YorkU.pond-impermeable.Oct18-2016

Quadrats performed by Arastou Sayad 

Hypothesis:
•There will be a wider variety of herbaceous plants in the area near the pond compared to impermeable open space.

Predictions:
•There will be a greater variety of plants found in the quadrat placed near the pond than in the impermeable open space.
•There will be a greater number of exotic plant species found in the impermeable open space than in the area near the pond due to human influence.
•There will be more flowers found near the pond than in the impermeable open space.

Methods:
1.The experiment took place from 3:00 to 3:40 pm at an area directly beside the pond and impermeable open space near the Stong Pond which is located at York University. The conditions can be considered as cloudy and rainy.
2.25 quadrats were placed every two meters along a 50m transect line at a grassland. Each quadrat has an area of 1m2. They were placed in such a way that the quadrats alternated between the left and right side of the transect line.  
3. The number of exotic plants, native plants and flowers were approximated in the area near the pond and the impermeable open space. This was done by dividing each quadrat into 100 parts. Only 1 part of each quadrat was counted. This value was then multiplied by 100 to approximate the number of exotic plants, native plants and flowers in each quadrat.

Meta-data:

Abundance.native.plants: refers to the total number of native plants found in each quadrat. The data is continuous.

Abundance.exotic.plants: refers to the total number of exotic/invasive that was found in each quadrat. The data is continuous.

Total.number.flowers: refers to the total number of flowers counted in each quadrat. The data is continuous.
Transect performed by Andrew Laruffa
Hypothesis:
Habitat plays a role in the abundance of woody
plants (trees taller than 1.5 meters) and other flower species.
Predictions:
·     
There will be a greater
abundance and distribution of woody plants and other flower species in a pond
habitat as opposed to an impermeable surface habitat.
·     
Unlike an impermeable surface
habitat, a pond habitat will generally experience no human interference. Whatever
grows naturally around the pond will continue to grow.
Methods:
The following experiment was performed in two
different habitats – a pond and an impermeable surface.  For this experiment, the impermeable surface was
a small section of grass in the middle of a parking lot. 
The methods for both habitats are as follows:
-A transect measuring 50m was randomly placed.
-For every two meters along the transect:
·     
The number of woody plants
was counted on either side of the transect that were within 0.5 meters.
·     
The canopy coverage
percentage was approximated by dividing the visual area above me into quadrats.
This was done by making a square with the fingers of both my hands and
estimating how much of the sky was visible.
·     
The ground coverage
percentage was approximated by dividing the visual area beneath me into
quadrats and estimating how much of the ground was covered with vegetation.
-For every five meters along the transect, the
total number of flowers was counted on either side of the transect within 1
meter.
Meta-data:
abundance.woody.plants: The number of woody
plants counted every two meters and were within 0.5 meters on either side of
the transect.  The data is quantitative
and continuous.
canopy.cover: The approximate percentage of
sunlight cover when looking up.  The data
is quantitative and continuous.
ground.cover: The approximate percentage of
vegetation covering the ground when looking down.  The data is quantitative and continuous.

total.flower.number (transect): The number of
flowers with distinctive heads counted every five meters and were within 1
meter on either side of the transect. 
The data is quantitative and continuous.
Point Surveys performed by
Anisa Omer
Hypothesis:
Due to the impermeable area lacking access to the water found from
the pond, the amount of vertebrates, vertebrate species and amount of invertebrates
would be greater near the pond as water is both a source of life and habitat
for many organisms.
Prediction:
The abundance of vertebrates, its species and the amount of
invertebrates will be greater around the pond and the abundance of humans will
be greater in the impermeable area because both the campus and a parking lot
are beside it.
Methods:

Transects
measuring fifty meters and five meters were placed around a pond and an
impermeable area at Stong Pond on the Keele Campus of York University
(43.771398,-79.506646). The two transects were placed and observed for
fifteen minutes each, in both areas. The conditions were overcast and
windy.
Fifteen minutes were spent observing and recording the abundance of
vertebrates, vertebrate species and abundance of humans on a fifty-meter
radius from a set location. Another fifteen minutes were spent observing
the abundance of invertebrates on a five-meter radius from another set
location. The experiment was conducted around the pond and the impermeable
area.
Meta-data:
Abundance of Vertebrates: the amount of vertebrates observed in
fifteen minutes within a fifty-meter radius. Data is continuous.
Vertebrate Species: the types of species observed in fifteen
minutes within a fifty meter radius. Data is continuous.
Abundance of Invertebrates Observed: the amount of invertebrates
observed in fifteen minutes within a five-meter radius. Data is continuous.
Abundance of Humans: the amount of humans observed in fifteen
minutes within a fifty- meter radius. Data is continuous.

Pan traps and sweep net performed by Charles Brian Serapio
 Hypothesis:

There will be a higher abundance
of insects beside the pond than in the impermeable open space as the area
beside the pond contains different types of plants that can support a greater
quantity and variety of insects.

Predictions:

·     
There is a greater
number of insects found in the pan traps placed on the area beside the pond
compared to the ones placed on the impermeable open space.

·     
There is a greater
number of insects captured by sweep net in the area beside the pond than the
impermeable open space.

Methods:

1.   
The experiments were conducted both at an area immediately
beside a pond and an impermeable open space. Both the area beside the pond and
the impermeable open space were located near the Stong Pond at York University,
Keele Campus. The conditions during that day can be considered as cloudy with some
drizzle. 

2.   
For the first part of the experiment (pan trap), six
bowls (2 yellow, 2 blue and 2 white) were placed along the length of a 50m
transect line at both locations. The bowls were alternated by colour as well.
Each bowl had a diameter of 17.5 cm and a depth of 4.5cm. The bowls were
approximately 3m apart from each other and each bowl was filled with around
100mL of soapy water. The bowls were left there for 30 minutes from 3:30 to
4:00. After 30 minutes has elapsed, the number of insects in each bowl was
counted.

3.   
For the second part of the experiment (sweep nets), one
has to walk the length of the 50m transect while conducting the sweep net. This
was done for a total number of ten times.

Meta-data:
Abundance.invertebates.pantraps: the total number of insects captured by pan traps. The data is continuous.

Abundance.invertebrates.sweeps: the number of insects captured by sweep nets. The data is continuous.