2004 Winning Essays
Twelve winning essays from the 2004 contest year of the Young Naturalist Awards by students from grade 7 - 12. Winning essays ranged from the an investigation of the divergence of marine iguana species in the Galapagos archipelago, to life in a Vernal pool, to a comparison of copper ore deposits in two Arizona copper mines.
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Explaining the Divergence of the Marine Iguana Subspecies on Espa
There are seven subspecies of marine iguana, and they all live in the Gal
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A Comparison of the Bisbee and Morenci, Arizona, Copper Ore Deposits
A treasured collection of geologic samples from the Arizona mine where her grandfather worked launched this 7th-graders's interest in Earth science.
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The Mystery of a Lifeless Creek: Investigating Dissolved Oxygen and Fecal-Coliform Bacteria
This 9th-grader from Pennsylvania has many fond memories of the creek near her house—yet, this creek contains no aquatic life. Join her as she sets out to determine why.
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Gopher Tortoises: My Endangered Fellow Floridians
Saddle up for a visit to the Circle F Dude Ranch, where this 7th-grader from Florida will introduce you to ... gopher tortoises. These burrowing reptiles have shovel-like forelimbs.
The Growth Patterns of Aspens
Is an aspen's diameter affected by its distance from the center of the grove? The search for the answer to this question sent this 8th-grader from Colorado on a two-year-plus expedition.
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Morphologic Variation in the Common Periwinkle
The common periwinkle, now one of the most abundant marine gastropods on the North Atlantic coast, was introduced accidentally to Nova Scotia around 1857. Investigate it with an 11th-grader from Maine.
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The Mysterious Peregrine Falcon
On a hiking trip, this 12th-grader from New Brunswick spied a peregrine falcon. A second trip brought the discovery of another falcon—a rare breeding pair. But then the mystery began ...
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The Impact of Plant Density and Diversity on Animal Populations in a Sonoran Desert Environment
This 10th-grader from Arizona's neighborhood noticed that her association requires that all dry vegetation around homes be removed. Her study finds that when native vegetation is wipped out, desert animals also disappear.
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Afpectus Lunae: Does the Moon Rotate on Its Axis?
Like Earth, the Moon rotates on its axis. So why do we see only one view of its face? Grab two oranges, and let this 8th-grader from Pennsylvania show you the answer.
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Effects of Nitrate, Phospate, and Hydrogen Ion Concentration on Synedra Ulna: Diatoms as Indicators of Water Composition
Like generations of scientists before her, this 11th-grader from California understands that the key to scientific investigation is asking the right questions. Here she asks whether diatoms could be used to assess water quality.
