10x10 - Vernal Pools
....or, why you should always be careful where you step when you're traipsing through the woods in the springtime.
But first, what is 10x10?
Occasionally, we're going to be looking really, really closely at certain really cool spots. We're calling these types of segments 10x10, because--hey--we've got to draw the line somewhere. But it could be a 10x10 plot anywhere: in the woods, on a mountain, in the water, in the air. And really it could be 10 anything by 10 anything: feet, inches, miles, FATHOMS...we're not big on making any hard and fast rules.
credit: sara plourde
For this first foray out into the woods, we're checking out something called vernal pools. Vernal, meaning springtime, and pools as in... pools. These are little (and sometimes not so little!) pools that form when spring rains combine with winter snow-melt to make some really wet spots. These puddles might look a little gross, especially after they have been sitting there for a few weeks--and are full of all sorts of sliminess--but they are absolutely essential to all sorts of bizarre critters.
You'll never listen to the spring peepers the same way again.
Listen to the episode:
A video of frogs, uh...doin' their thing
As promised, here's a video of a Frog Orgy. We're not entirely sure what's going on here, but watching it made Maureen and Logan very uncomfortable.
Photos from the field
