Tree uprooting

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/tree-uprooting

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the pit-and-mound topography?The characteristic landscape feature left after a tree is uprooted, influencing microhabitats
2. What causes a tree to fall over?Wind pushes on the leaves and branches, creating a lever that can be stronger than the roots and soil holding the tree.
3. Why do trees with shallow roots fall more easily?Shallow, plate-like roots spread near the surface, so when wind pushes, they have less depth to grip the soil.

Biomechanics: The study of the mechanical laws relating to the movement and structure of living organisms.
Forest Succession: The process by which the structure of a biological community evolves over time.
Natural Disturbance: An event, such as a storm, fire, or flood, that disrupts an ecosystem.