LAB 3: Sweep Net Data Set

First twenty-five meters of a transect tape was pulled out and place in a straight line on the ground of the York University's grassland. With a sweep net in hand one of the investigators stood at one end of the twenty-five meter transect tape. Another investigator who held a stop watch gave the investigator standing at one end of the transect tape a signal to begin as he/she started the time. When the signal was given the investigator standing at the end of the transect tape started to walk along the transect tape while swinging the sweep net in an aggressive figure eight like pattern. When the investigator reached the other end of the transect tape he/she stop swinging the sweep net in the figure eight like pattern and immediately took one had and grip the top of the sweep net just before the opening to prevent any insects captured from escaping. At this exact time the investigator with the stop watch stop and recorded the time elasped in seconds. While the investigator hand firmly gripped the top of the sweep net, the insects captured in the net below the grip were observed. If there were bushes caught in the sweep net, the bottom of sweep net below grip was given a slight shake to encourage any insect in between the bushes to come out. The total number of insects, the number of unique rtus (recognizable taxonomic unit per sample), and the unique rtus were recorded. These steps were repeated an additional nine times for a total sample size of ten. :astly, during each sample the orientation of the transect tape on the ground was changed, or the transect tape was moved all together so that the investigator does not walked the same path more than once.