FERMI QUADRAT PRAIRIE STUDY 2006

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Fermi Field Trip!!

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GPS LOCATION: N: 41° 30' 28.4" W: 88° 16' 24.5"

STUDENT RESEARCHER: Aly N.

We got to see buffallo at Fermi Lab!!

Aerial View of Fermi Prairie Quadrats: Plot 17

Map of Fermi Lab

This is a hawk. Isn't he cute??!!!!!

Plot 17 Info-All Quadrats	Map of Fermi



Copyright Info That We Have Got to Have	Map of My Quadrat

DATA

Map of Our Quadrat

Table of our Fermi Quadrat

Plant Name	Dominance	Importance Value
Big Bluestem	80	81.495
Indian Grass	17	25.347
Switch Grass	11	20.83
Prairie Dock	4	15.528
Crabgrass	64	60.972
Yellow Corngrass	3	14.771
Tall Sweet Clover	60	57.942

Table of All Quadrats of Plot 17

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:

Graphs of Dominance and Importance Value for All Quadrats 2006

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS:

In this analysis, I intend to explain the values of comparing prairie plots, comparing and contrasting past Plot 17 info, predict what will happen to Plot 17 in the next few years, and reflect on all I have learned about prairies during this unit.

Part 1. Background Information- Dominance, importance value, and diversity are used to compare prairie plots. They are used in multiple ways.

Dominance is the total percent cover of a species out of the total area sampled. In this case, Plot 17 or our quadrat (a quadrat is the tested area, it’s 1 meter by 1 meter). Dominance can also be described as the species that takes up the most space. It is used to help determine the total percentage of a species (plants and weeds) in the area. A dominant plant is the one that takes up the most space in the plot- it may be because the soil is perfect for that plant, or it could just be the healthiest.

Diversity is many different kinds of living things that live together in the same area. Scientists find it helpful to use diversity in comparing prairie plots because the plants differ in each plot. Variety is good for prairies because the different plants create a different habitat for different animals. If a plot is healthy, more plants and more animals will come to make it their home.

Importance Value is defined as being relative dominance, relative frequency, and relative density added together. (Relative dominance- 100 X dominance of a species out of the sum of the dominance of all species; Relative density- 100 X frequency of a particular species out of the sum of the frequency off all species.) Scientists use Importance Value to compare prairie plots, because it basically ties everything together: a plant’s dominance, frequency, and density in an ecosystem.

Part 2. Comparison- Many things have changed over the years in Plot 17. Let’s see how it’s progressed from the past to the present, taking a look at info from 2004, 2005, and 2006.

There are many different types of plants in plot 17. From Big Bluestem to Yarrow, we’ve got plenty! This is good for the plot, because as stated in Part 1, variety is good for prairies. Because of the abundance in plant life, Plot 17 is obviously a great habitat for many different types of animals who have decided to call our plot home. Many different plants and animals must mean that Plot 17 is quite healthy, which is why it’s great for us to record information on it’s life, past and present, along with predicting the future.

Let’s first take a look dominance. In 2004, Big Bluestem topped the charts at number one, with a dominance of 19.93. Surprisingly, it stayed number one through 2005 and 2006. In 2005, the dominance value was 4.38, and in 2006, it shot back up to 24.19. Also, Wild Bergamot came in at number two three years in a row, starting in 2004 with 5.38 for its dominance. In 2005, it became 4.23, and in 2006, it stands with a 10.04. With these prairie plants, not much has changed besides their dominance value. Here’s a thought- Why did the dominance value for both these plants start high, become low, and then shoot up again? Well, it might’ve been because in 2005, it was a bad season for the plant, so it couldn’t manage to grow as much as before. Anyway, in spot number three, it changes a little. First, there’s Indian Grass with a dominance of 4.38, then, in 2005, Stiff Goldenrod takes its place with 3.79. Finally, in 2006, Indian Grass steals back its place with a dominance level of 7.30. The strange thing about those facts, though, is that in 2004, Stiff Goldenrod was number ten on the list. How could it become so dominant in 2005? Maybe it was because the climate and soil conditions were perfect for growing Stiff Goldenrod. It’s hard to say for sure. All we do know is that in 2006, Stiff Goldenrod was put back in tenth place. After third place for all three years, everything gets pretty jumbled up. That’s good for a prairie, though. When things vary (temperature, precipitation, soil moisture, soil pH, etc.) the plot has a chance to grow a variety of plants. When these things change, all it means is that the plot is healthy.

We’re not done with dominance yet. We haven’t even begun to cover weeds! Like Big Bluestem, Unlisted-Grasslike came in at number one all three years. First, in 2004, its dominance value was 22.88. In 2005, its value was a whopping 42.6, and in 2006, it came in at 28.54. In second place for 2004 and 2005, was Tall Goldenrod. Its 2004 dominance value was 8.26, and in 2005, it was 20.32. As with the prairie plants, things got switched around after third place for the three years, but as I stated earlier, change is good.

Let’s continue on with our comparison with looking at importance value. Taking a peek at prairie plants, as with dominance, Big Bluestem topped the charts at number one, starting with an importance value of 135.31. In 2005, it dropped to 70.41, then in 2006, became 119.07. Things vary for the importance value of Wild Bergamot, placing second in 2004 with 45.38 and 2006 with 47.92. In 2005, it dropped to third place with an importance value of 27.86. In third place for 2004 and 2006, instead of Wild Bergamot, it became Indian Grass with an importance value of 22.31 in 2004 and 30.52 in 2006.

How about we take a look at the importance value of weeds? Once again, Unlisted-Grasslike came in first all three times with 179.58 in 2004, 172.17 in 2005, and 181.71 in 2006. In 2004 and 2005, Tall Goldenrod came in second place with an importance value of 40.12 in 2004 and 48.33 in 2005. In 2006, Tall Goldenrod became third on the list with 20.78, while Sweet Clovers (tall) placed second with 30.6.

Wow! That’s a lot of comparing we just did there! Once again, that was all the data collected in 2004, 2005, and 2006 from Plot 17.

Part 3. Prediction- Okay. We know what has happened in the past three years. If we do a little hunting, we could probably find all the info from the fourteen years. But what will happen, say, ten years from know? This is what I think will occur: I believe that either Big Bluestem or Indian Grass will still be the most importance value for a prairie plant. Why? Because if we take a look at the data from 1992, we see that Indian Grass has the most importance, with Big Bluestem in second place. They have basically stayed that way through the years, switching roles once and a while. Taking a look at dominance, we see the same thing. If you wish to talk weeds, back in 1992 (as is now) Unlisted-grasslike topped the charts in importance value. I predict that it will stay that way in ten years, because it was first place back then, and it still is now after 14 years. Also for Unlisted-grasslike, it came in first for being the most dominant weed. Once again, it will most likely stay that way.

Part 4. Reflection- I have learned many things from this study of prairies. First of all, I learned what all the terms (such as dominance and importance value) mean. I also learned a LOT about the many different prairie plants, along with what kind of climate they live in. We studied things like wind speed, soil moisture, sunlight, temperature, and many other things. It was interesting to experiment with all of our different tools. I say that anyone should visit Fermi. They will have a blast, just like I did.

COPYRIGHT:

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.