The Art of Ecology
Building visual connections between people and nature.
Tag: Adaptations
Sand Swept and Wind Blown Plant Adaptations
It’s summertime and one of my absolute favorite things is going to the beach and getting a big whiff of salty air in the green salt marshes! I love the look of a white beach with green plants and a blue sky and ocean! It’s the best. But how do those plants in a sandy, …
Pollination – Amazing Plant & Animal Relationships
Last month, I had a wonderful opportunity to learn more about pollinators, like the honeybee, at the nationally recognized botanical garden – Longwood Gardens! This professional development opportunity allowed me to not only learn about these amazing plant & animal relationships, but to witness first hand active pollination in the outdoor gardens and photograph some …
Orchids – the Mischievous Flower
Flowers rely on pollinators like bees, beetles, birds, moths, butterflies, bats, and other creatures to spread pollen from one flower to the next in order to create seeds. Flowers have adapted their color, shape, or aroma to attract the type of pollinator that would best suit them – for example, hummingbirds like red tube flowers. …
“Heart & Soul” – A Photo Project Looking at Animal/Habitat Relationships
As a Conservation Photographer who finds the interconnection of life fascinating, I try to reflect that passion in my work. I created my “Heart & Soul” project to depict this interconnection. Heart & Soul shows the blend of an animal and it’s ideal habitat, or where the animal’s heart and soul belong, through image overlays. …
Beautifully Built Bird Beaks & Bills
You have a bird feeder out in your back yard, but you notice that not all of the birds you have seen are visiting it – Why might that be? Well, one answer might be that not all birds are designed to eat the same foods. By looking at the bird’s beak or bill, you …
Burn Through Snow – What Flowers Can Do that We Wish We Could Too!
About this time (maybe even earlier!) each year, I start missing the sunshine and heat like crazy! Fortunately, nature’s got my back and I can get my “spring fix” even during the last dreary winter days. A few flowers get tired of the grey like I do and do something about it; they heat up …
Plants That Eat More than Sunlight!
As kids, we’re all taught that plants eat sunlight through a complex process called “Photosynthesis.” This is one of the many things that, as humans, make plants a little hard to relate to. If you’re feeling disassociated from plants, here’s something to make you feel better – some plants eat meat! Yum. Carnivorous plants are …
How do tiny birds survive the cold winter?
We always think of birds as migrating south for the winter (wish I could too!), but obviously, some birds do stick around. These birds are able to adapt to the colder temperatures and can find enough food to stick around chilly Pennsylvania! Birds adapt in many ways that are similar to humans. They eat yummier …
How can life still occur in the desert of the American Southwest?
Traveling, especially to places that look and feel different than Pennsylvania where I have lived for all of my life, is so exciting! Fortunately for me, I had the chance to go out to New Mexico to do some photography this past summer! It was amazing to see how many plants and animals that a …
