This photo was taken November 9th outside of Jaegar Halls window. This picture captures the beauty of winter, snow. Snow is apart of the water cycle. In the water cycle, snow would be apart of the precipitation process. Sometimes when enough snow falls it can accumulate as ice caps and glaciers. Ice caps and glaciers make up most of earths freshwater supply. When this snow melts it will take part in the next part of the water cycle. Some will be evaporated and some will become runoff. Along with taking part of the water cycle, snow is important to help regulate the Earth's surface.

This is a picture of two geese I found walking next to Lake St. Benedict. Geese, like many animals, are important to our environment because of there ability to fertilize the soil. When geese eat plants the seeds are sometimes consumed as well. The seeds are then dispersed when the goose poops. This is good for the environment because it spreads out the location of plants and gives the soil nutrients. #BenU #Ecology #BIOL180 #Fall2019 #image1

This picture was taken on September 16th at around 7 pm. This picture shows St. Benedict Lake on Benedictine University’s campus. On the lake, it is visible that there are tons of algae. When there is algae on the lake, called algal blooms, this can be a risk to animals, people, and the water. When there are these algal blooms on the lake, it can decrease the oxygen level in the lake and can kill fish and can kill plants in the water also. #benu #BIOL1 #Fall2019 #image1 #Ecology

This photo was taken on the night of September 16th. The picture was taken out side of Goodwin facing the parking garage. This photo shows the various plants that grow on the University grounds and how beautiful it can be.I personally think this helps keep a good look on campus. The plants are important to help filter the air and, give us something nice to look at.

This photo was taken at Graue Mill in Oak Brook. It was taken in the afternoon. This is a picture of moss. I thought it looked super interesting, since it covered so much water. Moss is super important in our environment. It begins when small filaments began to surface, creating the moss. It uses the air to absorb the nutrients, making the moisture travel. Moss is what breaks down the soil beneath, giving out the nutrients for plants. Not only do they help plants, but they help the soil. The moss gives a protection to the soil and absorbs the water. Moss has many important roles that impact ecology in different ways.

This photo was taken on November 4th, right outside Lake St. Benedict. I was driving around campus and I saw that there were many ducks in the lake. I already had a picture for this ecophoto but I thought that the ducks were cooler than my previous picture. I always wondered why the ducks were two different colors and after researching I found that these ducks are Mallard Ducks. The Male ones are green and the female ones are more of a brown color. These ducks are the most common ducks in the area and they play a big role in the ecosystem. They help control the population not just on land, but also in many ponds and small lakes. These Mallard ducks help eat and control many aquatic plants and they eat snails, insects, fish, and worms. These ducks are very good for the midwest because they can withstand the cold well. This makes is so the ducks do have ti migrate throughout the winter. Although these ducks are good for our waters because they control plant growth and other species, they do have some predators. they are the prey to many other things like raccoons, weasels, eagles, turtles. They are also haunted and ate for food by many people in the midwest. These ducks play a major role in the food chain. They are predators for many plants and animals, but they are also preyed on by many bigger animals too. Without the Mallard ducks, the ecosystems in the midwest wouldn't be the same as they were without them.

This photo was taken on September 6th, on the stairs one of the Founders Buildings. I was walking up the stairs in Founders when I had almost touched the Praying Mantis. At first, it startled me because I did not know what it was. I have only seen a Praying Mantis a couple of times in my life, so I had to get a picture of it. I even saw another one the next day walking to class. Many of these Praying Mantis use very good camouflage when hunting. These do this to stay stealthy and to be unseen. They are good for the environment because they keep many other bug populations down. They eat other bugs like moths, grasshoppers, crickets, flies and other small bugs. They are also known to eat their own kind as well. When I did some research it said that the female ones were preparing to lay eggs in the fall before the frost. This is probably why I saw two of these cool bugs in such short time. It is very important to not kill these bugs if you see them because of the huge role they play in the food chain and regulating the population of many other smaller bugs.

This photo was taken on September 16th, 2019. This is a picture of our pond right here on campus called St.Benedict. when you first look at a pond you might think its not that important but they really are a big part of our ecosystem. Ponds are important for biodiversity in the ecosystem. Ponds also are very helpful for aquatic species, ponds are also helpful for our wildlife. They provide drinking water during dry weather, a supply of insect and plant-based food, and shelter among the surrounding plants and trees. In the end water is a big part of our ecosystem. #BenU #Ecology #BIOL180 #Fall2019 #image1

This picture was taken on the Wisconsin Iowa border. this image shows the vast fields of corn being grown. this corn does more than just feed us, it is food for insects and animals that we use to eat. This shows a vast ecosystem that is home to so many different types of plants and animals big and small

Kathy Karagiannis-BIOL180-Fall 2019-EcoPhoto #1

This picture was taken in the front yard of my house in Downers Grove, IL on September 11th 2019. Every year these Daylilies would seasonally bloom in the Summer/Spring time. They’d bloom giving off their bright yellow colors. My family has always been so surprised how they grow back so full and bright every year after coming out of the bitter cold Fall/Winters. Daylilies can be used to add color to the landscape in the Summer months. They are great when planted on sloped areas since their roots will hold against erosion. This flower is very tolerant when planted in any soil, but the best times to plant them are early Spring when soil temperatures are moderate. During the Winter times it is best to remove any rotted or damaged part of the Lilies from the ground. They will grow fine without any fertilizers, although usually slow-release fertilizers are best for Daylilies. It is preferred that it should have moderate rates of nitrogen and higher rates of phosphorus. The environmental benefits that planting Daylilies have is one being, photosynthesis. The flower’s leaves absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. Another important reason how these plants help the environment is by reducing erosion and flooding. They provide natural pollination to birds, insects, and other animals. They keep the ecosystem thriving by the attraction of the flower scents and its color. It helps sustain organisms and even humans to survive and multiply through generations.

This crow is part of Illinois’ ecosystem. Crows are commonly mistaken for ravens. Ravens are much bigger than crows and have a different beak for a eating different foods. Crows are commonly found in North America in the eastern region. Crows are tertiary consumers and are omnivores, they gained their spot as a territory consumer because they eat a majority of species. Anything from spiders to nuts which makes them neither a carnivore or herbivore but both. Being a tertiary consumer means it eats smaller prey like a primary and secondary consumers. The crow is then eaten by a bigger tertiary consumer like an eagle or something capable of hunting a crow. But since the crow is eaten by many larger consumers it is also under decomposers on the food chain. Decomposers are primarily fungi that just consume dead organisms that have died because of natural causes, this recycled the nutrients back into the environment.

#BenU #Ecology #BIOL180 #Fall2019 #Image2

Kathy Karagiannis

This picture was taken during the homecoming tailgate at Benedictine University in Lisle, IL on October 12th 2019. Most years, there is a little petting zoo at the tailgate where there are goats, ducks and chickens. While chickens are a great source for producing eggs and the meat itself, it’s becoming an issue to constantly be slaughtering them for the benefit of human beings. Chickens are great for our environment since they are omnivores by nature, meaning they chase down plant-destroying insects such as grasshoppers, beetles, and other pests. As a society, we need to be more mindful of eliminating animals from their population for our own benefit and source of food. There are other ways we can get the protein we need in our bodies than to kill off animals to eat. Some fast food joints and restaurants have already taken a step with this and created a plant-based burger as a vegetarian option. As the amount of chicken in the average American diet increases so will the environmental costs. To continue to kill off the chicken population will only continue to harm its natural habitat and the global climate change. Eating meat will continue to harm the environment by human produced greenhouse gases, biodiversity loss, water degradation, and deforestation.

This picture was taken around 4:00 pm on Monday, November 18th. These bushes are very decorative. Also, this is a long hedge row of decorative bushes. These bushes have not happened to change color or lose their leaves yet. These were planted probably sometime in the last year and sprouted up to be about 15 feet tall. They are decorative, it is right along side of a pathway to walk on. The bushes are dark green and will eventually either fall off or turn to an orange-ish, red color. Birds like to nest and have their birds in the bushes as well because it is sturdy.

This picture of Lake St. Benedict shows many different things at work. It is full of trees which provide oxygen for us as well as shelter for birds, insects, and squirrels. They even provide shelter and shade for fish if the tree is hanging closely over the water. There is also algae on the top of the water which can harm the fish and animals living there because it blocks oxygen. Getting rid of the algae can also harm the fish and animals because the chemicals used can be harmful.

This photo was taken on September 3rd, outside of Lake St. Benedict. I saw the snapping turtle while driving along the Benedictine campus. At first, I thought it was trash or something in the road. When I approached the object with a flashlight It seemed to be a large turtle. When I had got some time, I looked up what type of turtle it was. It was a Chelydra serpentina. These turtles live in any permanent water. These turtles play a major role in the ecosystem of Lake St. Benedict. The Chelydra serpentina eats almost anything from fish, frogs, some small mammals, crawfish, bugs, birds. It can feed in the water and out of the water. They also tend to feed in the mud underwater and scavenge for anything. These turtles are crucial to the food chain in the lake. they keep the population down of many fish and other species in the water. The turtles also mate underwater as well and lay their eggs on land. When I did some research on the turtle from the DNR it said their mating season is almost over and eggs are hatched from September to October. I assume that the turtle was possibly laying its eggs when I saw it since it was night. The turtles lay eggs at night because there is a less of a chance of predators for their eggs. Other animals also prey on the eggs like foxes and coyotes. The Turtle plays an important role as it is high on the food chain but helps regulate many populations. I assume that there are other turtle species at the lake as well.

This photo of Christmas lights was taken in Bartlett, IL on November 24. Many houses have lights around the holiday season and while they look appealing, Christmas lights actually do some harm to the environment. Lights disrupt nocturnal wildlife, waste energy, and wash out stars in the sky according to NASA. If lights are left on during the night animals may not necessarily know if they should be sleeping or staying awake, throwing off their sleep patterns. In order to combat the amount of energy that is used, LED lightbulbs are preferred since they use about 75% less energy than regular bulbs. Even though they cost a bit more, they don't make as much of a dent in electricity bills and do not heat up as much as regular bulbs, creating less of a fire hazard. Timers can also help save energy so the lights are not left on all day and night. Luckily, Christmas lights are only up for about a month so that is much healthier for the environment than keeping lights up year round.

This photo was taken last weekend in a neighborhood just outside of benedictine while I was on one of my routine bike rides. Although geese amongst most people are annoying birds taking up space, they are pretty useful to our environment. While geese are traveling they leave droppings which are great soil for growing plants. This also grows new plants since geese may eat a plant in one area then deposit the seeds in another. Not to mention many small creatures like foxes and raccoons can eat there eggs.

I took this picture right outside of Krasa. It was taken on October 25 at 6:11pm. This picture shows a line of trees and a beautiful sunset. The reason I chose this picture is because I think it's cool how the trees align with the sunset. The trees react with our atmosphere by giving out oxygen. Without trees, we would not have air to breathe.

I took this picture when I was walking my dog around my neighborhood in Naperville. Since we just recently learned about organic matter, I now look at fallen and dead leaves differently as they are brown organic material which supplies carbon. Eventually, these leaves will turn brown and put back into the atmosphere. They are a source of nutrients that will benefit the soil as well as microorganisms in the soil. Just another benefit of the Fall season!

This photo of the dolphin show was taken at Shedds Aquarium on March 21. Many people from all around the world see this entertaining animal act, which in reality, is very very harmful to animals, people and the environment as a whole. Many people believe that animals come from the wild into captivity because they were initially injured or born into the Shedd Aquarium’s family, which is completely false. The truth behind it is that animals have been taken away from their families and were coerced to become these show-bizz actors. Particularly, the sea lions and the dolphins were manipulated into this type of lifestyle to please us humans. This issue has still not been solved clearly with animals used as entertainment. A possible solution to cut all ties is to shut down all the shows in big companies like Shedds Aquarium, Seaworld and etc. It would be very costly but very beneficial for the environment and the health of animals in the long-run.

I found this squirrel while walking to class by the Lownik building, on November 14th. I see many of these squirrels on campus. I chose to use the squirrel as my ecophoto because they are important to the environment. After taking the photo I was curious to see which type of squirrel it was. I found out that this is a Fox Squirrel. There are two types of squirrels in Illinois. The Grey Squirrel and the Fox Squirrel. They are very similar but the fox squirrel has a reddish or orange belly compared to the Grey squirrel. Both of the squirrels in Illinois are very important for keeping forests alive. Many of these squirrels eat small seeds and nuts for their diet. They leave behind many seeds in the ground for the cold weather. Some of the seeds are left behind and never dug back up. These eventually become the trees you see in forests. Without these squirrels, our forests would not have trees as they do today. Another thing that squirrels are good for is their aid in the food chain. Many bigger animals prey on them like snakes, hawks, eagles, coyotes, and other mammals. They are preyed on by many animals and without them, the ecosystem would fail. Squirrels may seem crazy and annoying but they are very important to our environment and our forests.

"Mycorrhizae are the mutually beneficial symbiotic association between roots of vascular plants and fungi."This fungus and the tree it's growing on have a mutually beneficial relationship where the fungus feeds the tree water and nutrients from the soil in exchange for energy created by the tree's photosynthesis.

(Photo taken at Hitchcock Woods Forest Preserve Lisle,IL 9/19/2018) (courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-mcc-biology2/chapter/ecolo...)

This picture was taken November 26th, 2018. The dropping temperatures and precipitation accumulates a lot of snow and ice. This prevents plant life from growing. Which is why we don’t have crops in the winter. This also affects the water being able to travel through the pores of the soil, because the ground is all frozen. Not only does the snow affect humans, it also affects the microorganisms that live in the soil. As it hardens, the organisms have a hard time living normally. #BenU #BIOL180 #Ecology #Fall2018 #Image4

Have you ever wondered why Evergreen trees don’t lose there needles and stay green in winter? Evergreen trees first came from cold climates. As time has went on they have became more and more popular in warmer climates. These trees have very strong leaves rolled up tight to make needles.The needles are long and kind of sharp which helps with keeping the tree healthy all year round because the shape allows the evergreens to conserve water, which is needed for photosynthesis. Since they have more water than their deciduous cousins, their needles stay green, and stay attached longer. Evergreen needles also have a very waxy coating that also helps save water during summer and winter. If the tree starts losing its needles this is not good because it signals the end of the life for the tree. These trees never regrow their needles. #BenU #Ecology #BIOL180 #Fall2019 #Image4

On September third, I had just finished a workout at Rice center. On my way back I saw this big bright green thing on the overhead light in the parking lot. I went over and saw that it was a Praying Mantis. Being from rural Michigan, I've seen a few praying mantises, but I was very shocked to see one here. I thought being that being in the Chicago area I would not see a lot of the wildlife I see at home. Therefore, I think it is special that there is still wildlife such as the praying mantis present here. I think this shows that animals still interact with our environment even if it is a city. Although people have urbanized this area, a lot of the animals have not left.

This photo was taken of the protected wildlife area on campus. These areas are protected so they can conserve nature and biodiversity. It allows the area to be unaffected by humans and the outside world. Protected wildlife areas are important for research and protecting species that may be endangered or on the verge of being endangered. Protected wildlife areas are the homes of many plants and animals and are very important to the environment. Yellowstone National Park was the very first protected wildlife area in the U.S. Since then there have been many more protected areas across the country.

This is a picture of Morton Arboretum, which is located about 5-10 minutes away from school. This "tree sanctuary" is a way for Illinois to protect different species of tress well as animals that inhabit the woods. This can be connected to how we learned about preserving land in class and how humans can start to reverse our impact on deforestation and destroying the environment. Morton Arboretum is a start. It is an area for people in the area to learn about different types of trees and how to protect them. By educating other people about the species in the area, it is one step closer to starting to reverse climate change.

#BenU #Ecology #BIOL180 #fall2018 #Image3

I took this photo driving out to Michigan for a football game and took the picture because I enjoyed the sunset. When thinking how to use this photo I thought of how the clouds you see are apart of the water cycle that we have gone over multiple times in class. The cloud cover does two things for our climate, they will either absorb water from the ground and rain else where or here. The cloud also act as "insulation" for us humans and keeps the sun's harmful rays from being to strong for our bodies and climate to handle.

#BenU #BioL180 #Ecology #Fall2018 #image4

This photo was taken by my garage on August 30th after I got home from Benedictine. We have this little area surrounded by bricks where plants grow in my front yard. It tends to attract bees every summer so I wasn't surprised to find one just flying around. In the center of this picture, there is a bee giving the regulating service of pollination on the white flower, which I believe is a white hibiscus flower. Pollination occurs when the bee transfers the pollen grains from the male anther to the female stigma in order to create a seed for reproduction. It was difficult to take this picture as the bee kept moving around, but it actually came out pretty cool.

I happened to be walking past Lake St. Benedict when i saw this Canadian goose in the grass. Canadian Geese are important for the environment because they spread seeds of plants and flowers just like how a bee transports pollen to plants. Canadian Geese are also help the environment with their feces. Their feces contributes to soil fertility and adds nutrients to the soil. Although they are important to the environment they also have negative impacts. One such impact is that they contribute to grazing of crops.

This picture, taken last fall in my backyard, shows a tree and it's yellowing leaves. The tree represents wood, a common provisioning resource used by many.

This picture was taken October 2nd near Jaegar hall. This picture captures the beauty of fall and the leaves that have been falling. This photo specifically depicts the leaf of a maple tree. Leaves, such as this maple leaf, when the fall they eventually break down and decompose to provide nutrients to the soil. The leaves also help to prepare plants to grow in the spring. The finally thing the leaves do is help absorb the ground water from the top layer of soil.

On October 14th i took this picture of the lake on campus at Benedictine University. I was alarmed by the amount of algae beginning to form in the lake so I decided to take a picture of it. Large amounts of algae blooms cam be harmful to the lake environment because it blocks sunlight from reaching the bottom of the lake. There are plants at the bottom of the lake which are the primary source of food for fish. So if sunlight is unable to reach the plants, the plants will die and along with the plants fish will as well because they will have no food.

I took this picture of the weeping willow tree in my neighborhood in Naperville. I chose this as my last ecophoto as I always catch myself being drawn to this tree and I thought it would be smart to do some research on it. After doing some research, I’ve learned that weeping willows can be a food source for rabbits, beavers and deer. Since we just learned about soil, I found it interesting that the weeping willow grows well in acidic, loamy, moist, rich, sandy, well-drained and clay soils (which is a wide range of soil).

This photo is a screenshot of a picture I took on November 20th of a road back in my hometown in Yorkville, IL. This photo was taken a week after another photo a friend took where there was no snow and all the leaves were fall colored. This photo indicates the weather changing, from late fall to early winter in just a short period of time. Every year this weather chance is crucial, because it causes us humans to start adapting to this harsh bitter weather and making our immune systems adapt to reduce us from getting sick. This weather change at this time of year is also a reason for bird migration to the south, along with many other animals going into hibernation due to this harsh weather change. However, this result is not just a change for us humans and animals. As it is evident in the photo, you can see that all the trees have lost their beautiful colors in their leaves. This cold causes many plants to die off because they can not withstand the bitter cold. Most trees and plants though just die off for the winter but are able to come back and grow in the spring and summer time, once warmth and sunlight becomes abundant again.

I took this photo on October 26, 2019. It was a little before noon when I was in my kitchen and notice a small bird in my backyard. It was sitting on a tree and looked to be sensitive to movement, so I took a photo through my backdoor. Upon further research, I believe that this bird is a female House Sparrow as the colors match, and it may even be pregnant looking at the small chubby body. House Sparrows are known for associating with humans. They are attracted to home bird feeders or even people in parks or streets that are willing to give them handouts. Apart from this, their diet consists of mostly grains and seeds. However, they will also eat discarded food left by humans and insects. House Sparrows have an important role in their ecosystem as they move seeds away from the parent plant, which is known as seed dispersal. This matters as seeds would have to compete against the parent plant for nutrients, light, and water. They also help the ecosystem by controlling insect populations that can destroy certain crops and plants that may be important to farmers or other animals. All in all, House Sparrows are contributors to their ecosystem.

In this image, you can see that there is a lot going on in such a simple picture. The first thing I would like to point out are the birds flying in a v formation above the tree line. These birds are doing one of two things: either migrating to prepare for the cold weather to come or looking for a place to nest and eat before migrating. Either way, it is important for them to do both of these things because both will contribute to the food web in there area. If they left now it will allow time for things they forage on to replenish and they will cut the population down in another area. The second thing that I am pointing out is the trees in the back. The trees are mostly bare, as they lose their leaves when it's cold to preserve their energy and make it through the winter. Lastly pointing out the power lines in the picture. We learned about how different sources of energy and the efficiency in each method. Unfortunately the US doesn't use the most efficient method available so we have ugly power lines to destroy views of our nature and the purity of areas.

#Benu #Ecology #BIOL180 #Fall2018 #image2

This picture was taken outside of Founders’ Woods. It is an Evergreen Shrub and they help the environment by preventing water and soil erosion. Additionally, they filter dust and pollutants which help improve our air quality.

This is a photo of a squirrel I took on campus. I did not want to get to close to him/her in fear of it running away. The squirrel appears t be eating garbage that students have littered on to the grass. This is terrible for its diet because it is a primary consumer They normal eat things like nuts, berries, native fruits and veggies, insects, and plants in the ground. The squirrel is currently scaviging for food in the grass which is the top layer of soil known as the "O horizon". This layer of soil contains the most organic matter, so hopefully if the squirrel is eating the grass they will be better off than eating the garage! Students need to stop littering outside because of the wildlife we have around here and it could severely effect the animals.

It's pretty hard to see but prior to the snow hitting I found this Woolly Bear Caterpillar on my driveway. I believe it is searching for food, which would include most wild plants. This means that it would serve as a primary consumer in its given environment. Another reason it was walking across my driveway would be to find shelter somewhere else. It was moving towards an area with plenty of trees, so that's probably where it was going to settle in. FUN FACT : The Woolly Bear Caterpillar is known to be a predictor of winter weather. The smaller the brown stripe is on the back, the harder the snow will hit in the winter. Seeing that this one's stripe isn't that big compared to others I found online, I think we will be getting quite a bit of snow this winter.

I took this photo in the beginning of the school year. In the back there is some algae towards the back of the lake. Algae is helpful and harmful to the environment. It sustains levels of Carbon dioxide, however reports say that it is sometimes not great for animals and can be harmful in other ways as well.

This shows Lake Osborne, which is home to a plethora of species. From micro bacteria, fish, geese and the occasional eagle, this ecosystem is very efficient and works very well together. A lot of abiotic factors contribute to the lake. The lake does not erode nearby sediment because the walls of the lake are concrete. Runoff from nearby neighborhoods go in to the lake which may contain pollutants and have other negative effects on the ecosystem. Fishing is also present on this lake and with no catch limit, over fishing may be a problem. #photo1

Although people may not think so, squirrels are beneficial to our environment. Squirrels love to catch seeds which can prove to be very important to certain tree/plant species. The squirrels would dig holes into the ground, called hoarding, and literally plant the seeds into the ground, along with nuts and other things they like to eat. Most of the seeds are dug up by other animals, but there are some cases where they wouldn’t get picked out of the ground and those seeds in the ground could have a chance to form into a plant with water and sunlight. Therefore, people don’t think they can be good for the environment, but they can be.

This photo was taken in November 25th in Elmhurst Illinois. The Chicago land area experienced some heavy snow for about twelve hours. The snow is a part of the water cycle. The snow is an example of precipitation which is water released from the clouds. Water from the clouds can also come down in the form of rain, hail, or sleet. This allows for atmospheric water to come down to earth. #BenU #Ecology #BIOL180 #Fall2018 #image4 # #illinois #unitedstates #snow

I took this pciture at Lake Benedict on September 30th, 2019. When I took this picture the first thing that came to mind was the algae. I did some research and found that some algae is actually harmful to lakes and the animals in them. Algae can also be good for the environment. Algae can be food for aquatic animals and also goes through photosynthesis. What amazed me about this photo is the amount of algae in it. There is almost as much algae on the surface as there is water.