Exploring the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest
Student Handout #3: Virtual Tour & Introduction Questions.
Student Name(s) ______________________________ Date _________________________
Use the back of the page if you need more room to answer questions.
1) What is an “ecosystem?”
2) What should scientists know about a forest before they
begin to experiment with it?
3) What do you think would happen if scientists did not know much about these characteristics?
4) Which of the watersheds at the HBEF are used as
references (hint: there are two)? Why are these referred to as reference
watersheds? In an experiment, what is
the purpose of the reference watershed?
5) In the early 1900’s the federal government became
interested in buying private land, such as that in the Hubbard Brook Valley, in
an effort to protect the large watersheds of major river systems like the
Pemigewasset and Merrimack. Why do you
think it might be important to protect these watersheds?
6) How does the type of bedrock present at Hubbard Brook
compare to that found near where you live?