♥ FERMI QUADRAT PRAIRIE STUDY 2006 ♥

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Veronica (left), Patrick (middle), Dan (right)

GPS LOCATION: N:  41°50'27.6"    W:  88°16'26.1" 

STUDENT RESEARCHER: Veronica L.

^^ Aerial View of Fermi Prairie Quadrats Plot 17

 Geographic Map of Fermi


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Top Data Table Graphs Comparative Analysis


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 ♥ DATA ♥

 

Plant Name Total Percentage Total # Plants Found Dominance Importance Value
Big Bluestem 20 24 20 191
Indian Grass 22 27 22 141.3
Daisy Fleabane 1 1 1 19.83
Unlisted Grasslike 19 22 19 118.8
Unlisted Oval Leaf 15 19 15 103.5
Crab Grass 34 42 34 211.3
Yarrow 9 10 9 62.5

♥ 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    

 

A map of our Quadrat (Plot 17)

 

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♥ GRAPHS OF DOMINANCE AND IMPORTANCE VALUE: ♥

 

^^ Graph of Importance Value for my Quadrat

^^ Graph of Dominance for my Quadrat

Graphs of Dominance and Importance Value for all Quadrats 2006:

 

^^ A graph of Dominance for all the plant species

 ^^ A graph of importance value for all of the plant species

 

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♥ COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS: ♥

-        Part One Background Info  -

            The study of Fermi Lab first started in 1992. They studied 3 main ideas of the prairie. First, the studied how much of the prairie each plant took up, also known as dominance. The most dominant plant is the most common in the plot. The second aspect of prairie study is diversity or, the balance of different types of plants live in one ecosystem. Lastly, the study of density or, how much of one plant is in the plot or quadrat. This year we had a chance to go to Fermi and study our own section of Plot 17. What we studied was interesting but what is even more intriguing was how the prairie affects us and the ways that we affect the prairie.

            Every year, the workers at Fermi burn down the prairie because fire is a natural aspect of prairies. Actually, fire helps the prairie other than ruins it like most people think. This is because the fire will eats away at the dead materials but at the same time, pulls the nutrients out of it and recycles it into the prairie. The people at Fermi are working hard to restore the prairie of Illinois. It is up to us to help them get their information and research.      

 

- Part Two Comparison -

            The difference between the dominance, importance value and density in my quadrat to the prairie is drastic. For instance, my quadrat had two prairie plants and five different kinds of weeds. In plot 17 there were twenty-nine possible prairie plants and twenty-three possible weeds.

The dominance of the plants in my quadrat is obviously smaller than the whole Plot 17 because my quadrat was one square meter out of the plot. The importance value is also smaller than the whole plot because the sum of the relative dominance, relative density and relative frequency in my quadrat wouldn’t even compare to the sum of all those in Plot 17. Some of my results are the following; the densest plant in my quadrat was Indian grass, but in the whole plot it was Big Bluestem. My most dominant plant in my quadrat was also Indian grass, and again, in plot 17, it was Big Bluestem or Turkey Foot, in 2005 it was also Turkey Foot. The second most dominant plant in my quadrat was Big Bluestem but in Plot 17 it was Wild Bergamot. In 2005 the second most dominant plant was also Wild Bergamot. I didn’t have any of that in my quadrat. All in all, the difference in dominance, importance value, and density in my quadrat is not anywhere close to the dominance, importance value, and density in Plot 17.

 

- Part Three Prediction -

            Way back in 1992, the most dominant plant was Big Bluestem, as it is today. However, the most dominant weed was Black Raspberry, where as now, it is Unlisted Grass-like. I think this means that the dominance of weeds is an unstable study because it shows through research that the most dominant weed has changed over the years. Therefore, I think that the weed dominance will constantly change for years to come. As I said, the most dominant plant was Big Bluestem and still is. I think that is because we have control of how many plants grow. However, we don’t have control over what weeds grow because they grow on there own. In the past we had a drought, this might have affected how many weeds there were because the weeds have shorter stems meaning that since the dirt is still sort of wet, the roots of the weeds don’t reach that, and therefore, they dry up and die. That may be why there aren’t as many weeds as there once was. In the next 10 years, I think that over time there will be LESS weeds and the SAME amount of plants in PLOT 17.

 

- Part Four Reflection -

            I learned a lot from my experience at Fermi. When I first when to Plot 17, the only thing I knew about prairies was the little amount of plant names we explained in class, that a quadrat was a square meter, and lastly, how to use all of the equipment. When we arrived at Fermi, I knew that I was in for a LOT of learning. I learned that dominance is how much each plants shows up. Density is how much of one plant is in a given area and frequency is how frequent a plant shows up in a quadrat OR in the whole plot. I also learned that it really IS up to us to keep the workers at Fermi on track and that if we mess up, it won’t change because we are responsible for whatever information goes into that lab. Fermi was a great experience for me and I was glad that I could learn so much from a trip that wasn’t even that LONG!

 

 

Date gone to Fermi : October 4th, 2006

 

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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.
 

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