Effect of the shrub on neighbor flowering plants

Description/ Question/ Methods

The experiment was performed to determine if the Dodonaea viscosa shrub size and proximity has a positive (facilitative) or negative (competitive) affect on the abundance of nearby flowering-plant species. The experiment took place on shrubs present under powerline corridors south of York University. Each shrub was numbered and a number generator app was used to determine the order in which the shrubs were measured. The size of each shrub was accounted for by measuring the height, length and width of the shrub. The end of measuring tape was placed on the main stem and measured up till five meters south of the shrub. The soil thermometer was placed at each marked distance (1m, 3m & 5m) to measure the soil temperature. At each marked distance, the 1m x 1m quadrant was placed to determine the count of flowering plants according to the species present in the quadrant. A total of 39 shrubs were measured through the three day period.