Assignment:
Watch the following videos:
Vernal pools - California's Gold Preservation Projects
Science Today: Serpentine Soil California Academy of Sciences
Our Serpentine in Paradise/Magalia:
My video from spring 2020
Answer the following questions:
1. Define what makes a vernal pool habitat so special?
2. Vernal pools have cysts, what are they?
3. Vernal pool animals need to complete their lifecycles quickly, why?
4. Besides all the beautiful flowers and grasses what animal species are special to vernal pools?
5. Why are vernal pools so important in grassland landscapes?
6. Define what makes a serpentine habitat so special?
7. What makes serpentine soil so toxic?
8. Can plants that live in serpentine soil live effectively in other habitats? Why?
9. How many genetic changes need to occur for plants to tolerate the toxicity of serpentine soil?
10. Both videos discussed the connection between a rare habitat and the rare life that lives there. Why do you think rare habitats also have rare species?