At the Zoo

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that, through the physical characteristics and the behavior of a creature, it is possible to determine a great deal about how that creature interacts with its habitat and learn about the evolutionary processes that have brought this plant or animal to its current form. The author points out that wolves adjust well to fluctuations in prey populations by supplementing the meat and fish with various forms of vegetation; some wolves have even been known to live on a largely vegetarian diet for extended periods. The paper explains that the Prickly Pear, one of the most common of the cactus family that natively grow in the Eastern parts of the United States, are remarkably resistant to both the cold and to the heat.

Table of Contents
Introduction
The Gray Wolf (Canis lupus)
The American Black Bear (Ursus americanus)
The Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia humifusa)
The Venus Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula)

From the Paper:

"I observed two species of the Oputina cactus: the Eastern Prickly Pear (Opuntia humifusa) and the Plains Prickly Pear (Opuntia macrorhiza). The Eastern Prickly Pear is found naturally east of the Great Plains in the United States, and into southern Ontario in Canada. The Plains Prickly Pear is found all throughout the Great Plains in the United States, except the northernmost areas, such as North Dakota. The Prickly Pear tends to grow in sandy or rocky soil. In a natural setting, many of the habitats of these four species would overlap, and they would be found in situations where they would be interacting with each other as parts of the same ecological system."

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