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Title: Vertebrate Track Plates
Abstract: Students learn about the types of animals that live in the schoolyard by collecting data on the type and number of animals visiting track plates. Students investigate food preferences in birds, mammals, reptiles, and arthropods by comparing track plates near seed baits and track plates near high protein (cat food) baits.
Author/Adapted from: Chihuahuan Desert Nature Park’s Real World - Real Science Program Time: 45 minutes - 1 hour (track plate preparation and placement)
1 - 1.5 hour (track plate collection and data analysis) Grade Level: 6th - 12th
Background:
Determining what kind of animals live in an area can be difficult. Unlike plants, most animals move around their habitat and often move out of sight when approached by humans. In the desert, many animals are nocturnal and/or live in burrows to escape the desert’s extreme conditions. This further complicates humans’ abilities to detect them.
Because of these difficulties, scientists often use indirect evidence such as tracks and scat (a.k.a. feces) to determine which species exist in an area. Tracking, however, can be difficult or even impossible on some substrates such as cement, very hard soil, and grass. In these
instances, scientists can use track plates to capture tracks instead.
The type of bait that you provide near the track plate will determine the species that you may attract. Seed can be good for herbivores and omnivores like some birds, mice, and rabbits. Cat food, with its high protein content, is a great supplement for omnivores and carnivores like lizards, coyotes, foxes, and certain birds. By using two kinds of baits, students can determine some of the species of animals present in the schoolyard and compare the species attracted to each bait type.
Objectives: The student will be able to:
• Record and graph vertebrate track numbers during the school year.
• Draw conclusions about feeding preferences of vertebrates.
Advance Preparation:
For two days before the study, put baits out in the areas where the track plates will be located.
Pre-baiting the area acclimates animals to a new food source.
Materials:
• Twelve track plates (= six sets)
• Line chalk
• Spray bottle
• Sponge
• Six magnetic dishes
• Canned cat food
• Bird seed
• Track identification books
Tips for Entire Class Participation:
• Divide the class into six groups, assigning each group to identify the tracks on one plate.
• If there is a large number of students in each group, divide each group into pairs. Each pair is responsible for collecting and recording a particular set of tracks (one observer and one data recorder per pair). For example, one pair might observe all mice tracks on one plate, another pair might observe bird tracks, and another might observe all other species.
Procedures:
1) Select safe locations in the schoolyard for the track plates. There will be three track plate sets for seeds and three for protein-based cat food.
2) For two days before and during the one- to two-day study period, refill the baits as
necessary. Putting the baits out two days before the study acclimates animals to a new food source.
3) Divide students into six groups and assign each group a particular track plate to prepare and later observe. To chalk the plates, lean the plate horizontally against a wall with newspaper underneath to catch any extra chalk. Using the spray bottle, cover the plate with water in a heavy mist. With a damp sponge, wipe the track plate so that an even sheen of water can be seen. Apply the chalk back and forth along the top of the track plate. The chalk will
naturally fall onto the lower portions of the plate. This needs to be done quickly or the plate may dry. If the plate dries before it is covered in chalk, mist lightly and apply the chalk directly above the wet spot. Carefully pick up the plate by the edges.
4) On the first day, place track plates around each of the baits that has been out for the
acclimation period. Place two freshly chalked plates side by side on an even surface and the magnetic dish with bait directly in the center of the two plates.
5) After one or two days, have students carefully bring the track plates back into the classroom for analysis.
6) Have students draw and record a description of each track and make their best guess about which species left each track using the track identification books. Have them determine the total number of different species that visited the track plates and record this number on the Track Plate Data Sheet.
7) Have students transfer species totals and types to the Track Plate Summary Data Sheet.
8) Have students calculate the averages from each bait type. Use these averages to create the Track Plate Graph.
Evaluations: Allow students to draw conclusions from the graphs.
Do some animals prefer certain types of food?
What might determine food preference?
Can you look at an animal species and figure out what kind of food it eats? Do you expect the results from this study would be the same at different times of year? At different schools?
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Track Plate Data Sheet - SAMPLE
Location of Track Plate: behind school Type of Bait: cat food
Date Track Plate Placed Outside: October 23, 2006 Today’s Date: October 25, 2006
Description of Animal Track Track Example
Best Guess About Species That Left the
Track
Four toes, sets of two pointing opposite
directions, looks like an ‘X’ Roadrunner
Five pads with four claw marks Domestic dog
Little dots in a row, two rows Beetle
Five toe marks in back and four in front; front
tracks pointed to the center Frog
Total Number of Different Species Detected: 4 .
Track Plate Summary Data Sheet - SAMPLE
Total Number of Different Species Detected: 8
Number of Different Species Visiting Plate
Plate Number Location Seed Bait Cat Food Bait
1 Near cottonwood tree 1
2 Next to flagpole 2
3 South of office 1
4 Near cottonwood tree 4
5 Next to flagpole 0
6 South of office 1
1.33 1.66
Average
Best Guess About Species Visiting Plate
Plate Number Location Seed Bait Cat Food Bait
1 Near cottonwood tree bird
2 Next to flagpole bird, mouse
3 South of office quail
4 Near cottonwood tree roadrunner, domestic
dog, beetle, frog
5 Next to flagpole none
6 South of office fox
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Number of Different Species Visiting Track Plates Near Different Baits
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8
Seed Bait Cat Food Bait
Type of Bait
Average Number of Species SAMPLE GRAPH
Student’s Name: ___________________________________
Track Plates
Questions:
Is a different set of species attracted to different kinds of bait? Will bird seed or cat food attract more species?
Materials:
Twelve track plates (six sets) Bird seed
Canned cat food Line chalk Spray bottle
Track identification book Sponge
Magnetic dishes (six)
My Hypothesis: _______________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Procedures:
1) Select safe locations in the schoolyard for the track plates. There will be three track plate sets for seeds and three for protein-based cat food.
2) For two days before and during the one or two day study period, refill the baits as necessary. Putting the baits out two days before the study acclimates the animals to a new food source.
3) Your teacher will divide your class into groups, and each group will have a track plate to prepare and observe. To chalk the plates, lean the plate against a wall with newspaper underneath to catch any extra chalk. Using the spray bottle, cover the plate in a heavy mist. With a damp sponge, wipe the track plate so that an even sheen of water can be seen. Apply the chalk back and forth along the top of the track plate. The chalk will naturally fall onto the lower portions of the plate. This needs to be done quickly or the plate may dry. If the plate dries before it is covered in chalk, mist lightly and apply the chalk directly above the wet spot. Carefully pick up the plate by the edges.
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4) On the first day, place your freshly chalked track plate and one other group’s plate around a bait that has been out for the acclimation period. Place plates side by side on an even surface with the magnetic dish with bait directly in the center of the two plates.
5) After one or two days, bring the track plates back into the classroom for analysis.
6) Draw and record a description of each track and make your best guess about which species left each track, using the track identification books. Record the total number of different species that visited the track plate on the Track Plate Data Sheet.
7) Transfer species totals and types to the Track Plate Summary Data Sheet.
Calculate the averages from each bait type. Use these averages to create the Track Plate Graph.
Results: See your graph.
Conclusions:
Placas de Huellas en Tu Escuela
Preguntas:
¿Se atraerá un grupo diferente de especies unos tipos diferentes del cebo?
¿Cuál atraerá más especies: semillas para pájaros o comida para gatos?
Materiales:
• Doce placas de huellas (seis conjutos)
• Semilla para pájaros
• Comida para gatos en lata
• Tiza para hacer líneas
• Botella rociadora
• Libro para identificar huellas
• Esponja
• Platillos magnéticos (seis)
Mi Hipótesis: __________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Métodos:
1) Elige localidades seguras en el terreno de la escuela para las placas de huellas. Habrá tres conjuntos de placas para semillas y tres conjuntos para comida para gatos.
2) Por dos días antes y durante el período de uno o dos días del estudio, rellenar los cebos como sea necesario. Si pones los cebos en el sitio dos días antes del estudio aclamita a los animales a una fuente nueva de comida.
Nombre del Estudiante: ___________________________________
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3) Tu maestro/a dividirá la clase en grupos, y cada grupo tendrá una placa de huellas para preparar y observar. Para poner la tiza, inclina la placa contra una pared con un periódico debajo para recoger tiza extra. Usando la botella, cubre la placa con un vapor de agua. Con una esponja algo mojada, frota la placa para que se puede ver un lustre liso de agua. Por lo alto de la placa, aplica la tiza de acá para allá. La tiza se caerá naturalmente en las partes inferiores de la placa. Se necesita hacer ésto rápidamente, o la placa se seque. Si la placa se seca antes de que se cubre de tiza, reaplica el vapor y pon la tiza directamente arriba del lugar mojado. Con cuidado levanta la placa con las manos.
4) En el primer día, pon tu placa con tiza y la placa de otro grupo alrededor de un ceba que ya está localizado por el período de aclimatización. Pon las placas lado a lado en un superficie con el platillo magnético con cebo directamente en medio de las dos placas.
5) Después de uno o dos días, con cuidado trae la placas de huellas a la sala de clase para examinarlas.
6) Dibuja y anota una descripción de cada huella, y trata de adivinar cual especie dejó cada huella, usando los libros de identificación. Anota el número total de especies diferentes que visitaron la placa de huellas en la Hoja de Datos: Track Plate.
7) Traslada los sumos y tipos de especies a la Hoja de Datos: Track Plate Summary. Calcula los promedios de cada tipo de cebo. Usa estos promedios para crear la Gráfica: Placa de Huellas.
Resultados: Ve tus tablas.
Conclusiones:
Track Plate Data Sheet
Location of Track Plate: _______________________________
Type of Bait: __________________
Date Track Plate Placed Outside: _________ Today’s Date: ______________
Description of Animal Track Track Example
Best Guess About Species That Left
the Track
Total Number of Different Species Detected: ________________
Student’s Name: ___________________________
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Best Guess About Species Visiting Plate
Plate Number Location Seed Bait Cat Food Bait
1
2
3
4
5
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Track Plate Summary Data Sheet
Total Number of Different Species Detected: ________________
Number of Different Species Visiting Plate
Plate Number Location Seed Bait Cat Food Bait
1 2 3 4 5 6
Average
Student’s Name: ____________________________
Student’s Name: ____________________________
T ra ck P la te s at Y ou r S ch oo l
Type of BaitAve rag e N umb er of Spe cie s V isi tin g T rac k P lat es
