FERMI QUADRAT PRAIRIE STUDY 2006

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GPS LOCATION: N: 41ºN 5028.8    W: 88ºW 16' 24.5STUDENT RESEARCHER: Maddy HollisAerial View of Fermi Prairie Quadrat

Fermi Lab Map

 


















 

DATA:

Table of our Fermi Quadrat

 

Table of all quadrats

   
Plant Name Dominance Importance Value
Big Bluestem 63 111
Prairie Dock 7 35
Wild Bergamot 10 130
Tall Sweet Clovers 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      

 

 

 

 

 

GRAPHS OF DOMINANCE AND IMPORTANCE VALUE:

(PLACE YOUR GRAPH OF THE DATA HERE)

 

 

I HOPE YOU ENJOYED!!!

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS:

Comparative Analysis

Part 1

Dominance, importance value, and diversity are all very important ways to compare prairie quadrates. A prairie quadrate is a squared area, usually one meter by one meter and used to study the number and type of plant diversity.  Dominance is the most noticeable plant out of the whole quadrate. Dominant plants are very important because they affect the ecosystem, surrounding plants, and animals. All together dominance is very important for recording and comparing prairie quadrates.   Next there is importance value which tells how dominant, how frequent, and how dense a plant is in the ecosystem. So it is very important for comparing plants and weeds in the prairie quadrate. Finally, we have diversity which is a measure of the type of plant species a quadrate contains. Diversity is used to measure all of the different types of plants in a certain quadrate, which is very useful information when comparing quadrates.

Comparative Analysis

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.

 

Comparative Analysis

Part 3

I believe that in the next ten years not much will change. Big Bluestem, Wild Bergamont, and Indian will always be the dominant plants of the Fermi prairie. I think this because they have been the dominant plants for many years already. But I also think that if more pollution and fewer fires happen here may be a great loss in the size of the prairie. Also there may be a loss in the number of the dominant plants and any other plants that are in the prairie ecosystem. Also it depends on what weather will occur during that period of time. Like the amount of sun light the plants will get and the amount of precipitation that they receive. All together my prediction is that the dominant plants will still be conquering the Fermi prairie.

 

Comparative Analysis

Part 4

In my experience at the Fermi-lab prairie, I have learned many things about plants and why they are so important to the ecosystem. I have learned what dominant plants are and what dominance and importance value measures for a plant. And I have learned why the are so important while looking at a plant. I have also learned that over time plants are not harmed when they set fire to the prairie because there roots are so deep in the ground. I was also very interested the names of the certain types of plants and where they got there name from. I found the whole experience fascinating and my quadrat was one of the best to be able to look at.

 

 

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:
Fermi lab 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 Fermi lab LInC program sponsored by Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory Education Office and Friends of Fermi lab, 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.