Feeding Organic Foods Affordably
MINI PROJECT # 4
You may be surprised at how affordably we can feed pesticide-free foods to our parrots. It is much easier now to select foods that promote health and longevity by minimizing the exposure of our birds to toxic pesticide residues, thanks to a report by the Environmental Working Group on the toxicity of produce. This report outlined the most toxic and least toxic fruits and vegetables, as detailed in my last article, The Kitchen Physician III.
Eating organic food and drinking pure water can have profoundly beneficial effects on the health and longevity of parrots. If your parrot became ill due to the ingestion of pesticide residues, how much money would you spend to restore it to health? The cost of feeding organic foods is minimal in comparison to the cost of illness, and there are several favorite foods of parrots that are safe to buy even when not grown organically.
According to Consumer Reports, January 1998, there are 9,700 pesticides in existence, and in 1995, U.S. farmers applied 566 million pounds of pesticides to major fiber and food crops. Last summer, the U.S. Geological Survey announced the first results of a massive study of pesticides in 5,000 water samples from wells and rivers. Half the wells--and nearly all streams--contained at least one pesticide. Almost every pesticide legal for use in the United States, even when applied according to label directions, will kill birds. Carbamates and organophosphates kill insects (or birds) by disrupting the organism's nervous system. Although eating pesticide residues on foods will not kill a parrot instantly, long-term exposure will result in a slow but sure toxic buildup in the bird's system. Knowing the magnitude of the problem, it is imperative that we give our parrots the purest possible water and the least contaminated food that is available.
A recent article in the Journal of Applied Nutrition gave credence to the notion that organic foods have higher nutrient levels than non-organically grown food. In this study the mineral content of organic apples, pears, potatoes, wheat, and sweet corn were compared to commercial varieties. Overall the organic foods showed higher levels of nutrient minerals and lower levels of heavy metals.
Here are a few of the minerals that were found in higher levels in organic foods: CHROMIUM is a micro-nutrient that was found to be higher in organic foods by an average of 78%. SELENIUM is one of the antioxidant nutrients that protects us from damage by environmental chemicals. It was found to be an average of 390% higher in organic foods. CALCIUM averaged 63% higher in organic foods. BORON, which works along with calcium to keep bones strong, averaged 70% more. MAGNESIUM averaged 138% more.
When organic foods were tested for mineral levels, the researchers also looked for the amount of heavy metals--aluminum, cadmium, lead and mercury. ALUMINUM has been implicated for years in the development of Alzheimer's disease in humans. Its content in organic food averaged 40% less that in commercial foods. LEAD toxicity often is a problem in parrots. It averaged 29% lower in organic foods. MERCURY, which can cause neurological damage, averaged 25% lower in organic foods.
Other studies have looked at vitamin levels of food plants treated with certain pesticides. They showed that application of some pesticides lowered the vitamin levels in the plants they were applied to. This is not the same theory as that of plants raised with chemicals being low in nutrients because of soil depletion. Not all studies on the differences between organically-grown foods and conventionally-grown foods agree on the varying levels of vitamins, minerals, and even taste. Although some researchers have concluded that there is no difference in taste between food grown organically and conventionally, many gourmet chefs seek out organic ingredients for their special dishes because they believe the tastes to be more intense. This of course could have to do with the type of soil or other factors.
A more important question is whether or not the accumulation of pesticide residues in non-organically grown foods is a real health concern. Studies have never been able to conclusively show a direct correlation between residues in food and a decline in human health, but there are numerous problems in doing any such study. The first is that you would need a population of people who are free of chemical residues to compare to, and no one has been able to find such a group! According to an ongoing EPA study of fat samples taken from surgeries and autopsies across the country, we are all loaded with chemical residues. Similar studies done in other countries all show the same results.
The clearest studies that we have about pesticide residues and disease are those looking at breast cancer in humans. In the last few years there have been a series of studies looking at the level of DDT, DDE, and PCB in women. They have very clearly shown chemical residues of DDT in the serum and fat cells of women, and since we no longer use DDT to spray for mosquitoes, the only known route of exposure to DDT in this country is on foods that we have imported. We still manufacture DDT in the U.S. even though its use has been banned here. We export the DDT to other countries who use it on their produce and then we import their produce with the DDT, hence exposing ourselves and our parrots to its toxicity. We know from the lesson learned from the Bald Eagle problem years ago that DDT is devastating to the successful reproduction of some birds. It is imperative that we at least give our endangered parrots in captive breeding programs every advantage in the attempt to prevent their extinction, and that would include the elimination of hormone-altering pesticides from their diet.
Here is what the Consumer Report has to say about the effect of pesticides on children, which can be compared in some ways to the effects on parrots: "Whatever the health effects, children--with their fast-growing, small bodies, speedy metabolisms, and less varied diets--are especially vulnerable". This same report states: "Organic food guarantees you a diet as low in pesticide residues as possible".
Many of us are aware that like children, our parrots are especially sensitive to pesticides. But we like to provide our birds with a smorgasbord of fresh foods in hopes of covering all the bases of their nutritional needs. Unfortunately, produce is the food group with the highest incidence of pesticide and chemical residues which are linked with potential cancer, neurological problems, and hormonal imbalances.
Listed here are some foods that we can buy in our local markets and health food stores, secure in the knowledge that they are relatively free of pesticide residues. TOFU-In our supermarkets and in Asian specialty markets, much of the compressed soybean
curd food called tofu is organic, and yet inexpensive, costing around two dollars per
pound. Tofu is an excellent vegetarian source of protein, B vitamins, and it contains
anti-cancer phytochemicals called isoflavones. You may be surprised at how much parrots
enjoy the texture of tofu. It has very little taste but will take on the flavor of whatever
food you choose to soak it in, such as fruit juice. If soaked in hot water with melted
organic almond butter, it takes on an entirely different flavor with additional calcium and
other nutrients. It can be crumbled into a soak and cook dish or a "mash" of fruits,
vegetables, and other foods. FAETHOR-POOF-->
BABY FOODS--Recently, even the big brand name manufacturers of baby foods, like Gerber and Beechnut, began marketing certified organic baby foods. There are dried mixes of whole grains and fruits and berries. Also there are many jar foods of tasty tropical fruit mixes, as well as vegetables, rice, and pasta. One jar of organic tropical fruit tossed with any one of the many shapes of pasta creates a healthy and tempting taste treat for parrots. Fettucini-style pasta with Gerber's Apple & Strawberry or Pear & Blueberry is one of many tasty "pastabilities".
SPROUTS--When you "grow your own", you can be sure that there is no pesticide contamination. Sprouting is as easy as buying a package of mung beans from your health food store, soaking a cupful overnight, spreading them in a colander, covering them with a paper towel, rinsing several times a day for a couple days, and voila! You have a food that is as fresh and alive as you possibly can get. Once you see how easy it is to make mung bean sprouts, you may want to try lentils, alfalfa, sunflower seeds, wheatberries, and other beans and peas. There are sprouting jars and mixes and anti-fungal preparations available, but it can be done very simply without any special equipment. If you fear that fungus will grow on the sprouts, you can purchase Nutribiotic Citricidal at your health food store and add it to the soak water of the sprouting food.
HEALTH FOOD STORE ITEMS--As any parrot lover who shops in health food stores will tell you, bring your check book! Although some items purchased in natural foods markets are a little more expensive, there is a virtual smorgasbord of items to tempt your feathered friends. One can purchase many organic items, including fresh produce, in the larger stores. One of my favorites items is the various flavored "nut butters", including almond, cashew, pistachio, and hazelnut butter. These are high in natural fats but can be utilized to make other dishes more taste tempting . Most weaning babies find a sandwich made of nut butter on whole grain bread irresistible. There are many whole grain breads available in health food stores, including those made from sprouted grains. The different types of whole grain pastas, including spelt, and other non-wheat grains, can be used for parrots with allergy problems. Organic juices of many flavors are a treat for parrots as well as humans. Some will be found in the freezer and can be defrosted one slice at a time as needed. Nearly all health food stores sell sprouts, mixes for sprouting, and sprouting jars and other types of equipment that one can use for growing their own sprouts. Also available is the Nutribiotic Citricidal mentioned earlier to prevent bacteria and molds from growing on the sprouting seeds, nuts and grains. Many herbal preparations that are used for parrots are available in health food stores, such as Echinacea which is sometimes used as an immune system stimulator, Aloe Detox which can be a lifesaver in treating ill parrots, St. John's Wort, Pycnogenol, and other feather plucking remedies. At the direction of a naturopathic veterinarian, many homeopathic remedies from health food stores can be used with no danger of toxicity.
If you have only one or two parrots, you can easily afford to make your own organically-grown seed mix from the health food store by choosing shelled or unshelled sunflower seeds, whole millet, wheat berries, oats, buckwheat groats, unshelled sesame seeds, and many other nuts, grains and seeds tailored to the tastes and nutritional needs of your birds. For birds with obesity problems, one can choose from the products with lower levels of fats. By determining the protein levels of the available products, one can adjust this level for the breeding and molting phases of their birds. If you haven't yet visited your local health food market with your parrot friends in mind, you're in for a very special treat.
Other foods that we can buy from our local markets without concern for high levels of pesticides are: CORN, SWEET POTATOES, BROCCOLI, BRUSSEL SPROUTS, CAULIFLOWER, U.S. GRAPES, BANANAS, PLUMS, IMPORTED CHERRIES, and WATERMELON
Here is a list of foods that NEVER should be given to our parrots unless they have been organically grown:
STRAWBERRIES, RED AND GREEN BELL PEPPERS, SPINACH, U.S. CHERRIES, PEACHES, MEXICAN CANTALOUPES, CELERY, APPLES, APRICOTS, GREEN BEANS, CHILEAN GRAPES, AND CUCUMBERS
A new set of nationwide organic standards is making its way over the final set of bureaucratic hurdles in Washington, D.C. at this writing. Once these rules are in place, the plethora of organic labels that we now see will be reduced to one: that of the U.S.D.A. The new national standards are not expected to vary much from the existing ones. Consumers can trust labels indicating that a food is organically-grown. Contrary to rumor, there has been only one recent major incident of known or suspected fraud: a Minnesota food company that repackaged conventional foods and sold them as organic. Organic farmers cannot take the risk of mis-labeling foods and losing their designation as a Certified Organic Farmer.
citation: by Carolyn Swicegood
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Human body
By mass, human cells consist of 65-90% water (H2O), and a significant portion is composed of carbon-containing organic molecules. Oxygen therefore contributes a majority of a human body's mass, followed by carbon. 99% of the mass of the human body is made up of the six elements oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, calcium, and phosphorus.
Element
Percent by mass
Oxygen
65
Carbon
18
Hydrogen
10
Nitrogen
3
Calcium
1.5
Phosphorus
1.2
Potassium
0.2
Sulfur
0.2
Chlorine
0.2
Sodium
0.1
Magnesium
0.05
Iron, Cobalt, Copper, Zinc, Iodine
<0.05 each
Selenium, Fluorine
<0.01 each
citation
Chang, Raymond (2007). Chemistry, Ninth Edition. McGraw-Hill, p. 52. ISBN 0-07-110595
The six most abundant elements in living organisms are:
Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Phosphorus, and Sulfur.
Carbon- present in all organic molecules
Hydrogen- in water
Oxygen- in water, and we're mostly water
Nitrogen- present in all proteins
Phosphours-a type of compound
Sulphur- is needed in protein .
If you can't think of them, just think logically, Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen are basically givens (think fats and proteins). and Nitrogen also huge in living things.
Humans and other animals tend to have a large amount of calcium because of their bones. in plants, fungi, and bateria, the 5th and 6th elements are usaully phosphours and potassium. Hydrogen is the most common element, in terms of the number of atoms, but it is also the lightest element. when measured according to weight.
Realms of the Soil
The thin layer of soil that forms a patchy covering over the continents controls our own existence and that of every other animal of the land. Without soil, land plants as we know them could not grow, and without plants no animals could survive.
cited: Silent Spring book by Rachel Carson
Fetilazation of our soil
Plants and animals use elements in various forms as food, converting them into complex subsatnces by means of certain physiological processes. All of the chemicals used by plants are absorbed by means of the roots. Most plants require for growth at least the following elements: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, sulphur, boron, copper and manganese. Carbon is obtained from the carbon dixoide in the air, oxygen from air and water, and hydrogen chiefly from water. The three plant-food elements most frequently deficient in soils are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, and it is chiefly to supply the deficiencies in these three elements that fertilizers are used. fertilizers are rated according to their ability to supply plants with these three elements. Soils frequently need calcium and magnesium in the form of lime, but since lime acts to neutralize harmful acids in the soil and otherwise modifies certain unfavorable soil conditions. it is regarded primarily as a soil conditioner rather than as a fertilizer.
citation from: wikimedia free encyclopedia
By mass, human cells consist of 65-90% water (H2O), and a significant portion is composed of carbon-containing organic molecules. Oxygen therefore contributes a majority of a human body's mass, followed by carbon. 99% of the mass of the human body is made up of the six elements oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, calcium, and phosphorus.
Element
Percent by mass
Oxygen
65
Carbon
18
Hydrogen
10
Nitrogen
3
Calcium
1.5
Phosphorus
1.2
Potassium
0.2
Sulfur
0.2
Chlorine
0.2
Sodium
0.1
Magnesium
0.05
Iron, Cobalt, Copper, Zinc, Iodine
<0.05 each
Selenium, Fluorine
<0.01 each
citation
Chang, Raymond (2007). Chemistry, Ninth Edition. McGraw-Hill, p. 52. ISBN 0-07-110595
The six most abundant elements in living organisms are:
Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Phosphorus, and Sulfur.
Carbon- present in all organic molecules
Hydrogen- in water
Oxygen- in water, and we're mostly water
Nitrogen- present in all proteins
Phosphours-a type of compound
Sulphur- is needed in protein .
If you can't think of them, just think logically, Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen are basically givens (think fats and proteins). and Nitrogen also huge in living things.
Humans and other animals tend to have a large amount of calcium because of their bones. in plants, fungi, and bateria, the 5th and 6th elements are usaully phosphours and potassium. Hydrogen is the most common element, in terms of the number of atoms, but it is also the lightest element. when measured according to weight.
Realms of the Soil
The thin layer of soil that forms a patchy covering over the continents controls our own existence and that of every other animal of the land. Without soil, land plants as we know them could not grow, and without plants no animals could survive.
cited: Silent Spring book by Rachel Carson
Fetilazation of our soil
Plants and animals use elements in various forms as food, converting them into complex subsatnces by means of certain physiological processes. All of the chemicals used by plants are absorbed by means of the roots. Most plants require for growth at least the following elements: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, sulphur, boron, copper and manganese. Carbon is obtained from the carbon dixoide in the air, oxygen from air and water, and hydrogen chiefly from water. The three plant-food elements most frequently deficient in soils are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, and it is chiefly to supply the deficiencies in these three elements that fertilizers are used. fertilizers are rated according to their ability to supply plants with these three elements. Soils frequently need calcium and magnesium in the form of lime, but since lime acts to neutralize harmful acids in the soil and otherwise modifies certain unfavorable soil conditions. it is regarded primarily as a soil conditioner rather than as a fertilizer.
citation from: wikimedia free encyclopedia
Monday, February 4, 2008
Elemental composition of Earth's ocean water (by mass)
Element
Percent
Oxygen
85.84
Sulfur
0.091
Hydrogen
10.82
Calcium
0.04
Chlorine
1.94
Potassium
0.04
Sodium
1.08
Bromine
0.0067
Magnesium
0.1292
Carbon
0.0028
sea water for abundance of elements in the ocean, but note that that list is by mass - a list by molarity (mole-fraction) would look very different for the first 4 elements; specifically, hydrogen would comprise nearly two-thirds of the number of all atoms because hydrogen itself comprises two of the three atoms of all water molecules.
Atmosphere
The order of elements by volume-fraction (which is approximately molecular mole-fraction) in the atmosphere is nitrogen (78.1%), oxygen (20.9%), argon (0.96%), followed by (in uncertain order) carbon and hydrogen because water vapor and carbon dioxide which represent most of these two elements in the air are variable components. Sulfur, phosphorus, and all other elements are present in significantly lower proportions.
According to the above graphic, argon, a significant if not major component of the atmosphere, does not appear in the crust at all because argon, an inert gas, cannot remain within the crust.
citation from wilimedia.org
Element
Percent
Oxygen
85.84
Sulfur
0.091
Hydrogen
10.82
Calcium
0.04
Chlorine
1.94
Potassium
0.04
Sodium
1.08
Bromine
0.0067
Magnesium
0.1292
Carbon
0.0028
sea water for abundance of elements in the ocean, but note that that list is by mass - a list by molarity (mole-fraction) would look very different for the first 4 elements; specifically, hydrogen would comprise nearly two-thirds of the number of all atoms because hydrogen itself comprises two of the three atoms of all water molecules.
Atmosphere
The order of elements by volume-fraction (which is approximately molecular mole-fraction) in the atmosphere is nitrogen (78.1%), oxygen (20.9%), argon (0.96%), followed by (in uncertain order) carbon and hydrogen because water vapor and carbon dioxide which represent most of these two elements in the air are variable components. Sulfur, phosphorus, and all other elements are present in significantly lower proportions.
According to the above graphic, argon, a significant if not major component of the atmosphere, does not appear in the crust at all because argon, an inert gas, cannot remain within the crust.
citation from wilimedia.org
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Endangered species within a 100 miles of my home
Panther
ENDANGERED
Type: Mammal
Description: It looks like a cat, but bigger and with dark yellow and a dark black.
Natural Habitat: dry land and wetland areas
Diet: deer, feral hog, raccoons, armadillo, small alligators and other small rodents and fowl
Size When Born: 500 grams
Adult Size: Male- 7-8 feet long from nose to tail tip;
Weight-100-160 lbs
Female- Length- 6 feet
Weight- 60-100 lbs
How It Protects Itself: Panthers protect themselves and their kittens by building a den for shelter and protection.
**An endangered species is one that is in danger of extinction or extirpiration (will disappear from Florida but still exist elsewhere). Either due to very low population numbers or habitat degradation, these species will not survive without active assistance.
Loggerhead Turtle
THREATENED
Type: Reptile
Description: hard shell, slow, fat,
reddish brown, round,
lives in water
Natural Habitat: wetlands
Diet: bottom dwelling invertebrates
Size When Born: 2 inches
Adult Size: 3 feet
How It Protects Itself: The turtle’s protection is its hard shell.
**A threatened species is one that is likely to become endangered in the near future. These species' populations are decreasing or dangerously low.
Hawksbill Turtle
ENDANGERED
Type: Reptile
Description: It has a purple
blackish color and a
sharp beak.
Identifying Characteristics: slow mover, hard shell, great swimmer
Natural Habitat: shallow bottom reefs
Diet: sea sponges from the reef
Size When Born: 2 inches
Adult Size: Length- 65 to 85 cm
Weight- 45 to 75 kg
How It Protects Itself: The turtle’s protection is its hard shell.
**An endangered species is one that is in danger of extinction or extirpiration (will disappear from Florida but still exist elsewhere). Either due to very low population numbers or habitat degradation, these species will not survive without active assistance.
Gecko
Type: Reptile
Description: It is a little creature.
It has scaly skin. It is brown. Males have dark spots. Females have dark stripes down their bodies and two light spots on the nape of the neck
Natural Habitat: It may be found under boards, rocks, and debris.
Identifying Characteristics: The Reef Gecko, Sphaerodactylus notatus, found in the Keys and the extreme southern part of the state, and may be the only native gecko.
Diet: small bugs
Adult Size: It reaches a maximum length of 2 inches.
How It Protects Itself: hiding
Eastern Coral Snake
Type: Reptile
Description: scaly skin,
poisonous, wild,
yellow, red, and
black stripes
Natural Habitat: moist, densely vegetated hammocks near ponds or streams in hardwood forests; pine flatwoods; rocky hillsides and canyons
Identifying Characteristics: Cobra snakes belong to the same family as the highly venomous cobras, kraits, mambas, and sea snakes. Their bites can be fatal.
Diet: wild stuff, mice
Size When Born: 7-9 inches
Adult Size: 22-47 inches
How It Protects Itself: venom
River Otter
Type: Mammal
Description: soft and fuzzy, gold and
tree trunk brown colored
fur, small and cute
Natural Habitat: the water
Identifying Characteristics: Its strong claws and fully webbed feet.
Diet: fish and clams
Adult Size: 2 ½ feet long, 20 lbs
How It Protects Itself: He slaps his flat tail to scare predators away.
Unusual Habits: During a dive, the otter’s pulse slows to a tenth of the normal rate of 170 beats a minute, thereby conserving oxygen.
Eastern Hognose Snake
Type: Reptile
Description: scaly, brownish spots, short, thick bodies
Describing Characteristics: The hognose is widely feared because, when disturbed, it assumes a menacing position, flattens its head, expands its neck, opens its mouth, and hisses widely, almost like a cobra.
Natural Habitat: Sandy soils are an essential habitat characteristic for hognose snakes. These snakes can be found in sandy woodlands, fields, farmland and coastal areas.
Diet: Hognose snakes feed primarily on toads and frogs; it also eats small mammals and young ground-nesting birds.
Size When Born: 35 to 50 cm
Adult Size: 80cm
How It Protects Itself: The snake first uses aggressive tactics to scare intruders away. If this does not work, the snake rolls over and plays dead.
Barn Owl
Type: Bird
Description: Barn owls have small dark eyes in a white heart-shaped face and long legs. Upper parts are rusty-brown, underparts are white in makes and crimson in females
Natural Habitat: A common resident in all parts of Florida, the Barn Owl has been sighted in the interior of the Everglades and along the overseas highway through the Keys. It is often seen near the edge of human habitation. The Barn Owl is common throughout most of the U.S. and can be found on most every continent in the world
Identifying Characteristics: Though rarely seen, the Barn Owl is very common in Florida. The species is entirely nocturnal and never hunts at dawn or dusk. The genus name, Tyto, is derived from the Greek for "night owl." The Barn Owl doesn't hoot, but has a variety of calls from shrill screeches and high rattling hisses to raucous sneezes and snorting noises..
Diet: Barn owls feed almost exclusively on mice, rats and squirrels, along with a few birds, locating their prey by sound alone. The heart-shaped facial disk aids in collecting sound for hunting. They spend more time actively hunting than any other owl and cover more area than any other nocturnal bird. One-hundred-acre hunting ranges are usual.
Adult Size: 45 inch wingspan
Body length of 14 to 20 inches
Eastern Indigo Snake
THREATENED
Type: Reptile
Description: It is glossy blue-black with smooth iridescent scales. The chin and throat are commonly tinged with a reddish or orange-brown coloring
Identifying Characteristics: The Eastern indigo is the longest North American snake, with a maximum recorded length of 2.6 m.
Natural Habitat: swamp and wetlands
Diet: Rats and goats and sometimes other snakes.
Unusual Habits: The Eastern indigo is the longest North American snake, with a maximum recorded length of 2.6 m.
Size When Born: 4 inches
Adult Size: 60-103 inches
How It Protects Itself: By going to a burrow or biting.
**A threatened species is one that is likely to become endangered in the near future. These species' populations are decreasing or dangerously low.
Swallowtail Butterfly
ENDANGERED
Type: Mammal
Description: Rather rounded. Above, both wings brown with dark yellow spots within brown border and bold yellow band across middle; long, brown, yellow-edged tail.
Identifying Characteristics: The northern subspecies of Schaus Swallowtail is on the U.S. Endangered Species List. It is classified as endangered in Florida. A resident of south Florida habitats called tropical hardwood hammocks, this handsome butterfly has suffered losses as its habitat has been overtaken by development. Once found as far north as Miami, it now lives in the U.S. only in the upper Keys.
Natural Habitat: Restricted to shady hardwood hammocks.
Life Cycle: Egg green. Caterpillar rich maroon with cream-colored patches and blue spots. Tubular, tapered, and horned chrysalis overwinters. Host plants are torchwood (Amyris elemifera) and wild lime (Zanthoxylum fagara).
Adult Size: 3 ½ to 4 inches
**An endangered species is one that is in danger of extinction or extirpiration (will disappear from Florida but still exist elsewhere). Either due to very low population numbers or habitat degradation, these species will not survive without active assistance.
Green Tree Frog
Type: Amphibian
Description: slippery, bumpy, golden colored spots on the back, usually a greenish color
Natural Habitat: moist, wooded swamps and brushy areas
Identifying Characteristics: Life begins in a pond for our amphibious friend. About a week after eggs are deposited, tadpoles hatch. They will be tadpoles for six to eight weeks, then they will emerge into frogdom, perhaps with some remains of their larval tail. Ah, what a clever creature, as this leftover is reabsorbed into its body as food supply. That's one less thing to worry about in the first few days while the frog adjusts to its new world.
Diet: bugs and flies
Adult Size: 1 ¼ to 2 ½ inches long
How It Protects Itself: Its color.
Unusual Habits: Color changes also help the green tree frog adapt to its environment. It may lighten to pale green during a bright day to reflect more heat and stay cooler. Or, on cloudy, cooler days, it can darken to retain warmth. On winter days it can dull itself to gray for blending into its winter home - a burrow in the ground for hibernation.
Because they are often heard during rainstorms, folklore and legends regard these frogs as “weather prophets.”
Stock Island Tree Snail
ENDANGERED
Type: Mollusk
Description: It looks like slimy, green and it is sticky. It has a thin glossy cone shell with whirls.
Natural Habitat: It lives in trees and shrubs in warm places in Florida.
Identifying Characteristics: It likes humid hammocks. It crawls on trees but also on the ground.
Diet: algae and bacteria
Size When Born: About 15 ml
Adult Size: 35 to 60 ml
How It Protects Itself: Its shell.
Unusual Habits: He is mostly active at night.
**An endangered species is one that is in danger of extinction or extirpiration (will disappear from Florida but still exist elsewhere). Either due to very low population numbers or habitat degradation, these species will not survive without active assistance.
In 1987, the American Alligator becamethe official state reptile of Florida.
The alligators are not an endangered species but they are legally protected.
They are classified as a threatened species because of their similarity in appearance to the American Crocodile, an endangered species.
Natural Habitat: Alligators live in all Florida counties but are most common in the major river drainage basins and large lakes in the central and southern portions of the state. They also can be found in marshes, swamps, ponds, drainage canals, phosphate-mine settling ponds, and ditches. Alligators are tolerant of poor water-quality and occasionally inhabit brackish marshes along the coast. A few even venture into salt water.
Diet: Alligators are carnivores. Young alligators eat insects, snails and other invertebrates, frogs and small fish. At a length of about six feet they begin to feed predominantly on fish, turtles, snakes, waterbirds, and small mammals. Larger alligators readily eat carrion and, in fact, may prefer it to fresh meat. They are basically opportunistic feeders and will eat almost anything, including such objects as sticks, stones, fishing lures and aluminum cans.
Alligators have been hunted for meat and skins since humans first set food in Florida. Alligator skins were sold in the Miami area for $7 each as early as 1800.
There is little doubt alligators were over-exploited largely because of the demand for alligator leather.
Today, through strict laws, alligators may be harvested during very limited, controlled hunts and are propagated and raised in captivity for the production of meat and skins. This multimillion dollar industry, along with carefully regulated wild alligator harvests, generates approximately 300,000 pounds of meat and 15,000 skins each year. The meat is typically sold to restaurants and wholesalers for about $5 to $7 per pound. Alligator skins are sold to leather tanneries throughout the world. Prices for skins vary considerably from year to year but have averaged about $25 per foot over the past 10 years.
ENDANGERED
Type: Mammal
Description: It looks like a cat, but bigger and with dark yellow and a dark black.
Natural Habitat: dry land and wetland areas
Diet: deer, feral hog, raccoons, armadillo, small alligators and other small rodents and fowl
Size When Born: 500 grams
Adult Size: Male- 7-8 feet long from nose to tail tip;
Weight-100-160 lbs
Female- Length- 6 feet
Weight- 60-100 lbs
How It Protects Itself: Panthers protect themselves and their kittens by building a den for shelter and protection.
**An endangered species is one that is in danger of extinction or extirpiration (will disappear from Florida but still exist elsewhere). Either due to very low population numbers or habitat degradation, these species will not survive without active assistance.
Loggerhead Turtle
THREATENED
Type: Reptile
Description: hard shell, slow, fat,
reddish brown, round,
lives in water
Natural Habitat: wetlands
Diet: bottom dwelling invertebrates
Size When Born: 2 inches
Adult Size: 3 feet
How It Protects Itself: The turtle’s protection is its hard shell.
**A threatened species is one that is likely to become endangered in the near future. These species' populations are decreasing or dangerously low.
Hawksbill Turtle
ENDANGERED
Type: Reptile
Description: It has a purple
blackish color and a
sharp beak.
Identifying Characteristics: slow mover, hard shell, great swimmer
Natural Habitat: shallow bottom reefs
Diet: sea sponges from the reef
Size When Born: 2 inches
Adult Size: Length- 65 to 85 cm
Weight- 45 to 75 kg
How It Protects Itself: The turtle’s protection is its hard shell.
**An endangered species is one that is in danger of extinction or extirpiration (will disappear from Florida but still exist elsewhere). Either due to very low population numbers or habitat degradation, these species will not survive without active assistance.
Gecko
Type: Reptile
Description: It is a little creature.
It has scaly skin. It is brown. Males have dark spots. Females have dark stripes down their bodies and two light spots on the nape of the neck
Natural Habitat: It may be found under boards, rocks, and debris.
Identifying Characteristics: The Reef Gecko, Sphaerodactylus notatus, found in the Keys and the extreme southern part of the state, and may be the only native gecko.
Diet: small bugs
Adult Size: It reaches a maximum length of 2 inches.
How It Protects Itself: hiding
Eastern Coral Snake
Type: Reptile
Description: scaly skin,
poisonous, wild,
yellow, red, and
black stripes
Natural Habitat: moist, densely vegetated hammocks near ponds or streams in hardwood forests; pine flatwoods; rocky hillsides and canyons
Identifying Characteristics: Cobra snakes belong to the same family as the highly venomous cobras, kraits, mambas, and sea snakes. Their bites can be fatal.
Diet: wild stuff, mice
Size When Born: 7-9 inches
Adult Size: 22-47 inches
How It Protects Itself: venom
River Otter
Type: Mammal
Description: soft and fuzzy, gold and
tree trunk brown colored
fur, small and cute
Natural Habitat: the water
Identifying Characteristics: Its strong claws and fully webbed feet.
Diet: fish and clams
Adult Size: 2 ½ feet long, 20 lbs
How It Protects Itself: He slaps his flat tail to scare predators away.
Unusual Habits: During a dive, the otter’s pulse slows to a tenth of the normal rate of 170 beats a minute, thereby conserving oxygen.
Eastern Hognose Snake
Type: Reptile
Description: scaly, brownish spots, short, thick bodies
Describing Characteristics: The hognose is widely feared because, when disturbed, it assumes a menacing position, flattens its head, expands its neck, opens its mouth, and hisses widely, almost like a cobra.
Natural Habitat: Sandy soils are an essential habitat characteristic for hognose snakes. These snakes can be found in sandy woodlands, fields, farmland and coastal areas.
Diet: Hognose snakes feed primarily on toads and frogs; it also eats small mammals and young ground-nesting birds.
Size When Born: 35 to 50 cm
Adult Size: 80cm
How It Protects Itself: The snake first uses aggressive tactics to scare intruders away. If this does not work, the snake rolls over and plays dead.
Barn Owl
Type: Bird
Description: Barn owls have small dark eyes in a white heart-shaped face and long legs. Upper parts are rusty-brown, underparts are white in makes and crimson in females
Natural Habitat: A common resident in all parts of Florida, the Barn Owl has been sighted in the interior of the Everglades and along the overseas highway through the Keys. It is often seen near the edge of human habitation. The Barn Owl is common throughout most of the U.S. and can be found on most every continent in the world
Identifying Characteristics: Though rarely seen, the Barn Owl is very common in Florida. The species is entirely nocturnal and never hunts at dawn or dusk. The genus name, Tyto, is derived from the Greek for "night owl." The Barn Owl doesn't hoot, but has a variety of calls from shrill screeches and high rattling hisses to raucous sneezes and snorting noises..
Diet: Barn owls feed almost exclusively on mice, rats and squirrels, along with a few birds, locating their prey by sound alone. The heart-shaped facial disk aids in collecting sound for hunting. They spend more time actively hunting than any other owl and cover more area than any other nocturnal bird. One-hundred-acre hunting ranges are usual.
Adult Size: 45 inch wingspan
Body length of 14 to 20 inches
Eastern Indigo Snake
THREATENED
Type: Reptile
Description: It is glossy blue-black with smooth iridescent scales. The chin and throat are commonly tinged with a reddish or orange-brown coloring
Identifying Characteristics: The Eastern indigo is the longest North American snake, with a maximum recorded length of 2.6 m.
Natural Habitat: swamp and wetlands
Diet: Rats and goats and sometimes other snakes.
Unusual Habits: The Eastern indigo is the longest North American snake, with a maximum recorded length of 2.6 m.
Size When Born: 4 inches
Adult Size: 60-103 inches
How It Protects Itself: By going to a burrow or biting.
**A threatened species is one that is likely to become endangered in the near future. These species' populations are decreasing or dangerously low.
Swallowtail Butterfly
ENDANGERED
Type: Mammal
Description: Rather rounded. Above, both wings brown with dark yellow spots within brown border and bold yellow band across middle; long, brown, yellow-edged tail.
Identifying Characteristics: The northern subspecies of Schaus Swallowtail is on the U.S. Endangered Species List. It is classified as endangered in Florida. A resident of south Florida habitats called tropical hardwood hammocks, this handsome butterfly has suffered losses as its habitat has been overtaken by development. Once found as far north as Miami, it now lives in the U.S. only in the upper Keys.
Natural Habitat: Restricted to shady hardwood hammocks.
Life Cycle: Egg green. Caterpillar rich maroon with cream-colored patches and blue spots. Tubular, tapered, and horned chrysalis overwinters. Host plants are torchwood (Amyris elemifera) and wild lime (Zanthoxylum fagara).
Adult Size: 3 ½ to 4 inches
**An endangered species is one that is in danger of extinction or extirpiration (will disappear from Florida but still exist elsewhere). Either due to very low population numbers or habitat degradation, these species will not survive without active assistance.
Green Tree Frog
Type: Amphibian
Description: slippery, bumpy, golden colored spots on the back, usually a greenish color
Natural Habitat: moist, wooded swamps and brushy areas
Identifying Characteristics: Life begins in a pond for our amphibious friend. About a week after eggs are deposited, tadpoles hatch. They will be tadpoles for six to eight weeks, then they will emerge into frogdom, perhaps with some remains of their larval tail. Ah, what a clever creature, as this leftover is reabsorbed into its body as food supply. That's one less thing to worry about in the first few days while the frog adjusts to its new world.
Diet: bugs and flies
Adult Size: 1 ¼ to 2 ½ inches long
How It Protects Itself: Its color.
Unusual Habits: Color changes also help the green tree frog adapt to its environment. It may lighten to pale green during a bright day to reflect more heat and stay cooler. Or, on cloudy, cooler days, it can darken to retain warmth. On winter days it can dull itself to gray for blending into its winter home - a burrow in the ground for hibernation.
Because they are often heard during rainstorms, folklore and legends regard these frogs as “weather prophets.”
Stock Island Tree Snail
ENDANGERED
Type: Mollusk
Description: It looks like slimy, green and it is sticky. It has a thin glossy cone shell with whirls.
Natural Habitat: It lives in trees and shrubs in warm places in Florida.
Identifying Characteristics: It likes humid hammocks. It crawls on trees but also on the ground.
Diet: algae and bacteria
Size When Born: About 15 ml
Adult Size: 35 to 60 ml
How It Protects Itself: Its shell.
Unusual Habits: He is mostly active at night.
**An endangered species is one that is in danger of extinction or extirpiration (will disappear from Florida but still exist elsewhere). Either due to very low population numbers or habitat degradation, these species will not survive without active assistance.
In 1987, the American Alligator becamethe official state reptile of Florida.
The alligators are not an endangered species but they are legally protected.
They are classified as a threatened species because of their similarity in appearance to the American Crocodile, an endangered species.
Natural Habitat: Alligators live in all Florida counties but are most common in the major river drainage basins and large lakes in the central and southern portions of the state. They also can be found in marshes, swamps, ponds, drainage canals, phosphate-mine settling ponds, and ditches. Alligators are tolerant of poor water-quality and occasionally inhabit brackish marshes along the coast. A few even venture into salt water.
Diet: Alligators are carnivores. Young alligators eat insects, snails and other invertebrates, frogs and small fish. At a length of about six feet they begin to feed predominantly on fish, turtles, snakes, waterbirds, and small mammals. Larger alligators readily eat carrion and, in fact, may prefer it to fresh meat. They are basically opportunistic feeders and will eat almost anything, including such objects as sticks, stones, fishing lures and aluminum cans.
Alligators have been hunted for meat and skins since humans first set food in Florida. Alligator skins were sold in the Miami area for $7 each as early as 1800.
There is little doubt alligators were over-exploited largely because of the demand for alligator leather.
Today, through strict laws, alligators may be harvested during very limited, controlled hunts and are propagated and raised in captivity for the production of meat and skins. This multimillion dollar industry, along with carefully regulated wild alligator harvests, generates approximately 300,000 pounds of meat and 15,000 skins each year. The meat is typically sold to restaurants and wholesalers for about $5 to $7 per pound. Alligator skins are sold to leather tanneries throughout the world. Prices for skins vary considerably from year to year but have averaged about $25 per foot over the past 10 years.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
CARBON CYCLE DIAGRAM
Diagram of the carbon cycle. The black numbers indicate how much carbon is stored in various reservoirs, in billions of tons ("GtC" stands for GigaTons of Carbon and figures are circa 2004). The purple numbers indicate how much carbon moves between reservoirs each year. The sediments, as defined in this diagram, do not include the ~70 million GtC of carbonate rock and kerogen.
From wikipedia, encyclopedia
From wikipedia, encyclopedia
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
CHEMICAL REACTION
Man is killing its on habitats using there own inventive mind, brewing chemicals in laboratories in the united states and its use in our environment. There are contaminating our air,earth,rivers and sea with these dangerous and even lethal materials. The chemicals to which life is asked to make its adjustments are no longer merely the calcium, silica, and copper and all the rest of the minerals. It washed out of the rocks and carried in rivers to the sea. To adjust to these chemicals would require time, more over mans' life and life of generations. how could intelligent beings seek by a method that contaminated the entire environment and brought the threat of disease and death, even to there own kind? There is need of something to be done now, time is running out!
Citation: from silent spring book
the CLASSIC that LAUNCHED the ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT
Citation: from silent spring book
the CLASSIC that LAUNCHED the ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT
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