• About Us
    • Contact Us
      • Volunteer & Internship Opportunities
    • Our Vision
    • The HIS Board
    • Support Us
    • Community Educational Partners
    • Corporate & Foundation Support
  • STEM Resources
    • Your State/Province
      • United States
    • Resource Reviews
    • Elementary
      • Elementary Science
      • Elementary Technology
      • Elementary Engineering
      • Elementary Math
    • Secondary
      • Secondary Science
      • Secondary Technology
      • Secondary Engineering
      • Secondary Math
    • FIRST Robotics
    • 4-H STEM/Science Curriculum
    • Conference Excerpts
  • Creation Resources
  • You Should Try This at Home

Homeschool Institute of Science

Just another WordPress site

January 29, 2015

Cottonwood Creek

boise river winterRiparian zones are incredibly important, especially in the Western United States. These reservoirs of biodiversity and moisture feed the oft-arid ecosystems of the West. I was recently in Boise for work and took the time to hike along the Boise River backwaters for a bit one frosty morning. Broad brown crispy cottonwood leaves littered the floor of the floodplain. Red-headed mergansers dove for their breakfast in the cold murky water while flickers and Canada geese made their presence known.

This place is one of numerous cottonwood or stringer creeks. In the dry West creeks, streams, and rivers are quickly recognized from the air or from a great distance by the tall trees lining both sides of the water body. In a place where most moisture falls as snow and most land only retains water for brief period of time, these strings of life are critical.

Cottonwoods are considered such a critical component in riparian ecosystems in North America a team of scientists throughout the country have teamed up to form the Cottonwood Ecology Group. This group, based out of Northern Arizona University, studies the connection between cottonwood genetics and the ecosystems they support.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Related

Article by William Boyd / Ecology, Natural History

This Morning in Creation

A short, periodic audio exploration of the richness of Creation, usually just a few blocks or miles from the … Continue Reading

Recent Posts

  • Blessing of the Dolphins
  • Iconography and the Woke Multiverse
  • This Morning in Creation
  • Design in the Science Classroom
  • This Morning in Creation

Instagram

Hanging with my oldest at his pad!
I enjoyed watching this little guy at the table the other day. #macrophotography #entomology #insects
LEGO Robotics Camp. Register now! August 15-18 in Moscow, Idaho. A great way to wrap up Summer for your 8-12 year olds!! #LEGO #LEGOrobotics #EV3 #MINDSTORMS #FLL FIRSTLEGOLeague
Dragonfly species. Hepburn Lake State Park, Idaho. July 2022. #dragonfly #macrophotography #entomology
Insect wings were a new addition to the lake surface ecosystem today. #lacustrine #lake ecology #insects #macrophotography #entomology
A sawyer, from genus Monochamus, a type of long-horned beetle. #beetle #coleoptera # sawyer #entomology

PO Box 8605
Moscow, ID 83843
(208) 301-4737

The Homeschool Institute of Science, Inc. is a registered 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization. All donations are tax deductible.

Copyright © 2022 · Homeschool Institute of Science on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

 

Loading Comments...
 

You must be logged in to post a comment.