Properties of Life in Site Alpha

I fell a bit behind in my posts due to other school work, so in the last two days I have had quite a few outdoor excursions! I will start with "Properties of Life in Site Alpha," as this assignment was relatively simple.
Date: October 3rd, 2016
Time: 4:18 PM
Weather Conditions: 64 degrees Fahrenheit, slight breeze, transect in partial shade, ground still wet from previous day's rain
Location: Site Alpha

Changes in Site Alpha

Looking back at my photos of Site Alpha from September 16th, it is obvious that the area has undergone significant change. It is funny how you do not notice such things when the change is gradual. I thought that the ground had a lot of acorns and leaves before, but now there are so many that they often obscure the ground entirely. I could not take a step without acorns crunching under my feet. The oak tree's canopy looks full and relatively unaffected, despite the large quantities of leaves littering the ground. Some leaves on the ground had turned brown, but green, fresh-looking leaves were more common. I could still find sugar ants crawling here and there in the dirt, but for the most part insects were scarce. It has started to get chilly and there was less sunshine than I was expecting as I made my observations.

Properties of Life

* There were far too many acorns to count, all from the same oak tree. This made me wonder: does the oak produce so many fruits because the germination success rates are low? I realize that it is crucial that these acorns grow in order for the oak to reproduce, but it seems excessive...

* The many oak leaves on the ground could be a result of the oak responding to the cooler weather, but I am not sure. I would expect the leaves to change color before falling. Maybe it is normal for the oak to lose a few branches and leaves as it grows.

* A squirrel in the oak tree was rather agitated by my presence, and began calling at me. It looked right at me with an acorn in its mouth. The squirrel was reacting to an unexpected change in its environment, but it was also protecting a reliable source of food and shelter. Both are important for the squirrel to obtain energy and to reproduce.

* As I was leaving Site Alpha I noticed a very large garden spider just across from the sidewalk that hugs the oak. It had made a beautiful web, but it was in need of a few repairs. The spider sat in the center of the web until I inspected it a bit too closely, and then it scurried off to the side and hid under a leaf. I have seen similar garden spiders at home in Connecticut, and I was surprised to see it out so early in the evening. Usually I only see them at night, which I assume is a tactic to avoid being snagged by a bird. I did not see it eat anything, but it was certainly expending energy while repairing its web and retreating from my curious gaze.

I believe that this is a female cross orbweaver (Araneus diadematus). More information about this species can be found here: http://www.spiders.us/species/araneus-diadematus/