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​1. The bark, the trunk, the roots, and the leaves of a tree all contribute to its being successful.  How does each of these parts help a tree live well?

The bark provides a protective layer against water, insects, fire and physical damage. The trunk enables the tree to grow high to gain the sunlight it needs for energy and provides a pipeline to transport the fluids, nutrients and products to and from the leaves. The roots do several things including obtaining water and nutrients from the soil for the tree, anchoring the tree so it does not blow over and storing products.  The leaves are able to capture sunlight and obtain the energy needed to power the activities of the tree. They also are a place of gas exchange, to capture carbon dioxide and release oxygen.

​2. What are some of the conditions that would favor a tree reaching its maximal growth?

Abundant sunlight, nutrients in the soil, water, little competition from other trees, and being able to ward off diseases or herbivore attack

​3. Some trees can grow to a very large size, and some can live for thousands of years.  But size is not always indicative of age. What are some of the reasons why a tree that is small may be older than a tree that is much larger?

Genetics, climatic conditions, and disease

​4. Name some of the many contributions trees make to wildlife and to mankind. 

• Wildlife:    Trees provide homes, food, escape and hiding places from predators, and areas for reducing stress.
• Mankind:  They provide many products like lumber for buildings, paper products, pharmaceuticals, fuel, food, rubber, musical instruments, etc.  They provide many services such as removing carbon from the air and generating oxygen from photosynthesis, holding the soil in place, and providing beauty and areas for personal renewal.

​5. According to the dictionary, photosynthesis is the process by which green plants and certain other organisms transform light energy into chemical energy. During photosynthesis in green plants, light energy is captured and used to convert water, carbon dioxide, and minerals into oxygen and energy-rich organic compounds.  Chlorophyll is part of this process. What is it?

The word "chlorophyll" comes from the Greek words chloros, which means "green", and phyllon, which means "leaf".  It is the chemical in tree and plant leaves that make them green.

​6. Consider the life of a bird which lives in a forest (like a woodpecker) and describe how it uses its forest to meet its needs.

A woodpecker will carve out a home in a cavity of a tree and use it as its home base.  They will raise their young in the tree canopy and use it as a good platform for their offspring to learn to fly.  A woodpecker will look for insects under or on the bark and use the tree as a perch to scan for insects flying by or on the ground. A woodpecker will often use a hollow tree as a drum to alert other woodpeckers in the area that this is its territory. If a woodpecker does not want to be seen, it will stay up in the tree canopy to hide itself. During storms, woodpeckers will hang on to tree limbs or seek safety in their nest cavities.

​7. Just as forest trees help the creatures who live there live successfully, so forest creatures contribute to the life of the trees.  Can you think of some forest birds, mammals, or insects which help the trees of their forest in any way?

Squirrels plant acorns which result in more oak trees.   Flying insects, butterflies, and other pollinators promote new life through fertilization of tree flowers.  Moles and earthworms help aerate the soil for increased nutrient and oxygen exposure to the roots.  Decomposers enrich the soil with the return of nutrients to the soil.

​8. Leaves that fall to the ground and accumulate there comprise the leaf litter. Leaf litter affects soil moisture and temperature by making it moister, warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.   Why do tree leaves change color in the fall and drop to the ground?

In the fall, because of changes in the length of daylight and changes in temperature, the leaves stop their food-making process. The chlorophyll breaks down, the green color disappears, and the yellow to orange colors become visible and give the leaves part of their fall splendor. As the fall colors appear, other changes are taking place. At the point where the stem of the leaf is attached to the tree, a special layer of cells develops and gradually severs the tissues that support the leaf, making it easy for the leaves to be blown off by wind or fall from their own weight.

​9. Which animals benefit from leaf litter and how?

Smaller invertebrates like insects, worms, and crustaceans that are sensitive to temperature and moisture conditions enjoy the stability the litter provides. Leaf litter provides a good camouflage for larger animals such as snakes and gives them a place to hide.

​10. Forest fragmentation occurs when a forest is broken into smaller portions through manmade or natural occurrences. Reflect on the impact that this kind of event can have on a forest ecosystem.  

The resulting parcels of forest experience a decline in biological diversity and place at risk those creatures needing large tracts of interior forests for successful breeding.  Also, since some organisms need continuous tracts of forests in order to move safely to neighboring desirable resources, they are placed at risk when having to move through fragmented areas. The climate in a forest—its humidity and ability to retain water, the amount of wind penetrating it—can be influenced by fragmentation.​