Habitats in Caribou National Forest
Computer exercisehandout exercisesuggested grade levels:9-12
view Idaho achievement standards for this lesson

Overview:
Species are adapted to live in particular habitats within an area. The habitat must have the right amount of moisture, vegetation, heat, sunlight, etc. A species that is adapted for a particular habitat may do very well in the right habitat but fail to survive in another habitat. The following exercise will expose students to the fact that species are adapted to particular habitats and require the set of conditions there in order to survive.

Objectives:
1. Students will learn how to use the Digital Atlas of Idaho.
2. Students will understand how species favor particular habitats.

Procedure:
Use the biology section of the Digital Atlas of Idaho. To get there: Click on Atlas Home, then on Biology. Have your students use the amphibian as well as the reptile links. Encourage your students to go to the Idaho Checklist for each class of species and select each species one by one. Click on the Idaho Distribution and mark down on paper which species could occur in the Caribou National Forest. Then have them decide which habitat these species could occur in by reading the types of habitats the species are found known to use. Click below to print a handout for your students.

* If you are from some other part of Idaho, you can replace McCammon with your city and Caribou National Forest with your National Forest. Then pick an area on your forest that has a similar list of habitats and proceed with this exercise. If you can obtain a list of actual cover types in your area, it will enhance the learning experience for your students.

Table:

You are a biology teacher in McCammon*, Idaho. You have decided to take your students on a field trip to the Mink Creek area to look for amphibians and lizards. First, compile a list of the species that are known to occur within Caribou National Forest. Although this list will provide you with a good guess as to what species you might find, figure that some species may not occur because their habitat is not in the Mink Creek area. You were able to obtain the following list of habitat available in the Mink Creek area. Create a table with the species from your list down the left hand side of the table and the habitat across the top of the table. Using the Digital Atlas of Idaho's Wildlife, put check marks on the type of habitat that each species may be found in.

Cover Types of the Mink Creek Drainage
 Cover Type Description
Grassland
 Areas dominated by grasses
Mesic (Wet) Shrubland
These are upland shrubs that are naturally occurring or initiated by fire or clearcutting and are found in moist areas.   Principal Species: Alder, Serviceberry, Oregon Grape, Snowberry, Ceanothus, ninebark, chokecherry, rose, currant, willow, elderberry, spiraea
Xeric (Dry) Shrubland
These are upland species that are naturally occurring and found in dry areas.  Principal Species:  Mountain Mahogany, Bitterbrush, Mountain Big Sagebrush, Low Sagebrush
Aspen
 Areas dominated by Aspen
Needleleaf Forest
Forested areas dominated by Subalpine Fir, Douglas Fir, Lodgepole Pine, Utah Juniper
Needleleaf Riparian
Forested areas dominated by Douglas-fir, Western Red Cedar, Englemann Spruce, Subalpine fir, Maple, Lodgepole Pine, Aspen, Cottonwood
Shrub Riparian
Shurb areas along streams that are dominated by Twinberry, Utah Honeysuckle, Black Hawthorne, Red-osier dogwood, Sitka Alder, Rose, Currant, thimbleberry, buffaloberry, maple, chokecherry

Handouts/Activity links:
These are links to access the handouts and printable materials.
bio1ho.pdf | bio1AK.pdf | Biology | biology digital exercise

Handout Sample:
You are a biology teacher in McCammon*, Idaho. You have decided to take your students on a field trip to the Mink Creek area to look for amphibians and lizards. First, compile a list of the species that are known to occur within Caribou National Forest. Although this list will provide you with a good guess as to what species you might find, figure that some species may not occur because their habitat is not in the Mink Creek area. You were able to obtain the following list of habitat available in the Mink Creek area. Create a table with the species from your list down the left hand side of the table and the habitat across the top of the table. Using the Digital Atlas of Idaho’s Wildlife, put check marks on the type of habitat that each species may be found in.

1. What are the characteristics that distinguish amphibians from other animals?
2. What species are included in each of the two orders of amphibians found in Idaho?
3. What are the major differences between these two orders?

Related Lesson Topics:
Biology: Biology Topics

Lesson plan by Stephen Burton, James Scannell, and Stefan Sommer, 2001
Idaho Achievement Standards (as of 7/2001) met by completing this activity:
355.02