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6.6 Unit Challenge Resource: White Pine Forest SpeciesFact Sheets

Organism: Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus)

The eastern white pine is a species of tree that are very common in northern pine forests. This species of pine tree is found throughout the upper great lakes states, New England, and Canada. Eastern white pine prefer to grow in areas that have a mix of full sun and some shade. Eastern white pine can grow in different types of soil including acidic, moist soils, well drained soils, and somewhat dry soils. In some cases they have been found growing on rocky areas and in bog wetlands. Eastern white pine are photosynthetic organisms, which means they are able to use sunlight to make energy to grow. Various parts of the tree are eaten by different animals. The seeds are eaten by black bear, rabbits, red squirrels, and a number of birds. The bark of the tree is eaten by beavers, snowshoe hares, porcupines, rabbits, and mice. Because white pine trees need sunlight to grow they compete with other trees that use sunlight including: yellow birch, aspen, red oak, and sugar maple. Eastern white pine survival can be limited by forest fires( especially for young trees), as well as from air pollution due to burning coal or refining oil.

Fun facts/questions for students to answer after reading about Eastern White Pine:

1) How tall can eastern white pine grow? 2) What are some of the bird species eastern white pine offers nesting sites for? 3) What hardiness zones do eastern white pine grow in?

Copyright, Michigan Technological University 2017, all rights reserved.


Organism: Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)

Eastern hemlock is a species of tree that can be found living in northern pine forests. This species tends to grow in cooler areas that get plenty of precipitation throughout the year. Hemlocks prefer acidic soils that are moist but well drained, which means they do not pool water on the surface. Just like other plants, eastern hemlock are photosynthetic organisms, which means they are able to use sunlight for energy to grow. Although eastern hemlock need sunlight to grow they are one of the most shade tolerant species of tree, which means they can handle getting much less direct sunlight than other trees. Even though they are shade tolerant, eastern hemlock will still compete with other trees for growing space, water, and nutrients, such as eastern white pine, red pine, white oak, red oak, and red maple. Eastern hemlock are eaten by a number of animals including snowshoe hares, mice, voles, squirrels, and porcupines. White-tail deer love eating eastern hemlock, and when there are a lot of deer they can prevent hemlock from reproducing by eating all of the seedlings. Eastern hemlock populations can be limited by water, especially if there is a drought. A fungus called mycorrhizae lives on roots of eastern hemlock and helps it obtain nutrients, in return the fungus gets fed by the tree.

Fun facts/questions for students to answer after reading about Eastern Hemlock:

1) How long does it take for a hemlock to produce cones? 2) Along with eastern hemlock, how many species of hemlock exist?3) What vitamin is hemlock tea (made from the needles) rich in?



Organism: Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea)

Scarlet tanagers are a colorful bird that live in northern forests during the summer breeding season. They prefer to live in large undisturbed forests, which mean forests that have areas that have been cut down or developed by humans are not ideal for the scarlet tanager. They build their nests up high (as much as 50 feet up) in oak, maple, beech, hemlock, and other hardwood trees. Scarlet tanagers mostly eat insects including ants, sawflies, moths, butterflies, beetles, flies, cicadas, leafhoppers, spittlebugs, treehoppers, termites, grasshoppers, dragonflies, snails, earthworms, and spiders. As another option, scarlet tanager will sometimes eat fruit and the buds from tree branches. Scarlet tanagers have some predators, usually larger birds including eastern screech owls, long-eared owls, short-eared owls, and merlins. Young tanagers and the eggs are eaten by squirrels, chipmunks, snakes, blue jays, grackles, and crows. Other birds living in northern pine forests that may compete with scarlet tanager for food include black-throated blue warbler, black-throated green warbler, and ovenbirds. Scarlet tanagers can be limited by finding nesting habitat in the summer months. If forests are fragmented (broken up by roads, buildings, fields), or if large mature trees are not around the tanager has trouble building a nest. Food can also limit their survival if there are not enough insects to support the population.

Fun facts/questions for students to answer after reading about Scarlet Tanager:

1) What color are scarlet tanager eggs?2) What are scarlet tanager nests made of? 3) What bird is known to parasitize scarlet tanager nests?



Organism: Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Bald eagles are a species of bird that live near northern pine forests. They typically can be found living near water such as lakes, rivers, marshes, coasts, or reservoirs. When looking for food, bald eagles will sit in tall trees where they can see prey below. They build their nests out of sticks, grass, moss, lichen, and feathers in tall pine trees that stick out of the forest canopy. Bald eagles have a diet that is mostly fish based. They are known to eat salmon, herring, largemouth bass, black crappie, yellow perch, and catfish. However, bald eagles will also eat other animals such as ducks, reptiles, amphibians, crabs, rabbits, snakes, frogs, and mice. Because of their size, adult bald eagles do not have many natural predators. However, raccoons, squirrels, gulls, and great horned owls will eat eggs and young bald eagles. Bald eagles will compete with other birds for food such as osprey, gulls, ravens, eagles, and hawks. Bald eagle survival can be limited by finding available habitat, including lakes, ponds, and rivers that are used to find food. Bald eagles can also limited by pollution due to humans using pesticides.

Fun facts/questions for students to answer after reading about Bald Eagles:

1) How long can bald eagles live? 2) How much did the heaviest bald eagle nest weigh? 3) How many eggs do bald eagles lay when reproducing?



Organism: American Black Bear (Ursus americanus)

Black bears live in forest habitats such as northern pine forests but can also live near swamps. They prefer to be in places that have lots of thick forest cover and plenty of food available. Black bears also require an area to live in the winter which can be in caves, under rocks or in trees. Black bears eat a combination of fruit, plants, seeds, nuts, insects, and animal meat depending on what is available. Animal meat makes up a small part of their diet and is usually from insects. Adult black bears do not have many natural predators, however, young cubs are eaten by wolves and mountain lions. Despite the size difference, black bears compete with other forest animals such as birds, raccoons, squirrels for nuts, seeds, fruits, and insects. Black bears are most limited by how much food is available to eat throughout the spring, summer, and fall.

Fun facts/questions to answer after reading about American Black Bear

1) How much can black bears weigh?2) How long can black bears live to be?3) How fast can black bears run?



Image Sources (Last Updated 07/10/2017)1) Photo by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinus_strobus#/media/File:Pinus_strobus_trees.jpg

2) Photo by Famartin, distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license: Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2013-08-25_15_39_09_Closeup_of_Eastern_Hemlock_foliage_across_Taborton_Road_from_the_entrance_to_Spring_Lake_in_Berlin,_New_York.jpg

3) Photo by Magnus Manske, distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license: Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Scarlet_Tanager_(6952608142).jpg

4) Photo by Yathin S Krishnappa, distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license: Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus): https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/2010-bald-eagle-with-fish.jpg

5) Photo by Diginatur, distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license: American Black Bear (Ursus americanus): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_black_bear#/media/File:01_Schwarzbär.jpg


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