Page 42 - A Field Guide to Fairfax County's Plants and Wildlife

ivity: How big is it?

Many species look alike, even to scientists. Knowing the size of an
organism can help identify what species it is. Sometimes a scientist
needs to measure a specific trait of an organism, like the length of a fish’s
fin compared to the length of its body, to determine the exact species
being studied. Find a plant that is shorter than your field guide–this
will allow you to use the ruler on the back of the book to measure the
plant. Draw the plant, describe it and if possible, identify it. Estimate the
height of the plant, the size of the blossom (if any) and the leaves. After
you have completed this, use the ruler on the back of the field guide to
accurately measure the plant and its components.

Challenge yourself! Measuring something small is easy, but accurately
measuring something large (like a tree) can be challenging. What are
some ways you could measure large organisms?

Draw species here Describe species here

Estimated Actual
Size Size

Height
Blossom
Leaf

r 38 r