FERMI QUADRAT PRAIRIE STUDY 2006

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7UPS Are Amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GPS LOCATION: N:__41°50'28.4________    W:___88°16'26.6________

STUDENT RESEARCHER: ______Evan G_____________

Aerial View of Fermi Prairie Quadrat: Plot 17

Fermi Geographic Map

Top Data Table Graphs Comparative Analysis

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DATA:

Table of our Fermi Quadrat

 

Plant Name Dominance Importance Value
Big Bluestem 1 31
Indian Grass 3 34
Mountain Mint 1 19
Rosinweed 4 31
Stiff Goldenrod 16 89
Wild Bergemont 26 147
Crab Grass 27 14049

Table of all Quadrats in 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:

(PLACE YOUR GRAPH OF THE DATA HERE)

 

 

Graphs of Dominance and Importance Value of all Quadrats 2006

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS:

Comparative Analysis

 

Part 1

Fermi lab is a Prairie that was planted in 1992. It was all farmland but then it was replanted. It is located in Batavia IL. There is a herd of wild bison that they have roaming around in certain fenced off areas. I think it is pretty cool that they have bison in the prairie. The person or people who replanted Fermi Lab must really want the prairie to be as realistic as possible.

 

                                                        Part 2

Some characteristics of the prairie population are:

-         Dominance

-         Diversity

-         Importance Value

 

The Dominant Plants are the Plants that use up the room and are very noticeable.

The most dominant plants play a key role in the prairie because they supply        nutrients and food for the animal life around them.

            The dominant plants change the conditions in the environment including:

-         sunlight

-         soil chemistry-from roots

 

Diversity is the variety of many different plants living in the same area. The more diversity you have, the better your prairie will be.

 

Importance value is how important a plant is in it’s community.

 

 

-         Density = Total number of certain species

-         Frequency = Total # of quadrats in which a plant occurs

-         Dominance = Total % cover of a species.

 

Part 3

 

In ten years, I predict that the prairie will be pretty much the same as it is now. I think so because between 1992 and 2006, there weren’t many giant changes but however, Indian grass is not as populated as it was fourteen years ago and Big Bluestem became more popular over the years. I think compass plant will keep making its way to the top because in 1992, it was not even in the top ten but in 2006; it is all the way at number five out of the ten listed. Also, some plants that I have never heard of in 2006 were close to the top of the list for both dominance and importance value.

 

Part 4

 

Overall, I have learned a lot about prairies. The most important thing that I learned was probably that prairies change every year. Over the years there have been a few changes in Fermi lab like the importance value for different plants and weeds. The dominance also changed quite a bit with the different plants that have become more populated and less populated. Different plants that weren’t even on the top ten lists of dominance and importance value in 1992 were in the top five in 2006. Fermi is somewhat like the reconstructed prairie in the back of Madison although, Fermi Lab is hundreds of acres wide and the reconstructed one at Madison is about 30 feet by 30 feet. I think so because they both have some similar plants like Indian Grass, Tall Goldenrod, and Big Bluestem. The difference is that some of the plants at Fermi have more dominance than at Madison. For instance, Big Bluestem. Big Bluestem is the highest on the list for dominance at Fermi but at Madison, there are few Big Bluestem plants.

 

 

 

 

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.