At a later date, the students may plant in the watershed oak trees grown from acorns collected earlier. This optional project is Propagating Native Oaks . In the assessment lesson, Tree's a Crowd , lesson 11, students demonstrate their growth in conceptual understanding by choosing pictures of organisms that might live in the tree habitat, placing them in the appropriate habitat on a diagram of a tree, then describing why the tree is a good habitat for the organism. Many different organisms can satisfy their needs within the habitats provided in a tree. Trees provide shelter from climate and predators.
Tree bark acts as a substrate for small plants and a habitat for many insects.
Some animals eat the fruits, seeds, leaves, and woody parts of living trees. These animals are in turn eaten by other animals. Some organisms depend on the decaying litter from a tree for food. A tree may be one part of a larger habitat. Trees serve as a major food source for large animals.