☼FERMI QUADRAT PRAIRIE STUDY2006☼   

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Our Quadrat Group at Fermilab 2006                            Go 7ups!!!!                  WHOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

GPS LOCATION: N:____41° 50'28.1"______    W:____88° 16'26.9"_______

STUDENT RESEARCHER: _Bridget M___________________

☼Aerial View of Fermilab 2006☼

♥Geographic Map of Fermilab 2006♥

Top Data Table Graphs Comparative Analysis
The Holy Bison      

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The Holy Bison-- Last Seen at Fermi lab 2006

 

                                        DATA:                                                                  Our Fermi Quadrat!!!!!!!!!!!!!                             

                       Whooooooooo!!!    

 

Table of our Fermi Quadrat!

Plant Name Total # Plants Found Total Percentage Dominance Importance Value
Indian Grass 3 0.05 0.05 24.58
Rosinweed 14 10 10 84.6
Wild Bergamont 30 15 15 176.66
Drummonds Aster 12 10 10 76.6
Hairy Vetch 6 2 2 39.72
Crab Grass 30 20 20 164.72
Mystery Plant 1 0.02 0.02 16.5322
Yellow Coneflower 7 5.00 5 48.55

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:

PART 1

There are three main things to look at when studying an environment—dominance, importance value, and diversity. They are all very important to the study. Dominance is important if you want to look at which plants are controlling the plot or quadrat. You may want to take out some of a certain type of plant, if it is overshadowing too many other plants, taking away their sunlight. It's also good to know a plant's importance value. If you find that a plant has little or no importance to the plot, you may want to take out that plant, and replant a new plant or weed in its place. Also, if you find that a plant has a large importance value, and there are not as many of those plants as there needs to be, you should probably plant more of that plant's seeds. Density is also very important to an environment's health. The more variety there is, the healthier the environment. Another very important thing to keep in mind is all of the animals' homes. Some animals require specific plants for homes. If there are a large variety of plants in the environment, there is a better chance that the specific plant is available for the animal.

PART 2

    In our small quadrat, we had only seven different types of plants total. In plot 17, there are 53 different kinds of plants altogether. This means our quadrat didn't have much diversity in terms of different types of plants. In 2004, 2005, and 2006, Big Bluestem was the #1 dominant  plant. In 2004, the dominance was at 19.93. In 2005, it was all the way down to 4.38, and then went back up again to 24.19 in 2006! What happened to Big Bluestem in 2004-2005? Also, what happened with Stiff Goldenrod? In 2004, it was #10 dominant, with 0.72. Then it rose in 2005 up to #3 with 3.79, and then moved back down to #10 again in 2006 with 0.84. Why did it have such a dramatic increase and decrease? Tall Coreopsis was not in our quadrat. In 2004, 2005, and 2006, Big Bluestem had the highest importance value. I don't think Big Bluestem will be removed or wiped out anytime soon, because of its complete dominance, and high importance value. Also, you know how Stiff Goldenrod's dominance increased, then decreased again? Well, its importance value is doing the same thing. In 2004, it was at #7 with 7.73. Then in 2005, it moved up to #5. Its importance value more than doubled, with 19.83, then wasn't even on the top ten in 2006! Why is Stiff Goldenrod's importance value and dominance shrinking? We didn't have any in our quadrat, probably because other plants are overpowering it.

PART 3

    My prediction of what the prairie will be like in ten years is similar to how it is now. I think that throughout the next ten years, Big Bluestem will continue to dominate the prairie with #1 on the top ten for dominance and importance value. Since the dominance right now is 24.19, I think in the next ten years, it will go down, then back up again, and end up at about 38 or 39. I predict that Big Bluestem's importance value will continue to increase and decrease as well. I think in ten years, it will be at about 145 or so. For the past two years, Indian Grass and Wild Bergamot have stayed up at numbers 2, 3, and 4 for both dominance and importance value. I think they will continue to stay that way. I also think that the Mystery Plant from our small quadrat will spread throughout the prairie. The wind is very strong in the prairie, and the Mystery Plant had a huge clumpy ball of seeds at the top of its stem. I predict that those seeds will spread, and the dominance and importance value for the Mystery Plant will continue to grow throughout the years.

PART 4

    During the prairie studies that we have done, I have learned so many new things about prairies. First of all, I have learned the names of many new plants, such as Big Bluestem, Indian Grass, Switch Grass, Wild Bergamot, and so many more. I have also learned how to properly measure wind speed, humidity, temperatures above and below ground, and light intensity with the instruments given. I have learned rules for the prairie, like don't leave by yourself, and stay on the paths that are already made. In Science class, we learned about how glaciers formed the prairies, and how the pilgrims rode through them, and the hardships that they endured. We learned background info on Illinois' prairies, like that 2/3 of  IL used to be prairie land, but new 99% of them are gone, replaced by high-rise apartment buildings and factories. I think restoring and watching over Fermi was a great idea, so that all of the prairies in Illinois don't all get torn down one day.    

 

 

 

 

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.