FERMI QUADRATE PRAIRIE STUDY 2006

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GPS LOCATION: N: 41°n:5028:8    W: 88°w:16' 24.5

STUDENT RESEARCHER: JESSICA SPECHT

Aerial View of Fermi Prairie Quadrates

 

Fermi Lab Map

 

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DATA:

Table of our Fermi Quadrat

Table of all quadrates  of plot 17

Plant name Dominance Importance Vaule
Big Blue steam 63 111
Prarie Dock 7 35
Wid Bergamont 10 130
Tall sweet clover 15 87
Crab Grass 5 125
RAW DATA                      
Native Plants Total Plants Found Total Percentage Found # of Quadrats Found In Density Frequency Dominance Relative Density Relative Frequency Relative Dominance Importance Value
Big Bluestem 200 423 11 16.67 0.92 35.25 40.57 27.5 48.62 116.69  
Compass Plant 12 30 1 1 0.08 2.5 2.43 2.5 3.45 8.38  
Indian Grass 126 222 8 10.5 0.67 18.5 25.56 20 25.52 71.08  
Switch Grass 34 38 2 2.83 0.17 3.17 6.9 5 4.37 16.27  
Prairie Dock 7 44 3 0.58 0.25 3.67 1.42 7.5 5.06 13.98  
Rosinweed 6 5 3 0.5 0.25 0.42 1.22 7.5 0.57 9.29  
Yellow Coneflower 5 4 2 0.42 0.17 0.33 1.01 5 0.46 6.47  
Wild Bergamot 91 80 4 7.58 0.33 6.67 18.46 10 9.2 37.65  
New England Aster 1 15 1 0.08 0.08 1.25 0.2 2.5 1.72 4.43  
Tall Boneset 8 7 3 0.67 0.25 0.58 1.62 7.5 0.81 9.93  
Foxglove Beard Tongue 1 1 1 0.08 0.08 0.08 0.2 2.5 0.12 2.82  
Indian Hemp 2 1 1 0.17 0.08 0.08 0.41 2.5 0.12 3.02  
                     
Non-Native (Weed) Plants Total Plants Found Total Percentage Found # of Quadrats Found In Density Frequency Dominance Relative Density Relative Frequency Relative Dominance Importance Value
Daisy Fleabane 1 1 1 0.08 0.08 0.08 0.02 3.03 0.16 3.21  
Wild Carrot 86 18 3 7.17 0.25 1.5 2.02 9.09 2.85 13.96  
Sweet Clovers (tall) 168 140 5 14 0.42 11.67 3.95 15.15 22.15 41.26  
Yarrow 18 27 4 1.5 0.33 2.25 0.42 12.12 4.27 16.82  
Tall goldenrod 25 16 4 2.08 0.33 1.33 0.59 12.12 2.53 15.24  
Clovers (ground) 2 10 1 0.17 0.08 0.83 0.05 3.03 1.58 4.66  
Hairy Vetch 3 17 2 0.25 0.17 1.42 0.07 6.06 2.69 8.82  
Drummonds Aster 6 4 1 0.5 0.08 0.33 0.14 3.03 0.63 3.8  
Unlisted-Oval leaf 111 154 4 9.25 0.33 12.83 2.61 12.12 24.37 39.1  
Unlisted-Grasslike 3831 245 8 319.25 0.67 20.42 90.12 24.24 38.77 153.13  
                     
SORTED DATA BELOW                      
                     
Native Plants by Dominance Dominance   Native Plants by I.V Importance Value              
Big Bluestem 35.25   Big Bluestem 116.69              
Indian Grass 18.5   Indian Grass 71.08              
Wild Bergamot 6.67   Wild Bergamot 37.65              
Prairie Dock 3.67   Switch Grass 16.27              
Switch Grass 3.17   Prairie Dock 13.98              
Compass Plant 2.5   Tall Boneset 9.93              
New England Aster 1.25   Rosinweed 9.29              
Tall Boneset 0.58   Compass Plant 8.38              
Rosinweed 0.42   Yellow Coneflower 6.47              
Yellow Coneflower 0.33   New England Aster 4.43              
Foxglove Beard Tongue 0.08   Indian Hemp 3.02              
Indian Hemp 0.08   Foxglove Beard Tongue 2.82              
                     
                     
Non-Native (Weed) Plants by Dominance Dominance   Non-Native (Weed) Plants by I.V. Importance Value              
Unlisted-Grasslike 20.42   Unlisted-Grasslike 153.13              
Unlisted-Oval leaf 12.83   Sweet Clovers (tall) 41.26              
Sweet Clovers (tall) 11.67   Unlisted-Oval leaf 39.1              
Yarrow 2.25   Yarrow 16.82              
Wild Carrot 1.5   Tall goldenrod 15.24              
Hairy Vetch 1.42   Wild Carrot 13.96              
Tall goldenrod 1.33   Hairy Vetch 8.82              
Clovers (ground) 0.83   Clovers (ground) 4.66              
Drummonds Aster 0.33   Drummonds Aster 3.8              
Daisy Fleabane 0.08   Daisy Fleabane 3.21              
                     
                     
                     
                     
ALL SPECIES Dominance Importance Value ALL SPECIES Dominance   ALL SPECIES Importance Value      
Big Bluestem 35.25 116.69   Big Bluestem 35.25   Unlisted-Grasslike 153.13      
Compass Plant 2.5 8.38   Unlisted-Grasslike 20.42   Big Bluestem 116.69      
Indian Grass 18.5 71.08   Indian Grass 18.5   Indian Grass 71.08      
Switch Grass 3.17 16.27   Unlisted-Oval leaf 12.83   Sweet Clovers (tall) 41.26      
Prairie Dock 3.67 13.98   Sweet Clovers (tall) 11.67   Unlisted-Oval leaf 39.1      
Rosinweed 0.42 9.29   Wild Bergamot 6.67   Wild Bergamot 37.65      
Yellow Coneflower 0.33 6.47   Prairie Dock 3.67   Yarrow 16.82      
Wild Bergamot 6.67 37.65   Switch Grass 3.17   Switch Grass 16.27      
New England Aster 1.25 4.43   Compass Plant 2.5   Tall goldenrod 15.24      
Tall Boneset 0.58 9.93   Yarrow 2.25   Prairie Dock 13.98      
Foxglove Beard Tongue 0.08 2.82   Wild Carrot 1.5   Wild Carrot 13.96      
Indian Hemp 0.08 3.02   Hairy Vetch 1.42   Tall Boneset 9.93      
Daisy Fleabane 0.08 3.21   Tall goldenrod 1.33   Rosinweed 9.29      
Wild Carrot 1.5 13.96   New England Aster 1.25   Hairy Vetch 8.82      
Sweet Clovers (tall) 11.67 41.26   Clovers (ground) 0.83   Compass Plant 8.38      
Yarrow 2.25 16.82   Tall Boneset 0.58   Yellow Coneflower 6.47      
Tall goldenrod 1.33 15.24   Rosinweed 0.42   Clovers (ground) 4.66      
Clovers (ground) 0.83 4.66   Yellow Coneflower 0.33   New England Aster 4.43      
Hairy Vetch 1.42 8.82   Drummonds Aster 0.33   Drummonds Aster 3.8      
Drummonds Aster 0.33 3.8   Foxglove Beard Tongue 0.08   Daisy Fleabane 3.21      
Unlisted-Oval leaf 12.83 39.1   Indian Hemp 0.08   Indian Hemp 3.02      
Unlisted-Grasslike 20.42 153.13   Daisy Fleabane 0.08   Foxglove Beard Tongue 2.82      
                     
                     

 

 

 

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GRAPHS OF DOMINANCE AND IMPORTANCE VALUE

 

 

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COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS:

 Part 1:   Dominance is used to compare because it shows what plants are the most noticeable, and and take up the most room. For example oak trees and maple might be considered the most dominate trees in ILLINOIS.  The dominate plants supply much of the food and living space for animals.  It takes up the most space above and below the ground.  The roots are two to three times the amount the height above ground.  Importance value is relative dominance plus relative frequency plus relative density tells us how dominant how frequent and how dense is an ecosystem. It tells how important a plant is in an ecosystem. For example Big Bluestem has a very high importance value. Diversity is used to compare the variety of different plants in a quadrate.  Some of the different plants are Big Bluestem, Indian grass, and switch grass.  In our quadrate there is diversity. There is Big Bluestem, Prairie dock, Wild Bergamot, Tall sweet clover, and crab grass. 

Part 2: 

Part 2

       The diversity of the types of plants in 2005’s plot was not quite different to the plants in 2006’s plot. 2005’s plot did not have prairie dock, switch grass, Saw tooth s., and white prairie as 2006’s plot did. And 2006’s plot did not have prairie cord grass, yellow cornflower, tall coreopsis, and foxglove beard as 2005’s plot did.                             The dominance totals for the plants of 2005 were, Big blue stem-4.38, Wild bergamot4.23, Stiff goldenrod-3.79, Indian grass-3.06, Prairie cord grass-3, Yellow cornflower-2.91, Compass plant-2.87, Rosinweed-2.83, Tall coreopsis-2.08, and Foxglove beard-1.66. And the dominance totals for 2006 were big blue stem-24.19, Wild bergamot-10.4, Indian grass-7.3, Compass plant-4.51, Prairie dock-2.62, Switch grass-2.57, Saw tooth s.-1.68, Rosin weed-1.14, Stiff goldenrod-1.08, and White prairie-.84.

 The importance value totals of the plants for 2005 were Big blue stem-70.41, Indian grass-37.3, Wild bergamot-27.86, Prairie cord grass-25.35, Stiff goldenrod-19.83, Rosin weed-19.12, Yellow coneflower-17.39, Compass plant-16.95, Tall coreopsis-14.74, and Mountain mint-10.54. And the totals for the importance value of 2006 were Big blue stem-119.07, Wild bergamot-47.92, Indian grass-30.52, Compass plant-13.57, Rosin weed13.32, Switch grass11.83, Prairie dock7.77, Saw tooth sun.-7.42, Fox glue beard7.17, and Stiff goldenrod-6.62.

Part 3:  I think that in ten years the Big Bluestem will continue to grow and have a higher importance value. Also I think the Big Bluestem will have a higher dominance.  I also think that in ten years the diversity will become smaller and smaller in the prairie.  I think this, because in the studies shown the big bluestem has become more and more dominant.  Therefore there is less of something else.  The amount of prairie space doesn't change, it stays the same.  I also think that will happen with other plants too.  For example the prairie dock, as it grows in dominance and importance value, there is another plant that has that much less.  Eventually there won't be any diversity, because the plants with the most dominance will take over the prairie. 

Part 4:  I have learned that there is many different flowers and grass in a prairie.  I also learned many nicknames for certain plants and why they have those names. Like the Indian grass.  It was given its name by people who thought there were Indians.  Also the plant turkey foot was given its name because the seed groups are in three… and they look like a turkey’s foot.  I also learned what importance value, diversity, and dominance means for a prairie.  Importance value is the importance of that plant in the prairie; diversity is the variety of plants in a prairie. Like Big Bluestem and Indian grass. Two different types of plants. Dominance is used to compare the dominance or space a plant takes up.  Lastly I learned that each year the information varies.  Even if it only varies a little.   

Big Blue steam
Prarie Dock
Wid Bergamot
Tall sweet clover
Crab Grass

             

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HOPE YOU ENJOYED!!

COPYRIGHT:

© Copyright 2006, L&T Natural Images and Madison Jr. High, all rights reserved. Contact information: email at lccwik@comcast.net or tcoutts@naperville203.org

ACKNOWLEDGMENT:
This project was created by the 7th grade students of team 7 UPS from Madison Jr. High, Naperville Consolidated Unit School District #203 in Naperville, Illinois with the help of their teacher Mrs. Trudi Coutts along with Technology Lab Director Mrs. Margaret Gilmore. Support for the project came from Principal Ms. Erin Anderson and the other dedicated and cooperative faculty and staff of Madison Jr. High.

 

REFERENCES:
Fermilab Education Department particularly the SIMply Prairie Project. Authors: Bill Fraccaro, Johnson School, Wheaton, IL; Larry Cwik and Pat Franzen, Madison Junior High School, Naperville, IL; and Bernie Jokiel, Gary D, Jewel Middle School, North Aurora, IL.
Created for the NTEP II Fermilab LInC program sponsored by Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory Education Office and Friends of Fermilab, and funded by United States Department of Energy, Illinois State Board of Education, North Central Regional Technology in Education Consortium which is operated by North Central Regional Educational Laboratory (NCREL), and the National Science Foundation.