Investigating factors affecting vegetation density through dandelion coverage in a grassland

OverviewThis study was conducted on September 21, 2016, between 14:30 and 16:30 (EST). The location was the grassland immediately east of York University's Maloca Community Garden. The weather was sunny and the temperature was in the high 20's (Celsius). On the grassland, there is a baseball diamond, three rows of metal benches, a few trees, and gentle hills. Due to human activity and direct sunlight, some vegetation on the grassland was withered. MethodsTransect tape was placed on the grassland. Dandelions that intersected the pathway of the tape were studied. The following data was collected: its distance from the origin, height of the plant, number of leaves on the plant, number of flowers on the plant, and the vegetation cover near the plant. Distances and heights were recorded to the nearest centimetre. On a scale of 0 to 3, 0 denoted an open area and 3 denoted a highly crowded area. A total of 50 dandelions were noted. At approximately every 25 metres, the transect tape was randomly moved onto a different patch of grassland (tape was not long enough). MetadataPlant: 50 dandelionsDistance: metres between the origin (randomly selected) and the plantHeight: the vertical growth of the plant, measured in metresLeaves: the number of jagged leaves sprouting from the base of the plantFlowers: the number of flower or seed heads belonging to a single individualCrowdedness: calculated on a scale of 0 to 3, 0 represents an open area and 3 signifies a highly concentrated area of vegetation