YorkU.forest.Oct-24-2016.csv

Abundance Native Plants: A 50 meter transect
was placed along the length of the Saywell Woods Forest at York University.
Using a quadrat (X25) the abundance of native plants were determined. Since the
quadrat approximately covered an area of 3 X 3 feet, the number of native
plants present within a foot of the transect was first visually estimated. This
was used as a guideline to estimate the total abundance of native plants within
the quadrat. This was repeated 25 times and took on average 30 minutes to
collect. This is a discrete variable.

Abundance Exotic Plants:  A 50
meter transect was placed along the length of the forest. Every two meters
along the transect, a quadrat (X25) was placed alternating left and right to
visually determine the number of exotic plants present within the quadrant.
This was repeated 25 times and the data took 30 minutes to collect. This is a
discrete variable.

Total Number of Flowers:  A 50 meter
transect was placed along the length of the forest. Every two meters along the
transect, a quadrat (X25) was placed alternating left and right to determine
the total number of flowers within the quadrant. An approximate number of total
flowers were visually determined and recorded in the lab manual. This was
repeated 25 times to collect. This is a discrete variable.

Abundance woody plants:  A 50 meter
transect was placed along the length of the forest. Trees within 0.5 m on
either side of the transect were visually recorded every two meters. Trees
which were 1.5 meters in height or greater were considered woody plants. 25
replicates were recorded and took 30 minutes to collect. This is a discrete
variable.

Canopy cover: For each respective tree the
amount of sunlight, in percent, a tree covered with its branches was estimated
using the researchers 2 index fingers and thumbs (creating a square with them)
as aid. 25 replicates were recorded. This is a continuous variable.

Ground cover: The vegetative ground
cover was estimated as a percentage by the observer directly looking underneath
themselves. Researchers used their 2 index fingers and thumbs (aimed to
directly below as aid) for estimation purposes. 25 replicates were
recorded and took 30 minutes to collect. This is a continuous variable.

Total flower numbers: the amount of flowers
present around the 50m transect at each replicate was visually estimated
around the forest area.  25 replicates were recorded and took 30 minutes
to collect. This is a discrete variable.

Abundance vertebrates: This variable was
measured with the use of a point/observation survey while standing at the
beginning of the 50m transect.  Any/all vertebrates that were visually
identified within a 50m radius from the original position were counted and
recorded for a 15 min period for 2 replicate trials. This is a discrete
variable.

Vertebrates Species: This is a discrete
variable that was measured by taking the abundance of vertebrates and visually
distinguishing them as separate vertebrate species. For example, big black
bird, small blue bird with small beak, etc. In areas of conflict, the teaching
assistant was consulted for approval/confirmation.

Abundance invertebrates observed: Researchers
stood at the 0m mark of the transect. Any/all invertebrates that were visually
identified within a 5 m radius from the original position were counted and
recorded for a 15 min period over 2 replicate trials. 

Abundance Humans: This is a
discrete variable, which was measured with the use of a point/observation survey
while standing at the beginning of the 50m transect.  Any/all humans that
were visually identified (whether on-foot, in motor-vehicle or other modes of
transportation) within a 50m radius from the original position were counted and
recorded for a period of 15 min for 2 replicate trials.  

Abundance invertebrates pan traps: 6 colored
pan traps were placed in a specific sequence (Blue, White, Yellow X repeated
once more) 3 meters apart containing soapy water. After 30 minutes the amount
of invertebrates caught in the pans were visually counted and recorded.
This is a discrete variable.

Abundance invertebrates sweeps: Using
sweep nets, sweep transects were done along a 50 meter transect, and swept 1 m
perpendicular to the transect. After thoroughly sweeping in the forest, the
amount of invertebrates caught in the sweep net were counted. This is a
discrete variable.

Hypothesis:

Due to the presence of healthy interactions present in forests, such as mutualism and commensalism, it is hypothesized that these interactions will positively impact plant and invertebrate species growth. It is predicted that these interactions in the forests will lead to increased abundance of total flowers along with native and exotic species.  It is also predicted that these interactions in the forest environment will allow invertebrate species to thrive and reproduce more successfully compared to living conditions near a pond or an open environment. 

Methods:

The experiment was conducted at York University’s forest at 2:40
pm ET, and lasted 2 hours and 20 minutes. The GPS coordinates for the forest
area is: Longitude -79.50721 and Latitude 43.76876. Temperature outside in the
forest area was 9 degrees Celsius, windy and with a cloudy sky. Sophia Capo,
Karandeep Chahal, and Didar Kalra were the researchers who conducted the
experiments. Firstly, two transects were extended linearly along the forest
area to create a total distance of 50 m.  A quadrat was placed alternately
left and right along the transect after 2 m increments and placed randomly
perpendicular to the transect.  For each trial, number of flowers,
abundance of exotic plants and abundance of native species were visually
distinguished.  Since the quadrat approximately covered an area of 1x1
m.  The number of each variable present within a 25x25 area of the quadrats
was estimated. This was used as a guideline to estimate the total abundance of
each variable present within the quadrant. This was repeated 25 times in both
the forest area.  Using the same 50 m transect, the abundance of woody
plants, for every 2 m increments, along the transect were recorded. Only trees
which were found to be 0.5 m perpendicular to the transect were surveyed and
recorded. Canopy coverage, vegetative ground coverage, and the total number of
flowers surrounding each tree were visually estimated and recorded.  This
was repeated 25 times in the forest area.

Next, along the transect, researchers observed the abundance of
humans crossing by along a 50 m radius for a total of 15 minutes – excluding
fellow members of lab06. Abundance of vertebrates, number of vertebrate species
and the abundance of invertebrates present were also visually observed and
recorded during this15 minute interval. These variables were then recorded once
again during a second15 minute interval in the forest area.  Next, soapy water
was placed into six colored pan traps (blue, yellow white).  Each pan was
placed 3m away from each other along the 50 m transect in the specific order;
yellow, blue, white. This order was repeated once more and the abundance of
invertebrates found in the pan traps were recorded after the interval time had
expired. Lastly, along the extended 50m transect, a sweep test was conducted.
Total abundance of invertebrate caught in the net for each trial was recorded.
The sweep test was conducted 10 times in the forest area. All data were
recorded in lab notebooks and later transferred onto excel documents.