Dichotomous Key Activity

Dichotomous Key Activity

BIO 103—Principles of Biology I—Instructor: S. Graham

In this activity, you will be using a dichotomous key found at the LEAF web site to identify an unknown tree. After identifying the unknown tree,you will follow a link from that site to the Silvics of North America web site (USDA Forest ServiceNortheastern Area - St. Paul Field Office) to collect some information on your tree and fill in theworksheet included with this exercise.

Instructions:

1. Open your web browser.

2. Type in the address for the LEAF web site.

3. Click on Curriculum & Resources

4. Leaf Tree Identification Tools

5.Online Dichotomous Tree Key

6. Read   “What is a Dichotomous Key?” and “How to use thiskey.” 

7. We will be doing exercise #2.

8. Click one of the numbers (1-27) below to identify one of our mystery trees. If you end up with two matching pictures you have identified the tree correctly.

9.  Using the images shown in the left hand frame, answer the questions in the right handframe until you get the pictures in the two frames to match. 

10.  Once you get the pictures to match – Congratulations! You’ve identified your tree – scrolldown to the bottom of the right hand frame and click on the link for Silvics of NorthAmerica to learn more about your tree.

Silvics of North America - online book/publication with information on around 200 trees

Additional resources:

11.  Fill out the worksheet on your tree using the information you found on the website.

Tree Information Worksheet

Scientific name:

Common name:

Family name: (scientific) (common)

Climate (what range of temperatures and rainfall does this tree grow in):

Size/longevity (height, width/diameter, life span):

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