EcoQuest November 2020 - Turkey Foot Tracking
Andropogon gerardii, otherwise known as big bluestem, is a grass that is sporadically found in the surrounding foothills. Big bluestem also goes by the name “turkey foot” because the inflorescence branches are usually in three’s, resembling a turkey’s foot. The presence of turkey foot is an indication that the area holds a remnant patch of tallgrass prairie. One of the dominant grasses found in tallgrass prairie, Andropogon gerardii can reach heights of over 6 feet at maturity! And although its name suggests a blue stem, in autumn big bluestem stems turn a beautiful reddish color.
Tallgrass prairie once covered 170 million acres of North America, but today less than 4% remains intact, with most transformed into farmland. In Colorado, tallgrass prairie remnants are found only in narrow bands along the Front Range. They are threatened by urbanization as well as invasive species, such as smooth brome (Bromus inermis).
See if you can locate turkey foot in its autumnal colors, and help Denver Botanic Gardens document its range by photographing as many plants as possible in the month of November. Post your findings to iNaturalist so they will be automatically added to the Denver EcoFlora Project.
Andropogon gerardii:
WHAT IS AN ECOQUEST?
EcoQuests, part of the Denver EcoFlora project, challenge citizens to become citizen scientists and observe, study, and conserve the native plants of the City via iNaturalist, an easy-to-use mobile app.
HOW DO I GET STARTED?
- Download the iNaturalist app or register online at iNaturalist.org
- Take photos of the plants in bloom that you find on your daily neighborhood walk. It is ok if they are weeds! But avoid taking photos of cultivated plants in gardens or in your home.
- If you are concerned about revealing the location of sensitive organisms or observations at your own house, you can hide the exact location from the public by changing the "geoprivacy" of the observation to "obscured."
- Post your findings on iNaturalist via the app
- Your observations will automatically be added to the Denver EcoFlora Project
- You can add an identification to your photo when you post your findings on iNaturalist, or leave it blank for others to identify.
HOW DO I PARTICIPATE GIVEN COVID-19?
As a participant, it is up to you how much or how little you take part. Please stay close to home and maintain a social distance of 6 ft. from people. Wear a cloth mask in public areas. Respect closures and avoid places of high use. Do only what feels safe for you and your family and is in accordance with your local regulations.
WHAT IS THE GOAL?
The EcoFlora project is designed to meaningfully connect citizens with biodiversity, and to assemble novel observations and data on the metro area’s flora to better inform policy decisions and conservation strategies.
