun to practice the course's method of story-telling via audio, image, and written word even when it is not yet required.
Oh, and I am wondering where you live, in case I am familiar with the area.
I look forward to next week's post,
Kate Carroll