The next dozen stories are all going to cover the topic of symbiosis, interactions between different species living closely together. Some of these relationships are beneficial, but others can cause harm to one of the individuals involved.
The New Year is a time of new beginnings and an appropriate time to finish this first Nature Stories series.
A look back at where I used to live and how it compares with my current surroundings. There's a lot I miss about it, but plenty to be excited about where I am now.
Like so many things, observing nature takes effort and practice. Let's do a mini-exercise together and see what you pick up from an still image.
Many people don't like snakes. This is an evolutionary remnant from when a venomous snakebite was even more dangerous than it is now (before antivenom and advanced medicine). However, most snakes are completely harmless and can have just as intriguing behaviors as other types of animals.
When an organism shows little outward change over a long period of time, we may label them a 'living fossil'. But what does that really mean, and why do they fascinate us so much?
Animal symbolism and allegory is present throughout our folklore. We tell stories about animals as a way of telling stories about ourselves. As turtles are some of my favorite animals, let's look at some interesting turtle symbolism.
Too often, when we alter the natural environment for our own convenience, we don't think about (or even don't know) all of the potential consequences of that action. Mangroves in Florida are a particularly egregious example of this type of short-sightedness.
Seeing new animal behavior can be just as exciting as seeing a new animal. It can help drive the 'why' questions that are at the heart of scientific discovery. Here is another example of my seeing new behavior.
There's a hidden world out there, all around us that we can't see. Why? Because we don't have the right physiology. But other animals do and there are all sorts of patterns and visual stimuli that only they can see.
While hand feeding wildlife is a bad idea, there are better ways to attract wildlife. In particular, your gardening choices can help bring in different types of animals.
What Happens When We Treat Wildlife Like Pets? Very often, the result is disastrous, both for them and us.
In the sciences, there are differing perspectives when it comes to giving names to individual animals. There are always trade offs. Naming things helps with empathy, but also can lead to treating animals like people.
The most uplifting thing about discussing prehistoric sea turtles is the knowledge that they are incredibly resilient, and even survived some of the most catastrophic events in geological history. Perhaps, there is still hope for them.
Not every story about nature is either happy or pleasant. Once in a while, we need to reflect on these less enjoyable stories as a reminder that they exist.
I find mating and courtship rituals of animals to be some of the most fascinating and bizarre behaviors in nature. Here is an example of a couple I observed in my own metaphorical backyard.
Just like your eyes, your ears are an important component of observing nature. In some ways, they can be even more important. Sometimes your eyes can deceive you and you need to compensate with your other senses.
How do I do what I do? A little bit of inherent ability and a lot of trial and error. Here, I share some of the strategies I've developed for 'seeing' nature.
What comes to mind when you hear the word nature? For many, that word evokes untouched wilderness. While not incorrect, I think it's important to try and expand our understanding of 'nature'.
Continuing our exploration of alternative definitions of natural beauty, we'll look at two more animals that I have become very fond of.
When we talk about the beauty of nature, we often refer to colors, but I propose an expansion of that understanding. Let's look at a bird I first saw in Florida that helped me see the beauty in movement.
Sea turtles are some of my favorite animals. I could talk about them for hours. Let's look into how that happened.
Florida is no stranger to inappropriate visitors. Figuring out how and why they got here can be fun for the mystery enthusiasts among us.
Because of all that sunlight in Florida, you can see basking behavior all the time. It's an efficient way of getting heat from the sun, but sometimes there's more than meets the eye.
The summer after I graduated from high school, my family took a trip to Ecuador, including the Galápagos Islands. That trip would have a profound impact on me.
While I am always excited to see a bird I’ve never seen before, I would much rather observe a species I’ve seen before doing something interesting.
Stories shape people. This is true no matter what type or genre of story. Science needs stories and stories need storytellers.