Group 3- Dataset 2: Grassland data of the plant Purple Aster (Aster prenathoides)

Two transect tape was used to collect data, along with observations which were recorded on paper. One transect was placed on the ground of a randomly selected area within the grassland. A visible plant species which was easy to spot "Purple Aster <em>(Aster prenathoides</em>)" was then select. This is the targeted plant species. Each time the Purple Aster plant was spotted along the randomly placed transect it was studied and data recorded. Using a second transect, the height of the Purple Aster was measured along with the marked distance it was found on the first transect tape on the ground.By visual observation the number of leaves and number of flowers were estimated and recorded. The level of crowding was also estimated and recorded. The level of crowding determines whether the plant selected was in a crowded patch of other plants within approximately 50 cm. A scale 0-3 was used. 0=open, 1=some plants nearby, 2=quite a few plants, and 3=very crowded bunch of plants. The height, distance, level of crowding and number of flowers and leave was collected for twenty individual Purple Aster .All measurements were taken in feets and inches, then later converted to meters with aid of a calculator. This data was collected in the grassland area at York University Keele Campus in Ecology(BIOL2050) lab section 03 on September 23,2015. Lab was conducted on a sunny afternoon with the temperature average of 24 degrees celsius, at approximately 3:00-4:00pm. Data was collected by the following five members of group number three (3): Shaneil.H, Mary.H, Gamasayini.K, Prachi and Anthoni.