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LANIKA'S FERMI QUADRANT PRAIRIE STUDY 2006

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GPS LOCATION: N:  73      W:  135

STUDENT RESEARCHER:  La'Nika E.

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DATA:

GRAPHS OF DOMINANCE AND IMPORTANCE VALUE:

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS:

PART 1: BACKGROUND INFORMATION

            Dominance the total percent cover of a species divided by the total area sampled.

Frequency is the total number of quadrats in which a species occurs divided by the total number of quadrats.  Density is the total number of plants of a certain species divided by the total area sampled.  However, there is a difference between Dominance and Relative Dominance, Frequency and Relative Frequency, and Density and Relative Density.  Relative Dominance is 100 multiplied by the dominance of a species divided by the sum of the dominance of all species.  Relative Frequency is 100 multiplied by the number of a particular species divided by the sum of the frequency of all species.  Lastly, Relative Density is 100 multiplied by the density of a particular species divided by the sum of the densities of all species.  Therefore, the Importance Value is the sum of three values, which include the relative dominance, the relative frequency, and the relative density of a plant. We calculate these values for a species when we combine the data for all the quadrats sampled. Moreover, the number of quadrats is the same as the total area sampled because each quadrat is 1 square meter.  Diversity is the total number of different species for all quadrats divided by the total number of quadrats.  Dominance, Importance Value, and Diversity are used to compare prairie plots, so that one can see how important a particular type of plant is to the habitat and also which plants dominate the habitat.  These are very important when comparing prairie plots.

  PART 2: COMPARISON

            There were many similar plants in my groups single quadrat to the team totals of plot 17 for the years 2005 and 2006.  For example, both included Big Bluestem, Indian Grass, Yellow Coneflower, Stiff Goldenrod, Wild Carrot, Tall Coreopsis, Hairy Aster, and many more.  The totals for importance value were also very close in amounts for importance value.  For instance, the importance values for the Big Bluestem were the same as well as the Stiff Goldenrod.  Some of the dominance totals were the same as the team totals of plot 17 also.  The Rosinweed and Yellow Coneflower had similar totals also.

PART 3: PREDICTION

I predict that in ten years, the make-up of the native prairie plant populations in plot 17 would be different.  I think that the calculations for importance value will decrease and increase depending on the plant.  For example, I think that the Big Bluestem will increase within the next ten years due to the steady increase each year.  I think that the Big Bluestem would also increase in dominance, because it has increased each year in that too.  However, some plants would probably decrease in importance value and plant dominance due to changes in weather conditions and the atmosphere of the prairie.

  PART 4: REFLECTION

            I have learned various things about prairies.  I learned about the different types of plants, such as the Big Bluestem,  Indian Grass, Yellow Coneflower, and Tall Coreopsis.  Prairies are very important due to the importance of preserving the vast amounts of native prairie plants and animals.  I also learned how to calculate the density, dominance, and frequency of a prairie.  I found out how difficult it is to count the number of various types of plants, due to the density of the plants and size of the prairie.

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 Honors Biology ll  students of Seton Academy in South Holland, Illinois with the help of their teacher Mr. Cwik. Support for the project came from Principal Ms. Ingia Jackson and the other dedicated and cooperative faculty and staff of Seton Academy.

 

REFERENCES:
Fermilab Education Department particularly the SIMply Prairie Project. Authors: Bill Fraccaro, formerly of Johnson School, Wheaton, IL; Lawrence Cwik, Seton Academy and Pat Franzen, formerly Madison Jr. High Naperville, IL; and Bernie Jokiel, formerly from 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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