Nature

Dried flowers are used for a variety of decorative purposes like enhancing a scrapbook, customizing a wrapped present, preserving a successful bloom in the garden or even creating vibrant frames....

While it may be hard to believe, most of the food a young plant needs to get its start is stored inside the seed that it grew from. Until the plant can produce leaves and make its own food, it is...

Water soaks into the ground, which is called infiltration. Underneath the surface of the Earth, the water is naturally filtered as it moves through soil and rock, which is called groundwater flow....

A pollen index is a general index, based on three factors, that measures pollen in the air. Allergy sufferers use the pollen index to judge their risks on a given day.

The diversity index is one measure ecologists use to quantify species diversity to compare different environments. One of the most commonly used indices is the Shannon Index. The advantage to...

Flowers or colorful leaves can be something to enjoy for creating crafts, or to look at for years to come. Several methods demonstrate how you can preserve either leaves or flowers, but the best...

Birds will fly for many miles in a single day to find the right seeds to eat. The need to breed, travel, fatten up for the winter and stay alive drives them to people's feeders. Knowing how to...

Human beings have been foraging for mushrooms throughout history. Even Otzi the "Iceman," a 5,000-year-old human specimen found in the glaciers of Europe, was carrying mushrooms in a pouch on his...

Camping in the wilderness can be as comfortable as staying at home if you have the know-how. Sleeping on the hard ground is never a pleasant experience, especially when you're used to a bed, but...

The kola nut comes from the kola tree, an evergreen that thrives in tropical climates. The seed, or nut, from the tree is high in caffeine and is used to make carbonated cola soft drinks, such as...

Skunks are infamous for the odor of the spray they produce to ward off danger. However, as unpleasant as their odor might be, it is preferable to something else that skunks have the ability to...

I absolutely love walking outside and smelling the great outdoors. The spray cans that you buy at the grocery store just don't cut it for me. I have found a way to bring in the great outdoors with...

It's a long way between the Colorado River's birthplace in the high Never Summer Mountains (in Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park)--which may see 20 feet of snow a year--to its arid mouth in...

Nematodes are a microscopic, multicellular species that can be found in tremendous numbers everywhere on our planet. They have been found in the coldest parts of Antarctica and the hottest...

Bluebirds are a beautiful species to have near your home, so it's no surprise that bluebird houses are manufactured and sold to homeowners and naturalists. Unfortunately, bluebirds seem to be...

Oil spills that occur in fresh water get less publicity than those that occur in the ocean though they are more frequent and are often more destructive. The Freshwater Spills Information...

The National Transportation Safety Board is an independent investigative agency, which investigates major aviation, marine, land accidents, as well as major chemical and oil spill accidents. It is...

This simple fire starter is something everyone should carry in their camping/hiking gear for emergency use.

Pressing flowers and leaves is a great way to preserve the beauty of nature, but unfortunately, the plants are very brittle once they are fully dry after being pressed. In this article, you'll...

All trees with needles have cones, and most trees with cones and needles are evergreens---but not all of them. Hundreds of species of trees with cones are found throughout the world, and these...

A closed ecosystem is one that is able to sustain itself. In other words, it has all the components to support life, including organisms and nutrients, and requires no outside input. Building a...

The grassland biome is mainly dominated by short and tall grass species. In addition, climate conditions are characterized by cold temperatures in the winter, moderate to hot temperatures in the...

Before developing RV parks, administrators will often prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) to determine possible environmental effects. This is often the case with public lands. For an...

Nearly all areas of the world have trees damaged from air pollution. The effects of pollution include leaf discoloration, damaged roots, weakened trees, tree death and damage to soil. Pollution...

Rain forests are located in Central and South America, Cuba and the Caribbean, Africa, India, southeast Asia and Australia. Throughout the world, the top section of the rain forest trees is called...

Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalsis) are beautiful bright red (males) to reddish-brown (females) birds which are medium in size and are known for their distinctive singing voice. They are native to...

Respiration and transpiration are two of the fundamental processes of plant life. Angiosperms, like other plants, use these two process to transfer the materials necessary for life in and out of...

Sprewell Bluff State Park is located on the Flint River in the Plains Region of Georgia. This day use park offers activities for water sports and outdoor lovers. For more information, call (706)...

Rivers and streams have an important role in the ecosystem. Their waters nourish life in and around them as well as shape the landscape. Lotic ecosystem is the scientific term for a river ecosystem.

Wood burning can be the cheapest way to heat a home in the winter. However, wood that is not stored properly becomes susceptible to rotting and may attract rodents.

Extrusion is the process of pushing molten plastic under pressure through a shaped die to produce a product with a specific cross-section. Extrusion is used for the production of a wide range of...

While each plant is different in its ability to withstand light, all plants convert light into the energy they need to grow and develop. Ultraviolet (UV) light provides benefits to plants but also...

The quaking aspen tree gets its name from how its golden leaves tremble in the breeze. Known by the scientific name Populus tremuloides, it is also called trembling aspen, trembling popular,...

With the proliferation of digital weather stations and online networking of weather watchers, an increasing number of individuals are recording outdoor temperatures near their homes. A variety of...

Want a water garden but don't know where to start? Water Gardening for Beginners will get you started on the right foot!

In recent years, gardeners have learned to produce an elite breed of willow tree. The result, the hybrid willow, has become known for its high growth rate and increased resistance to disease.

Worm farming with kids can be an enjoyable and educational activity. Worm farms provide excellent material for plants in the garden because they are full of worm manure, or castings. A worm farm...

Firewood identification is a difficult task for anyone unfamiliar with the distinguishing features of trees. But once you know which tree traits to look for, identifying firewood becomes easier.

Persimmon trees grow wild in wooded areas of the southeastern United States, particularly near fence rows and along the edges of fields. Unlike the fruit of more widely known and cultivated...

The birch tree, part of the Betula genus, comes in several varieties and is a common plant of the Northern woodlands. The leaf is similar to several other tress and shrubs, including alders,...

Oil spills can have far-reaching effects beyond the area in which a spill occurs. Various factors, such as the type of oil, the area in which the spill occurs and the timeliness and effectiveness...

Shells come in many shapes and sizes. They can be found along shorelines or in the depths of the ocean. Smaller shells move along with the waves and currents and often wash up on the beach. Each...

What wood makes the quickest, biggest fire? It's well-known that different types of woods burn at different speeds and temperatures, but how can you tell the difference? The answer lies in careful...

People that feed birds are often annoyed when the squirrels invade their bird feeders. To help combat these invasions, try making a feeder that is specifically for these playful little squirrels....

Invasive plants and animals are an often-talked about menace in environmental and biological news. They travel by many different methods and affect ecosystems all over the world.

Finding an animal trap by yourself or with other people, near your home or out in nature requires different responses. Call for help if you've been caught in the trap or take measures to safely...

Purchasing firewood can be very confusing. Different vendors use different terms for the quantity of wood, and it can be misleading about how much wood you are getting. Knowing what a rick of...

Sika deer are an Asian species of deer that are of medium size compared with other deer. Conservationists and hunting groups transplanted various subspecies of sika deer from their original Asian...

Flowers have two names. One is the common name by which they are locally known and the other name is the Latin or scientific name, which identifies the plant by its genus and species.

This is a great way to make a natural and easy bird feeder also a fun project kids can enjoy.