FERMI QUADRAT PRAIRIE STUDY 2006

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7UPS Quadrat Study With Brandon, Cayla, Bridget, and Matt

GPS LOCATION: N:_____41°50'28.1"_____    W:_____88°16'26.9"______

STUDENT RESEARCHER: ___Brandon H.___

Aerial View of Fermi Prairie Quadrat: Plot 17

Geographic Map of Fermi Lab

Top Data Table Graphs Comparative Analysis



Plant Name Dominance Importance Value Total # Plant's Found Total Percentage
Indian Grass 0.05 24.58 3 0.05
Rosinweed 10 84.6 14 10
Wild Bergamot 15 176.66 35 15
Yellow Coneflower 5 48.55 7 5
Drummonds Aster 10 76.6 12 10
Hairy Vetch 2 39.72 6 2
Crab Grass 20 164.72 30 20
Mystery Plant 0.02 16.5322 1 0.02



 

DATA:

 

 

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 Of all Quadrats 2006

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS:

Part One

            When we went to Fermi for our quadrat study I learned that there are three major characteristics of the prairie plant population.  First off there is diversity.  Diversity is the number of different plants, which are in living in the same area.  The higher the diversity is in an area, the healthier the land. 

            A second very important characteristic is dominance.  Dominant plants are plants that are the most noticeable.  These plants usually take up the most room above ground.  Dominant plants are very important to the ecosystem because they provide food and can be made into shelter for animals.  But is there anything bad about having too much of a dominant plant?  For sure, because the roots of the plant or weed can change the soil chemistry.  When this happens different plants can’t get the supplement they need so they wither away.  Also, because of how tall and how much room they take up other plants won’t get the amount of sunlight they need to grow strong.

            Dominance is calculated by taking how many plants of a certain species there are in an area and then dividing it by how big the area sampled is.  Frequency is the total number of quadrats in which a plant occurs, then divided by the amount of quadrats used.  Density is the total of a certain species found, divided by the total area that was used.  These three together form a little something called importance value.  The whole perspective of importance value is to see how important a certain plant is to the whole environment.

 

 

Part Two

            Comparing the data from years past to the data we got this year is substantial.  First I will compare the data from last year to the data we got in Plot 17.  Last year, Big Blue Stem had a dominance of 4.38 but this year it shot up to 24.19.  Wild Bergamot also grew from 4.23 to 10.4.  Last year, Stiff Goldenrod was at 3.79 but now it went down a lot to 0.84.  All this data shows what plants are dominant.  Also last year, the importance value for Big Blue Stem was 70.41 but is now 119.07.  This shows that the Big Blue Stem population has gotten healthier.

            In 2004, the importance value of Big Blue Stem was way up at 135.31.  Since then it has decreased a lot and then gone up a lot.  Two years ago, it seemed like the prairie was healthier than it was one year ago.  In 2004, weed plants that were grass like but couldn’t be identified, have gotten healthier and have more importance to the prairie.

            This year the prairie has gotten healthier because of the diversity. 

 

 

Part Three

            In ten years I think the prairie will progress and become healthier.  I think the dominance of Big Blue Stem will stay more dominant than any other prairie plant.  Back in the day, Indian Grass was more dominant than Big Blue Stem.  Also, Indian Grass used to be of more importance to the ecosystem, but after fourteen years Big Blue Stem is needed more.  If Big Blue Stem progresses as it has in the last fourteen years it will be the most dominant plant of all.

 

 

Part Four

            There have been very many things that have been learned through the Fermi Quadrat Study.  The most important thing I learned was how to tell if a prairie is healthy.  I can tell by using many scientific instruments.  First the anemometer and the wind gauge.  Also the thermometer was very useful.  We used a device that tells how much pH is in the soil.

                                                                                         

 

 

 

 

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.