Fairy Circles
Which type of termite is responsible for the creation of fairy circles?
Sand termites
Zone of Tolerance: If a polar bear and a giraffe swaped environments what would happen to each?
A polar bear would over heat in the savannah
A Giraffe would freeze in the arctic
What is the definition of two-eyed seeing
Cooperation between modern scientific methods and indigenous knowledge to learn more about the world.
Name one indigenous group with knowledge of the fairy circles
Martu/Warlpiri/Pintupiri
The evenly spaced pattern of fairy circles across the landscape is explained by what ecological process.
competition (between termite colonies)
What's the difference between a fundamental and realized niche
Fundamental - Abiotic factors
Realized - Biotic and Abiotic factors
This structure within termite colonies help exhibit water holding properties
food chambers
Name the animal discussed that was a threatened species
The Great Desert Skink
Why do fairy circles become smaller during heavier rain?
Termite activity is being balanced out, increased water is lowering the competition between plants, leading to plant growth within the bare areas
Are fairy circles an example of habitat fragmentation? Explain why or why not.
No, These patches aren’t truly fragmented from each other rather in competition with each other
What is the different between western and indigenous perspectives of the world
Western - seeks to understand reality
Indigenous - seeks to sustain environment
In key finding 1, what was the percentage of harvester termites found
41%
What are the two ways indigenous people use fairy circles to their advantage?
1)Preparation of food (termites/seeds)
2) Water source
What was the example of dispersion given in the lecture and what kind of dispersion was it?
Dandelions growing in a field, Random dispersion
Name 3 Implications of the study
Solved the mystery of the Fairy Circles.
Showed the limitations of the Western knowledge.
Allowed the Indigenous Australians to participate in science.
Increased the validity of Indigenous knowledge.
Showed that termites play an important ecological role, and are not simple pests.
Led to discovery of desert skink (Mulyamiji) breeding behavior.
Better understanding of ecology of Australian deserts.
Participation of Indigenous people in the study may help fighting discrimination of them in Western societies.
Promoted two-eyed seeing as a means of expanding our understanding of reality.
The findings may be useful for conservation efforts.
In key finding 2, what were the 3 discoveries made
- Water holding pavements
- unknown breeding behavior
- ancient age of the pavements
When termites create the compact ground of the fairy circle, how does this benefit the soil and surrounding plants?
The soil underneath these compact circles will become very permeable and water will be able to travel deep into the soil due to termite tunnels. The surrounding plants will be able to use this stored water as their energy source.
Name all the ecological concepts used in the Presentation. Define at least 2 of them.
Zone of Tolerance - Conditions a species can survive and reproduce in
Fundamental Niche - the full range of abiotic conditions a species can survive and reproduce in
Realized Niche - range of abiotic and biotic factors that an organism can survive and reproduce in.
Suitable Habitat - Area with specific variables that meet the needs of wildlife species Niche
Habitat Fragmentation - patches of suitable habitat are isolated into patches
Dispersion - spacing of individuals to one another within an area.
Dispersal - Permanent movement from one area to another.
Who developed two-eyed-seeing
Mi’kmaq Elder Albert Marshall
Name one of the two study methods and how they were carried out.
Ethnographic Methods
Interviews and recorded sessions with MArtu and Warlpiri elders
Aboriginal language dictionaries and unpublished narrative reviewed
73 Artworks from 34 Desert artists catalogued and cross referenced among one another.
Field Excavation
4 plots surveyed in July 2021.
60 trenches excavated across 24 fairy circles.
Air blower was then carefully used to clean trenches and reveal termite structures .
11 control trenches dug in adjacent spinifex grassland in order to compare.