FERMI QUADRAT PRAIRIE STUDY 2006

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7 UPS Quadrat Study With Cayla, Bridget, Brandon, Matthew

GPS LOCATION: N:____41°50'28.1''______    W:_____88°16'26.9''______

STUDENT RESEARCHER: _________Matthew H.___________

Aerial View of Fermi Prairie Quadrats: Plot 17

Geographic Map of Fermi Lab

Top Data Table Graphs Comparative Analysis

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DATA:

Plant Name Dominance Importance Value Total # Plants 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

 

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

            On our field trip to Fermilab we did a quadrat study to acquire data. A quadrat is to me a little square on a graph because it is so small compared to the whole prairie. Dominance, importance value, and density can all be found. To start out with, dominance is the plants that can be found as the most dominant. It is the most noticeable one in the quadrat. Dominance in my words is the most frequent plant found. I found that Indian Grass is the most dominant. It is also known as “turkey foot”. Now for importance value. Importance value is how frequent and how dense that plant is in the quadrat. Our most dense plants in my quadrat are Indian Grass, and Crab Grass. Our group found many plants with a total of about eight. Density is the total number of plants in an area. Wild Bergamot was our quadrats highest number of plants. Dominance, importance value, and density can all be found by studying the plants in the prairie at Fermilab.

 

 

Part 2

     Comparing the data from 2005 to 2006 they are different in a few ways. The prairie was planted in 1992 so that means the prairie changes every year. Some years one plant could be dominant and they next could be a little bit of ever plant that is there. The dominant plants are very noticeable because they have the most plants. The prairie does well if it gets a good amount of rain and it may not because its dry or maybe even a new bug could have eaten a lot of that plant. In 2005 the most dominant plant was Big Bluestem with 4.38 but this year it sky rocketed to 24.19. Also, many of the plants in 2006 didn’t have nearly as many is 2005. For instance, Wild Bergamot went from4.23 to 10.4 in one year. All it takes is some bad bugs or not enough rain and the plant maybe wouldn’t have as big of a population.  Now for the importance value. Big Bluestem was in 2005 70.41 while in 2006 it was 119.07. Another example is Wild Bergamot in 2005 when it was 27.86 it went to 47.92 in 2006. Many changes happen throughout the prairie through many years.

 

Part 3

     Plot 17 has changed very much throughout the years due to droughts, and maybe even droughts.  The prairie will change very much in the future while it is now also. I believe in the year 2016 that the prairie will get even healthier. I think that Big Bluestem, and Indian Grass will still be the most dominant. I think that because if they stay healthy then they will have more and more of them throughout the prairie. I think that the prairie will get healthier also because when they burn the prairie, it comes right up in the spring because it provides good nutrients. The prairie is changing very much throughout the years, from 1992-2006. I predict that in ten years, the prairie will look healthier than it has ever been.

Part 4

     In this study of the prairie this year I have learned very much. I learned about all kinds of things such as the grasses, the biotics and abiotics, and many others. I also learned to use the instruments of the prairie study to find the light intensity, the wind speed, and even the moisture from the ground. The prairie really is a unique place because there are only a few true prairies left. Many animals, plants, and weeds live in the prairie and if you would take that prairie away the animals and plants would die out. Something that was really cool was that the people there at Firmilab burn the prairie which helps them grow even better the next spring. I thought that was really cool the way that they do it. The prairie is always changing. One year there could be a drought and the next year there could be plenty of rain and it would have many different plants and weeds. Indeed, I have learned how to use the instruments, name the plants, and even learn a couple of cool and unique things about the prairie study in my 2006 quadrat.

 

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.