Module 3: Hedgerows - Charles Darwin Trustcharlesdarwintrust.org/userfiles/uploaded/Files/... ·...
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Module 3: Hedgerows Darwin planted a hedge as an experiment 01 Enquire with Darwin KS3
Transcript of Module 3: Hedgerows - Charles Darwin Trustcharlesdarwintrust.org/userfiles/uploaded/Files/... ·...
Module 3: HedgerowsDarwin planted a hedge as an experiment
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Enquire with Darwin
KS3
What is so important about a hedge?
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Change over time• In1846,Darwinplantedahedgewhichbordered
afieldusedforgrazingsheepandcattleandhaymaking
• Ontheothersideofthepathwasasmallcopse
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Change over timeIn 1846 he planted...
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Alder
Birch
Hazel
Dogwood
Lime
Privet
Hornbeam
The experimentFor 20 years Darwin observed the hedge almost every dayAfter20yearsherecordedthespeciesthathadcomeintothishedge
Heobservedandrecorded:
• Incomingplantspecies• Theuseanimalsmadeofthehedge• Seasonalchange
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The Hedge in the 1850s
Ash Holly Cherry
Maple Privet Sycamore
Honeysuckle Hornbeam Ivy
Elm Spindle Gooseberry
WildClematis Rubus(Blackberry) Rose
Beech Oak
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Change over timeIn 1866 Darwin made a survey of the hedge:
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Change over timeIn 2006, Jane McLauchlin made a survey of the hedge:• Therewere63plantspecies
• Wheredidtheycomefrom?
• Howdidtheygetthere?
• Someplantslikethehoneysuckleandelmhavedisappearedfromthehedge.Howhasthishappened?
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The Hedge in 2009
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What lives in the hedge?
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Food in a hedge
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Food in a hedge
Hedge flowers, berries and seeds
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Small Mammals
Hedge flowers, berries and seedsFood in
a hedge
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Small Mammals
Eggs and Chicks
Hedge flowers, berries and seedsFood in
a hedge
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Small Mammals
Eggs and Chicks
Food plants at the base of the hedge
Hedge flowers, berries and seedsFood in
a hedge
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Small Mammals
Eggs and Chicks
Food plants at the base of the hedge
Insects in soil, under leaves and bark
Hedge flowers, berries and seedsFood in
a hedge
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Small Mammals
Eggs and Chicks
Food plants at the base of the hedge
Insects in soil, under leaves and bark
Leaves for caterpillars
Hedge flowers, berries and seedsFood in
a hedge
Owls
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Animals in a hedgeDifferent animals come here at night and vary through the seasons
Owls
Squirrels
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Animals in a hedgeDifferent animals come here at night and vary through the seasons
Owls
Squirrels
Shrews, voles, and mice
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Animals in a hedgeDifferent animals come here at night and vary through the seasons
Owls
Squirrels
Shrews, voles, and mice
Fox
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Animals in a hedgeDifferent animals come here at night and vary through the seasons
Owls
Squirrels
Shrews, voles, and mice
Rabbits under the hedge
Fox
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Animals in a hedgeDifferent animals come here at night and vary through the seasons
Owls
Squirrels
Shrews, voles, and mice
Rabbits under the hedge
Fox
Possibly dormice (summer)
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Animals in a hedgeDifferent animals come here at night and vary through the seasons
Owls
Squirrels
Shrews, voles, and mice
Leaf litter insects
Rabbits under the hedge
Fox
Possibly dormice (summer)
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Animals in a hedgeDifferent animals come here at night and vary through the seasons
Owls
Squirrels
Shrews, voles, and mice
Leaf litter insects
Rabbits under the hedge
Fox
Possibly dormice (summer)
Butterflies by day, moths by night
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Animals in a hedgeDifferent animals come here at night and vary through the seasons
Owls
Squirrels
Shrews, voles, and mice
Leaf litter insects
Rabbits under the hedge
Fox
Worms and insects in the soil
Possibly dormice (summer)
Butterflies by day, moths by night
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Animals in a hedgeDifferent animals come here at night and vary through the seasons
Owls
Squirrels
Shrews, voles, and mice
Leaf litter insects
Rabbits under the hedge
Hedgehogs
Fox
Worms and insects in the soil
Possibly dormice (summer)
Butterflies by day, moths by night
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Animals in a hedgeDifferent animals come here at night and vary through the seasons
Darwin’s ways of working Darwin’s son wrote:‘Heusedtowalkverystealthily&quietlyamongstthewoodsorwheretherewasanyanimallifetowatch’
‘Onedayinthe[Sandwalk]woodhesurprisedafoxasleep,itgotup&lookedathimmuchastonished&thentrottedoff’‘Anotherday[nearthehedge]awholefamilyofyoungsquirrelstookhimforatree&ranup&downhim’‘Hehadasharpeyeforbirdsnests&oftenusedtofindthemwithoutlookingforthem’‘Sawbeesinholesattheend[ofthehedge]’
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Darwin’s ways of working: observation Darwinhimselfnoted
‘pulpyfruitsservequadrupedsandbirdsasfood,whiletheirseeds,oftenhardandindigestible,passuninjuredthroughtheintestines,andaredepositedfarfromtheiroriginalplaceofgrowthinaconditionpeculiarlyfitfor[germination]’
Anevidenceimage
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Darwin’s ways of working:observation
Blackberrieshavetoughskins
Howdotheseinsectsfeedfromtheblackberryinawaythatshowsinterdependence?
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Darwin’s ways of working:observation
Blackberrieshavetoughskins
Awasphasstrongjaws(mandibles)toteartheskinopentoreachthesugaryflesh
ARedAdmiralbutterflyhasalongtongue(proboscis).Itsucksupthejuicefromthemushyblackberry.
Aflydribblessalivaonthefruittomakeitmushysoitcansuckupthejuice.
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Videos of hedgerow lifewww.bbc.co.uk/nature/habitats/hedge(LivingBritain,AutumnwatchandHedgelore)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHaNvgysJcQ&feature=related(bugs)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tx8rJJfZ5Ak(birdsnestinginahedge)
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Hedgerow food web
Arrowsshowenergyflow.Forexample,seedsareeatenbyseed-eatingbirds,thesebirdsaretheneatenbylargercarnivorousbirds
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Hedge habitatUsingtheHedgeposter,recordthespeciesofplantsandanimalsfoundinmanyhedges
Typicalhedgehabitat
Hedgecafeteria
Theseasons
Thephotographsofplantsandanimalsunderthemainheading
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Resource materialsRoleplayAmapoftheoldschooldevelopmentsite:
JonasHomeshassubmittedthefollowinglistoftreesandshrubstoaBoroughCouncilontheedgeofacity.Theplannedhedgewillbeplantednexttothefootpathonthewesternedgeofthedevelopmentsite.
•Birch(Betulapendula)•Hornbeam(Carpinusbetulus)•Fieldmaple(Acercampestre)•Privet(Ligustrumvulgare)•Guelderrose(Viburnumopulus)•Dogwood(Cornusanguinea)
PARKPLAYING FIELD
SCHOOL SITE
FENCE HOLLY HEDGE
SCHOOL’SWILDAREA
RAILWAYLINE
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Resource materialsRoleplayStudentstakerolesandpresentthefollowingargumentsataplanningconsultation.
Those people living opposite this site
Thehousesoppositethesitearehardlyvisiblefromtheroadbecausethecouncilprohibitedgrubbingupoftreesandhedgerowsduringthebuildingwork.Theplantingshouldbeofoak,fieldmaple,hawthorn,blackthorn,crabapple,elderandhazellikethehedgeopposite.Itshouldgrowtomorethan3metreshigh.ItisanattractivefeaturethatreducespollutionaroundtheirhomesandtheBoroughmaintainsitwell.
The local Wildlife Trust
Elmtreesinthehedgearoundthesitediedinthe1980s.Whatremainedofthehedgewasnotasafewildlifecorridortothepark,thehedgeoppositeortherailwayembankment.TheTrustisconcernedabouthabitatfragmentationandwouldliketoseeadoublerowofcloselyplantedsaplingsonthewestandnorthsidesofthesiteandtheoldschool’swildarealeftintact.Theyneedaccesstothehedgetomonitorwildlife.Thecommunitycanvisitthesiteonopendays.
Those who don’t want the Borough to waste money
Ahedgeneedstobemaintainedsobranchesdon’toverhangthefootpathtotheshopsorpark.Evenwithbarkmulchunderthehedge,itwillbecomefullofweeds.Thedeveloper,notlocalpeople,shouldpayformaintenance.TheywantalowfenceoragrassedgethathouseholderscanmowsothattheBoroughwillnothavetopayformaintenance.
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Resource materialsRoleplayLocal biodiversity group
WithnogreenfieldsitesintheBorough,mostbrownfieldsiteshavebeenbuilton.Itssurveysshowthatlocalwildflowersaredisappearingandthisaffectsbees,butterfly,birdandsmallmammalnumbers.Hedgerowsareveryimportantforconservationofthreatenedlichens,invertebrates,reptilesandamphibians,20speciesofbirdand11endangeredmammalsintheUK.Theyworkwithschoolsandwanttoretainthewildareatoshowchangeovertime.Itsvolunteerswillmaintainthehedgeandschoolswillbeencouragedtovisit.
Green gym group
Thepurposeoftheplantingisn’tjusttocomplywiththeplanningpermissionnortoplantthecheapestoptionavailable.Thegreengymcansourceandplantamixedhedgeifthedeveloperpaystheminsteadofacontractor.Thisnon-profitmakinggroupworkswiththeBoroughtoencourageolderorunemployedpeopletokeephealthy,active,givesomethingbacktotheircommunityandgainskills.Thehedgecanbecomeafocusforcommunityevents.
Potential house buyers who would have the hedge near their homes.
Theydon’twantanythingclosetothehousesthatwillgrowover2metresandblockoutlight,orrisktheirsafety.Theydon’twantpricklyplantsinthehedgecollectingblowinglitter.Theydon’twantanythinglikewillowthathasahugerootsystemandcanunderminehousefoundations.Whoeverpaysfortheplantsmustalsopayforthemaintenance;whyshouldtheypayforit?There’splentyofwildlifeontherailwayembankment,whydoweneedmorehere?
Discussthechoicesmadeandfactorsotherthanwildlifethataffectdecisionmaking.Whatsortofhedgemightbemostwildlifefriendly?
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AcknowledgementsThisresourcehasbeenproducedbyTheCharlesDarwinTrust©TheCharlesDarwinTrust2012SerieseditorDrSusanJohnsonAuthorDrSusanJohnsonEditorKarenGoldie-MorrisonDesignSPYStudioPhotographstakenatDownHousearewiththankstoEnglishHeritagewhichownsandopenstheHousetothepublic.
Picture creditsAllpicturesDrSusanJohnsonexcept:Slide6EnglishHeritagePhotoLibrarySlides15and16SPYStudio/TheCharlesDarwinTrustSlide19BritishEcologicalSocietySlide20SPYStudio/TheCharlesDarwinTrust
ThankyoutoourcurrentfunderswhoaresupportingDarwinInspiredlearningandhavemadeEnquirewithDarwinpossible:theEvolutionEducationTrust,theFoyleFoundation,theGarfieldWestonFoundation,theJJCharitableTrustandtheMarkLeonardTrust,TheMercers’Company,andanumberofindividualdonors.
