Niwot Ridge has lots of different plants and animals. These pages show many, but by no means not all, of them. I've focused mostly on the plants and animals seen up on the Ridge itself, above treeline. Other kinds of trees, like the aspen shown below, can be seen on the way up to the Ridge.
Niwot Ridge scientists study the diversity of plants up at Niwot Ridge. Some study certain types of plants to understand how much they grow each year and how long it takes them to flower and set seed - this is called phenology. Others study the same plots from year to year to see if there is any change in the types of plants or the size of the plants in a specific area. Changes in plant types and sizes can be caused by warmer temperatures, more or less snow, or adding fertilizer to a plot. In the photos below you can see frames that are used to keep track of which plants are growing where. You can also see bags for collecting plants to see if they have changed in size or weight (biomass).
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Click on one of these links to see pictures of the plants and animals on Niwot Ridge.
Back to the Niwot Ridge Virtual Field Trip Home Page.