BIOL 2050 Labs 5 + 6, Invertebrate abundance and diversity in grassland and pond environments

Data was collected for field experiment near York University's Stong Pond west of the Osgoode woodlot on October 14th and 21st 2015. It was 13oC on the 14th with a Beaufort number of 4, and 11oC with a Beaufort number of 3 on the 21st. 36 pan traps (12 each of blue, yellow, and white) were placed in a rarely mowed rectangular area roughly 5 m by 25 m, with one edge touching the waterline of Stong Pond. Starting from the edge of the water, a 25 m long transect was placed. Every 5 m interval (0 m, 5 m, 10 m , 15 m , 20 m, and 25 m) another transect 5m in length was placed perpindicular to the first 25 m transect and roughly parallel to the water's edge. Along each of these secondary transects 6 pan traps were evenly distrbuted, 2 of each colour, so that there was a trap every 1 m within each row. To randomize the trap colours each of the 6 spots within each row were given a number between 1 - 6. A die would be rolled, and for each bowl, the number rolled would correspond to a spot on the transect row. Rolls for spots already taken were rerolled until that row was filled with bowls (2 each of yellow, blue, and white). This was repeated for each row until there were 36 total traps placed. Each trap was filled one quarter of the way up with soapy water, starting with traps closet to the water, then working eastward. After 1.5 hours had elapsed the traps were observed and data was recorded on the number and species of intertebrates found, most of which were insects. Plant species diversity was also recorded for each row of 6 traps. Only plant species that touched or crossed the transect for each row perpendicular to the water were recorded.