Naturalist Perspectives Assignment 2: Properties of Life in Site Alpha

On returning to site alpha, it was a much colder day. I walked over only to find that the lavender- like flowers were even closer to death, the hyacinth-like flowers were losing their color, and the black eyed susan's had less petals than last time. This saddening sight made me realize that winter is coming sooner this year, and that the climate really does effect the flowers dramatically. Also, this time I went to view site alpha right after it rained, which might have pelted the petals off od the black eyed susans, or it could simply be getting too cold for them. Besides the withering of life that some of these flowers are encountering, the leafy greenery like the clovers and  sprouts seemed to stay in tact, as well as the Zinnas.

Withering Lavender-like flowers and dead Black
 Eyed Susans (most of the Black Eyed Susans are still alive)

Lively greenery with withering Lavender-like
flowers and a colorless Zinna or Dahlia.

Naturalist Perspectives Challenge 1: Find a Flowering Plant and a Pollinator

Photo of my alpha transect and flowering plants

On my transect there are many flowers, due to the fact that it is a garden. Although I would love to choose the Zinnas as my flower, since there is an abundance of them and I know the name of them, I'd have to choose to observe the lavender (or lavender looking) flowers, because as I was sitting by the garden, I saw a few bees hopping back and forth between these flowers only. Although the bees might also be attracted to the Zinnas, I can use inductive reasoning to deduct that the lavender might be more tasty or pollen filled. Possibly the fact that the lavender looks like it is going to die soon might even persuade the bees to come and get them while they can, or the flowers could simply be dying due to the fact that the bees are taking all their pollen. My deductive reasoning on why the bees chose the lavender-like flowers can only go so far, because the patterns I based these inductive assumptions on are only momentary. The bees might also be attracted to the Zinnas, just not today for a multitude of possible reasons.

Naturalist Perspectives Assignment 1: Observation Transect in Site Alpha

For my alpha transect I chose to observe a garden across the street from my apartment. I thought this would be a good place, because it is going to get cold soon and a lot of changes will occur in that location. Also, all the different types of flowers attract bees and birds to the area. Although I couldn't name all the flowers, there were a few labels next to the flowers saying some of them are Zinna's, while others are Black Eyed Susan's. I inferred that others were related to hyacinths and another looked similar to lavender, but I don't believe either of those were accurate hypothesis'. I hope to meet the owner of the garden to ask further questions one of the days I am observing it, but for now I can only assume.
Inches 1to 40: Grass-> Sprouts-> Clovers and Orange Zinna Flowers

Inches 41-81: Orange Zinna Flowers-> Weeds-> Dead Black Eyed Susan Flowers

Inches 81-121: Weeds-> Black Eyed Susan Flowers-> Pink and Yellow Zinna Flowers-> Weeds

Inches 121-161: Budding Zinna Flowers-> Pink Zinna Flowers-> Purple Lavender-like Flowers (with bees on them-> Colorless Hyacynth-like Flowers

**Most flower names are assumed, aside from the Zinna's and the Black Eyed Susan's