Home / Help / How to Use Life History Information
AWAKE Help
How to Use Life History Information
Common Name
The common name is the name people in an area use to refer to a plant or an animal. It often refers to the organism's size, shape, color, habitat, or behavior. (An organism is a complete living thing; for example, a tree is an organism but its leaf is not.) Since an organism may be found in several different regions, there may be several common names for it. It would be difficult for scientists from different regions to know if they are talking about the same species by using only a common name.
Scientific Name
To communicate better with one another, all scientists use a scientific name to identify a species. (A species is a group of organisms that have a common set of characteristics and are able to interbreed in nature and produce fertile offspring.) A scientific name may describe the organism in some way, such as where it lives, its color, its shape, or who discovered it. Scientific names are written in Latin and include the genus and species for the organism. For instance, Rana catesbeiana is the scientific name for the bullfrog. Some groups of organisms on the AWAKE site have numerous genera (plural form of genus) referred to by a single common name, such as the crayfish. In this case, the order or family may be given instead of a scientific name.
Size
The size is generally a measure of length of a typical adult animal or height of a mature plant. In some animals, such as snakes and birds, this measure is from tip of nose, or beak, to tip of tail, or longest tail feather. In other animals, such as the red fox, the measure is from tip of the snout to the base of the tail where it emerges from the pelvis. Check the External Anatomy section of each group of organisms for clarification on how to measure for size. Exceptions are noted in some accounts.
Habitat
The habitat describes the surroundings where the organism lives. It includes the organism's food, water, and shelter. For example, the fox squirrel prefers to live in open woodlands dominated by oak and hickory trees.
Kentucky Distribution
Distribution refers to the geographic occurrence of a species. The Kentucky distribution is the area where confirmed sightings of the species have been made. Although some of the species found on the AWAKE site live only in Kentucky, distribution of most species extends beyond Kentucky's boundary.
Range Map
The range map indicates only the confirmed sightings of a particular species in Kentucky. The actual range may extend beyond what is shown on the map. A range map for birds may show either their breeding range or their winter range. Please note which range is indicated on the map.
Food
The most commonly eaten foods are listed, with an effort to indicate the bulk of the diet first, if known. In most cases the list is partial, rather than comprehensive.
Breeding
Typical breeding seasons, courtship behaviors, and facts related to reproduction are described here.
Spawning - Fish Accounts
Spawning in fish involves the maturing of both the eggs and the sperm inside both fish's bodies and the release of these reproductive cells into the water for fertilization. This is dependent upon environmental factors, such as water temperature, water flow, and day length. Natural spawning dates, courtship behaviors, and other related facts are given in this section of the account.
Reproduction - Plant Accounts
The typical method of reproduction in nature, such as seeds, spores, and rhizomes, is given. Methods of cultivation are offered only as interesting examples. This portion of the account may also include how the flower is pollinated and how the seed is dispersed.
Young
This describes how the young are different from the adult, the stages of development, typical behaviors, and length of time to become an adult.
Nest
Nesting behavior and requirements, where the nest is built, materials used for its construction, and what the nest looks like are described here.
Eggs
The section gives the typical number of eggs laid, a description of the egg, and how long it takes for them to hatch.
Voice
An organism that vocalizes will make more than one sound, depending on the message to be relayed. An attempt has been made to describe a sound for only the amphibians, birds, and mammals. A recording of the sound the organism makes may be heard by clicking on the sound button. For a more complete description of voice, please consult a comprehensive field guide.
Life Cycle
Plants and animals have life cycles that include the beginning of life, growth and development, reproduction, and death. The details of a life cycle are different for different organisms. In this section of the account, you will find information on the organism's life cycle or the life cycle of one that is representative of the order or family. In some accounts, you will read about the type of metamorphosis the organism undergoes, complete or incomplete, and something about its developmental stages.
Ecological Role
The unique place, position, and role that an organism occupies in an environment make up its ecological role. Information that may be included is the position the organism occupies in the food chain and which organisms may depend upon it for food. In the plant accounts, you may find information about how or when a plant colonizes a habitat. Information on seasonal behaviors may also be included.
Uses - Plant Accounts
Examples of past and present uses of Kentucky's plant species are given here. Some accounts refer to historic medicinal uses as a point of interest. For more information, please consult a comprehensive guide on this topic. Please note that no life history account is written with the intent of offering medical advice.
Status
Status refers to whether the species is endangered (in danger of extinction throughout a significant portion of its range), threatened (present, but in danger because of a decline in population numbers), or common (found throughout its preferred habitat). Some species may be referred to as abundant, frequent, or infrequent.
Fun Facts
Interesting facts worthy of mention, or an expansion on a previous section, are found here.
Glossary Terms
Technical or scientific terms that may be unfamiliar to our readers are listed in this section. Click on the word and you will be taken to the definition in the glossary.
Related Sites
One or two sites with information related directly to the organism are offered to the user. This list is not comprehensive but offers a starting point for further study.
Related Accounts
Click on a name listed here to link to an account of a species that is influenced, benefited, or dependent upon this organism.
Photo Credit
Photo credit provides information about the person who took the photograph and other pertinent copyright information.
Note to User: The accounts found on this web site are not intended to be used as a field guide, but rather to offer information about that species in order to enhance appreciation of it, or to spark an interest in further study of the species and its habitat.
