PRAIRE ANIMALS PROJECT
Background
Although the prairie is often viewed as a monotonous landscape it is quite diverse in animal species and more ecologically complex than at first glance. I has been estimated that …
Objectives
1. You will come to know the details of the natural history of one or a few prairie animals, and relate their life history to other endemic prairie animals and the prairie landscape in general.
Project Guidelines
1. You are required to find out and report the following information for the prairie species that you have chosen or been assigned:
a. Scientific Name
b. Physical and Behavioral Characteristics – Descriptions must include how specific physical characteristics and behaviors have allowed them to adapt to the prairie landscape. Descriptions must include a picture of the animal(s) and should include details of their most adaptive anatomical features.
c. Ecological Range and Role – Identify graphically the range of the organism in North American and Kansas, and detail the niche that the species fills.
2. You are required to prepare a paper that may cite internet sites but must also cite relevant published articles and books (I suggest a trip to the local library or Linda Hall Science and Engineering Library on the campus of UMKC). Your paper should reference at least five published paper articles or books, and copies of the cited sections must be included with your paper on the day that it is turned in.
3. You are also required to prepare a power point presentation that you will present during the final week and a half of the course. The power point should contain the above information but in a format that is more conducive to communicating with audience. In other words, distill the information in the report and by no means cut and paste paragraphs. You should also incorporate additional relevant graphics since power point is such a visual media.
Due Date and Points Possible
The paper report is due on December 8th at the end of the class period and presentations will be randomly assigned to dates between December 9th and 14th, after volunteers are assigned.
Species List
Fishes
Amphibians
Tiger Salamander
Plains Spadefoot Toad*
Great Plains Toad*
Great Plains Narrowmouth Toad*
Reptiles
Lesser Earless Lizard*
Great Plains Skink*
Six-Lined Racerunner*
Glass Lizard*
Ornate Box Turtle*
Bullsnake or Gopher Snake*
Western Hognose Snake
Prairie Kingsnake*
Prairie Rattlesnake*L
Birds
Western Meadowlark
Scissortail Flycatcher
Loggerhead Shrike
Long-Billed Curlew
Upland Sandpiper
Prairie Chicken
Burrowing Owl
Pheasant
Prairie Falcon
Ferruginous Hawk
Mammals
Grasshopper Mouse?
Ord’s Kangaroo Rat*
Prairie Vole
Plains Pocket Gopher*
Thirteen-Lined Ground Squirrel*
Black-Tailed Prairie Dog
Black-Footed Ferret
Nine-Banded Armadillo
Jackrabbit?*S
Badger
Pronghorn*S
Swift Fox
Bobcat*S
Coyote*S
Bison
Other
Texas Horned Lizard*
Racer*
Great Plains Rat Snake*L
Harvester Ant
Grasshopper species
Rocky Mountain Locust
Regal Fritillary
Buffalo Grass