FERMI QUADRAT PRAIRIE STUDY 2006

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My group!

GPS LOCATION: N:41 n 50’ 28.8 W:88 w 16’ 24.5

STUDENT RESEARCHER: Jessica Farina

Aerial View of Fermi Prairie Quadrats: Plot 17

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Data Table

Graphs

Comparative Analysis

Pictures

DATA:

Table of our Fermi Quadrat

Plant name	Total # of Plants Found	Total Percentage	# of Quadrats Found in	Density	Frequency	Dominance	Relative Density	Realitive Frequency	Relitive Dominance	Importance Value
Big Bluestem	7	63	1	7	1	63	28	20	63	111
Prairie Dock	2	7	1	2	1	7	8	20	7	35
Wild Bergamont	25	10	1	25	1	10	100	20	10	130
Tall Sweet Clover	13	15	1	13	1	15	52	20	15	87
Crab Grass	25	5	1	25	1	5	100	20	5	125

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


Relative Frequency	Relative Dominance	Importance Value
27.5	48.62	116.69
2.5	3.45	8.38
20	25.52	71.08
5	4.37	16.27
7.5	5.06	13.98
7.5	0.57	9.29
5	0.46	6.47
10	9.2	37.65
2.5	1.72	4.43
7.5	0.81	9.93
2.5	0.12	2.82
2.5	0.12	3.02

Relative Frequency	Relative Dominance	Importance Value
3.03	0.16	3.21
9.09	2.85	13.96
15.15	22.15	41.26
12.12	4.27	16.82
12.12	2.53	15.24
3.03	1.58	4.66
6.06	2.69	8.82
3.03	0.63	3.8
12.12	24.37	39.1
24.24	38.77	153.13




Importance Value
153.13
116.69
71.08
41.26
39.1
37.65
16.82
16.27
15.24
13.98
13.96
9.93
9.29
8.82
8.38
6.47
4.66
4.43
3.8
3.21
3.02
2.82

GRAPHS OF DOMINANCE AND IMPORTANCE VALUE:

Graphs of dominance and importance values for all quadrats 2006

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS:

Part 1.My goal for this analysis is:

Class to compare my quadrat to 04, 05, and 06 data.

               The main topics of a prairie Quandrat ecosystem are the Dominance,

Importance, Value and Diversity.

               First off, you might want to know what a quadrat is.  It is a one meter

by one meter area.  By studying with using a prairie plant life.  Quadrat we can use that information to figure out the

whole wide prairie.

               Now, Dominance is the # of plants that have all the power over the

prairie.  It also means that if you go there it's what is more visible and takes up the most space.  The dominant plant defines the prairie because it's determines the sunlight for the smaller plant and might bring homes to the animals. That's how the dominant plant can change the conditions of the environment.  Dominance is important to compare data as you can see.

               Next, Importance value which is really important as you can see

in the name.  Importance value is relative dominance; relative density and frequency added together the sum is the importance value of the plant.

               Importance value shows which plant is the best suited for the prairie

and how important it is, which contributes to the prairie ecosystem like dominance.

               Finally, Diversity shows how plants differ living together in an area.

It shows how the plants help or do not help each other out in the prairie and how well they live together. When having all those varieties of plants in the area it is good for the environment.  It also helps animals to survive because they come to have a sweet treat in the prairie.

               Part2.My quadrat in the comparison to the plot 17 over the years is quite different in terms of diversity the plants aren't all in it.  Worksheet I can see the difference in the plant name, but the ones that are the same are Bug Bluestem, Wild Bergamont and Prairie Dock.  I guess over the years they just are very well adapted to the prairie.  Dominance is the next, it also is important to compare.  Big Bluestem varies a lot

from 24.19 to 4.38 between 2004 t0 2006:  In 2004 it was 19.93, In 2005 it was 4.38 and then 2006 it was 24.19.  These varies in dominance could be due to drought, flooding and temperature.  My quadrat dominance to the other prairies are not really different.  My dominance and compared to the others it shows improvement. Lastly, Importance value of my plants are 111 for Big Bluestem, 35 for Prairie Dock, and 1230 for Wild Bergamot which a difference from other years data!

My Prediction

I believe in the next 10 years the dominant plants because the data

Over the 10 years has shown it to be that way.  Something’s that can complicate the ways or the prairies are the droughts and climate changes.  Lastly, the weed could take over again as in 2005, those would be the factors.

Conclusion

With the trip to the Fermi I believe I learned how to take a small

chunk of the area and use the information from that to estimate the whole area.  I believe the point of the Fermi trip was to learn all the things that are on this web page.

Fun pictures

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.