YorkU.Near.pond/Impermeable.Oct-17-2016.csv

Abundance Native Plants: A 50 meter transect
was placed along the length of the near pond and impermeable area 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 near pond and impermeable
area. 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 near pond and impermeable areas.
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 near pond and impermeable areas.
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 woody 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 near pond and
impermeable area, the amount of invertebrates caught in the sweep net were
counted. This is a discrete variable.

Hypothesis:

Due to the lack of essential growth such as soil, minerals, and
nutrients, it is hypothesized that Impermeable growth conditions will
negatively effect plant growth. It is predicted that impermeable growth areas
provide condition, which lead to decreased abundance of total flowers and
native and exotic plant species. It is also predicted that these areas allow poor conditions for invertebrate species to thrive, thus reducing
their abundance compared plant species growing near a pond environment.

Methods:

The experiment was conducted at York University’s near pond and impermeable
areas at 2:40 pm ET, and lasted 2 hours and 20 minutes. The GPS coordinates of
the near pond area are: longitude -79.50663 and latitude 43.770577. The GPS
coordinates for the impermeable area are: Longitude -79.50721 and Latitude –
43.768235. Temperature outside in the near pond and impermeable areas was 19
degrees Celsius with a cloudy sky and lots of fog and mist. Sophia Capo,
Karandeep Chahal, and Didar Kalra were the researchers who conducted the experiments.
Firstly, two transects were extended linearly along the impermeable 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 near pond and impermeable areas. 
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 both the impermeable and near pond areas.

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 both the impermeable and near pond
areas.  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
both the near pond and impermeable areas. All data were recorded in lab
notebooks and later transferred onto excel documents.