Learning more about Taiwan’s biodiversity may not be the first thing on the minds of many foreign students in Taiwan, but on July 10, a full house of ICLP teachers and students welcomed NTU School of Forestry and Resource Conservation professor Yuan Hsiao-Wei (袁孝維) for her lecture on the rich ecosystems of Taiwan.
Professor Yuan began her talk by giving a broad overview of the different climates and general types of life on Earth. She then spoke in detail about Taiwan’s various ecosystems. She actively engaged the audience by using a question-and-answer format.
The first question professor Yuan posed to the audience was “Why does Taiwan have such a diversity of plant life?” The answer is quite simple: Taiwan’s geographical position allows relatively high amounts of sunlight to reach the island, thus providing plant life with more fuel to run on. This interesting fact was followed by short, graphic descriptions of the various plant species that exist in the different mountain regions of Taiwan. Professor Yuan introduced several unique species of tree that exist at extremely high elevations on Taiwanese mountains, and pointed out the unique characteristics of alpine flora that allow it to survive in such inhospitable environments. Having broached the topic of evolution and adaptability, she segued into a discussion of birds, and more specifically, the different functions of various wing shapes.
“Why are some species of bird more commonly seen around the world while others only exist only in certain geographical regions?” The answer lies in the wing shape of a bird. Generally, the wider a bird’s wingspan, the higher it can fly. Professor Yuan showed slides of birds native to Taiwan and compared their wing shapes with those of various birds throughout the world. The mallard duck is one example of a bird with a wide wingspan that may be found across the hemispheres.
Finally, professor Yuan invited the audience to identify bird species. She showed numerous slides of species native to Taiwan, especially those commonly seen on the NTU campus, and explained how to identify and differentiate between them. Those first to correctly identify each species received a small prize. Who knew a speech on birds and trees could be so stimulating!
It was a rare opportunity and a privilege to learn about the rich wildlife of Taiwan from an expert. Who knows if someone in the audience might be inspired to study ornithology or forestry!
Professor Yuan began her talk by giving a broad overview of the different climates and general types of life on Earth. She then spoke in detail about Taiwan’s various ecosystems. She actively engaged the audience by using a question-and-answer format.
The first question professor Yuan posed to the audience was “Why does Taiwan have such a diversity of plant life?” The answer is quite simple: Taiwan’s geographical position allows relatively high amounts of sunlight to reach the island, thus providing plant life with more fuel to run on. This interesting fact was followed by short, graphic descriptions of the various plant species that exist in the different mountain regions of Taiwan. Professor Yuan introduced several unique species of tree that exist at extremely high elevations on Taiwanese mountains, and pointed out the unique characteristics of alpine flora that allow it to survive in such inhospitable environments. Having broached the topic of evolution and adaptability, she segued into a discussion of birds, and more specifically, the different functions of various wing shapes.
“Why are some species of bird more commonly seen around the world while others only exist only in certain geographical regions?” The answer lies in the wing shape of a bird. Generally, the wider a bird’s wingspan, the higher it can fly. Professor Yuan showed slides of birds native to Taiwan and compared their wing shapes with those of various birds throughout the world. The mallard duck is one example of a bird with a wide wingspan that may be found across the hemispheres.
Finally, professor Yuan invited the audience to identify bird species. She showed numerous slides of species native to Taiwan, especially those commonly seen on the NTU campus, and explained how to identify and differentiate between them. Those first to correctly identify each species received a small prize. Who knew a speech on birds and trees could be so stimulating!
It was a rare opportunity and a privilege to learn about the rich wildlife of Taiwan from an expert. Who knows if someone in the audience might be inspired to study ornithology or forestry!
