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Ecology

The Gifts of Adaptations

When we contemplate the whole globe as one great dewdrop, striped and dotted with continents and islands, flying through space with all other stars all singing and shining together as one, the whole universe appears as an infinite storm of beauty.

John Muir

Explore:

• Sand Sheet Wonders - Explore the splendor of Great Sand Dunes' sand sheet ecosystem. Discover the plants, animals and relationships that have adapted to challenging desert conditions. Fingerprints in the Dunes student activity is included.
  
• Life Zones of Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
  
• Endemic Insects of Great Sand Dunes (.pdf file, 147 kb)
• Bird List of the park and preserve (.doc file, 662 kb)
• Mammals, Reptiles, Amphibians, and Fish List
  of Great Sand Dunes NPP (.pdf file, 56 kb)
• From Pikas to Pronghorns: Mammals of Great Sand Dunes NPP (.pdf file, 309 kb)
• Endemic Insect Activities for middle school students
• Exotic Escapes Activities for middle school students
• Habitat Lesson Plans for elementary teachers

Research Papers and Links

Geoindicator: Dune Formation and Reactivation
Global Change Research and Information Office

Glossary Terms

adaptation, conditions, ecology, endemic, herbivore, native, predator, prey, processes, scavenger, species