Cole+C's+Journal+(130)+2

For my role in this ecosystem project I have chosen to focus on the bird and other animal life in my habitat. A few things I noticed about the bird population in my habitat were; first off, majority of the bird population were ducks, mostly mallard ducks. Secondly, I noticed that there were not very many birds in my habitat that are native to Oahu. And lastly, I observed that the birds in my habitat feared the presence of a human more than birds that live in towns or cities.
 * __Free Journal__**

First off, I observed that in my habitat majority or the bird population was mallard ducks. I found that most of these ducks stayed in the pond area or walking around in the grasslands. I also observed that most of the other birds were staying away from the ducks like they were scared of them. Why are most of the other birds scared of the ducks? I will find out in later visits and spend more time observing the ducks while they interact with other birds more intently.

Secondly, I observed that the birds in Kawainui Marsh were mostly birds that aren’t native to the Hawaiian Islands. Such as the Japanese White Eye, Northern Cardinal, and Common Myna and many more. This is a surprise to me considering that there are some plants in my habitat that are native to the Hawaiian Islands. Why are there so many more non-native birds than native birds? I will find out by observing the native birds that are in my habitat and see how they act while they are with other non-native birds.

And lastly, I observed that most of the birds in my habitat were much more scared of human presence than the normal birds you see in town on a normal basis. When I was walking around Kawainui Marsh the birds would fly away before I could even see them. In a town setting, the birds would be much less frightened and sometimes even let you walk right past them without them flying away. Why do the birds in Kawainui Marsh fear humans so much more than the birds in town and cities? Is it because they are just not used to humans being in their habitat? Or is it because they are used to more predation in their habitat that the birds in towns and cities?

I will try my best to answer these questions by observing each species in my habitat.

In this journal entry I will be giving some examples of environmental pressures that could be driving natural selection in my habitat of Kawainui Marsh. First off, I think that one of the main environmental pressures is food. Secondly, I think another main environmental pressure is shelter. And lastly, I think that predation is a very large part of predatory pressures.
 * __Assigned Journal__**

First off, I think that one of the main environmental pressures is the amount of food in an environment. If there is not enough food species will have to evolve to enable themselves to eat a different kind of food, not need to eat so much food, or develop an advantage that will make it easier for them to get food over another species. For example, the chickens of Kawainui Marsh have sharper beaks that enable them to pick insects out of the ground with ease. This is an advantage over another bird will a less sharp beak and will enable the chickens to get more food than the other birds.

Secondly, I think another main environmental pressure is the amount of shelter for different animals in Kawainui Marsh. Yes it is a very large marsh, but that only means that there is going to be a very large amount of animals. Because of a lack of shelter space species will have to adapt perhaps by obtaining better fighting skills so they can fight another species out of a shelter, or maybe even get smaller in size so they do not need so much space for shelter. For example, a bird may evolve to have sharper talons or a sharper beak so it can be more effective in fights for shelter.

And lastly, predation is a large part of predatory pressures. Some animals that use other animas for food have a very big impact on how a species will evolve to better fit their environment. For example, the chickens of Kawainui Marsh use the insects scattered around the marsh for food. This could cause an insect species to become nocturnal so that the chickens won’t be able to eat them any longer. Or perhaps the insect species will become better diggers and dig underground and start colonies there so that the chickens on the surface will no longer be able to eat them.

These are only a few of the many different environmental and predatory pressures that are effecting the species that live in Kawainui Marsh.