Ecology Lab 2 Grassland Dataset (Pond distance vs vegetation percentage)

This ecological experiment which was done at York University grasslands, Monday, September 20/2016, at 2:30 P.M, Studies the relationship between the vegetation percentage (ratio of plant individuals to grass) and the distance from the pond. The study was done using a 1meterx1meter square quadrat which was randomly thrown 25 times. <b>Methods</b> A 1meterx1meter square quadrat was used for this experiment. The quadrat was randomly thrown 25 times (n=25 trials) in the grasslands beside the pond and the total number of plant individuals, number of plant species, vegetation percentage, and grass percentage in the quadrat box were counted, calculated and recorded on a piece of paper. The data was then transformed into an excel sheet and uploaded on “FIgshare.com”. <b>Hypothesis</b> There is a correlation between the distance the individuals are from the pond and the percentage vegetation (vegetation density).<br> <b>Prediction</b> The quadrats that were randomly thrown closer to the pond will have a higher vegetation percentage than the ones thrown further away from the pond.<br> <b>Meta-data</b><b> </b> Trial number: the number of trials that the quadrat was randomly thrown to collect the data which was 25 times therefore n=25 trials. Canadian Goldenrod (yellow) Heath Ester (white), Butter and Eggs, Common Thistle (thorn), Late Purple Aster, small tree: Plants species found in York Universities grassland fields. Please refer to a plant atlas for more information about these plant species. Number of plant species: The different types of plant species that were seen in the quadrat box. Total number of plant individuals: The total number of plants in the square quadrat were counted. This included all species of plants in general and included any type of plant. i.e. how many plants in general in the box. Vegetation percentage (vegetation density): The percentage of plants compared to grass in the square quadrat. In other words, the ratio of plants to grass in the quadrat. Grass percentage (grass density): The percentage of grass compared to plants in the square quadrat. In other words, the ratio of grass to plants in the quadrat.