FERMI QUADRAT PRAIRIE STUDY 2006

Back to Period 2 List of Student



Top Data Table Graphs Analysis


GPS LOCATION: N:41°50'27.4"    W:88°16'26.0"

STUDENT RESEARCHER: Daniel.R


















 

DATA:

Table of our Fermi Quadrat

Plant Name Total # of Plants Found Total Percentage Dominance Importance Value
Big Bluestem 5 6 6 47.5
Indian Grass 29 8 8 148.5
Tall Boneset 2 3 3 28
Wild Bergamot 23 4 4 114.5
Gray GoldenRod 10 7 7 70
Drummonds Aster 6 4 4 16.5
Hairy Vetch 2 7 7 38
Dog Vain 2 1 1 23

Table of all quadrats of plot 17

Total Percentage Found # of Quadrats Found In Density Frequency Dominance Relative Density Relative Frequency Relative Dominance Importance Value
423 11 16.67 0.92 35.25 40.57 27.5 48.62 116.69
30 1 1 0.08 2.5 2.43 2.5 3.45 8.38
222 8 10.5 0.67 18.5 25.56 20 25.52 71.08
38 2 2.83 0.17 3.17 6.9 5 4.37 16.27
44 3 0.58 0.25 3.67 1.42 7.5 5.06 13.98
5 3 0.5 0.25 0.42 1.22 7.5 0.57 9.29
4 2 0.42 0.17 0.33 1.01 5 0.46 6.47
80 4 7.58 0.33 6.67 18.46 10 9.2 37.65
15 1 0.08 0.08 1.25 0.2 2.5 1.72 4.43
7 3 0.67 0.25 0.58 1.62 7.5 0.81 9.93
1 1 0.08 0.08 0.08 0.2 2.5 0.12 2.82
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 values for all quadrats

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS:

 

Comparative Analysis

 

 

      For 2006, the students (including me) of Madison Jr. High went on a field trip to Fermi lab to learn about prairies. Fermi lab is a big underground lab that studies atoms but in 1992 they planted a prairie all around the fields. We go there to study the prairie as it grows. We had to learn to take data using specific terms to compare prairie plots. Ours was plot 17.

 

     Some of the terms we use are dominance, importance value, frequency, and diversity. Dominance is how big and how much space a plant species is and takes up. This could be important to the prairie to see which plants/weeds are dominant in the ecosystem.

 

      Importance value tells you how dominant and how frequent and how dense a plant in the ecosystem.

 

      Density is the total number of plants of a certain species. We could use importance value to determine how important a certain plant is.

 

      Frequency also helps by determining how frequent a species appears in the whole plot 17.

 

      Diversity determines the total number of different species for each quadrat. For example, in my plot we had 7 different kinds of plants and weeds. I’m using the word quadrat a lot so I better tell you what it even is.

 

      A quadrat is a square meter area used for studying the types of plants in it.

 

      So we recorded data and put all of the info together to have a big 2006 database that has everyone’s data combined so that we can compare it to other years to see how the prairie is going.

Comparison

      We compared our single quadrat to everyone else’s. The most dominant plant I our quadrat was Indian grass with about 29 of them. Compared to the 2006 data, there’s been big bluestem. Almost everyone’s group had some bluestem so it was the most frequent too. We compared ours to all of the quadrats we will compare the entire 2006 17 plot to all the other ears to see how the prairie is growing or dieing. So in 2006 the most dominant plant was big bluestem. It also looks like in 2005 and 2004 big bluestem was the dominant plant too. This shows that plant domination is not changing in 2006. For the most dominant weed in 2006 it was unlisted glasslike. Also the same in 2005 and 2004 data. From 2005 the percentage of unlisted was from 42.6 to 28.54 (from 05 t o 06). This might be from the controlled fires since big plants roots go fare into the ground and weeds don’t so they die easier. In 06, the most important plant was of cores big bluestem (199.07). And still the same over the years. The most important weed was again, n\unlisted grass like. (179.53).

 

      It looks like not much is happening to the prairie and its dominant plants and weeds. Even its competitors are in the top 10 for all the years. Maybe just switched around a little. I can conclude that the most important and dominent plants and weeds for 06, 05, and 04 aren’t changing.

 

      The diversity is very different. From the years. To start off, in my quadrat I had 9 different species of plants and weeds. Compared to the plot, we didn’t have that much diversity. It’s probably because were only studying a single quadrat. All of our quadrats together had tons of diversity. Even some plants grew amazingly in number so to conclude there is much diversity in our community. That’s good because we want variety in our plants so that we can study each one.

 

Prediction

      I think in 10 years big bluestem will stay dominant and important because it’s been that way since 1992. it might get down in number because from the years big bluestem has dropped from 05 to 06- 42.6 to 28.54 in importance value its probably because of the big drought last year. The prairie will continue to grow and it might produce more different species of plants from wind blowing the seeds. It might become a worldwide famous prairie from the largeness. That is what I think will happen.

 

Reflection

     With all this data and comparing I did I learned about the values of plants and the ecosystem they are in. I also learned about the dominance and importance of plants and ot the weather and climate can effect the environment. Also how this info can be very useful to Fermi. For example, how well plants grow, obviously big bluestem is good to grow in this environment. Hopefully over the years this prairie still grows on into a giant wonderful prairie that we can study year after year.

 

 

 

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.