Field training with plants: Grassland, dataset 2

This dataset was collected by Stephanie, Alexander, Vivian, and Amandeep. A population of species cow-s vetch (vicia cracca) was measured based on distance on the transect each plant was found, the height, number of leaves, number of flowers, and the level of patchiness for each plant. This was a mensurative experiment and no manipulations were done in order to study these variables. The total sample size was 20 plants of this species. Patchiness was grouped into four categories: 0: open space around plant, 1: some plants nearby, 2: quite a few plants, 3: very crowded bunch of plants within 50 cm. The data was collected on September 24, 2015 between 3:25-4:00 pm, at York University grasslands beside Danby woodlot. It was a sunny day with temperature of 21 degrees Celsius and some clouds. The transect tape was randomly placed across a population of cow-s vetch (vicia cracca) species. These species were easily identifiable along the tape to perform replicates. The transect tape was laid out for a total of 30 feet. From the beginning of the tape plant measurements were collected each time the species were encountered along the line. Alexander counted the number of leaves, and read the distance on the transect tape each plant was found. Vivian counted the number of flowers, while Stephanie measured the height of the plant from the ground to the tip. I recorded the data, estimated the patchiness and verified the counts. The purpose of collecting this data was to gain experience sampling plant populations. The dataset can also be used to estimate the relationship between the variables measured.本数据集由Stephanie、Alexander、Vivian与Amandeep联合采集。针对广布野豌豆（Vicia cracca）的一个种群，研究者基于每株植物在样带（transect）上的发现位置距离、株高、叶片数、花朵数以及单株斑块等级开展测量。本研究属于观测性实验（mensurative experiment），未对研究对象施加任何处理以观测上述变量。该物种的总样本量为20株。斑块等级划分为四类：0级为植株周围为开阔空地；1级为附近存在少量同类植株；2级为存在较多同类植株；3级为50厘米范围内植株聚集度极高。数据采集于2015年9月24日下午3:25至4:00，采集地点为约克大学（York University）丹比林地块（Danby woodlot）旁的草原生境。当日天气晴朗，气温21摄氏度，伴有少量云层。研究者将样带卷尺（transect tape）随机布设至该广布野豌豆种群分布区域内，沿样带可轻松识别该物种，便于开展重复采样。样带卷尺总布设长度为30英尺。从样带起点开始，每沿样带遇到该物种的植株，即开展测量记录：Alexander负责统计叶片数，并读取每株植株在样带卷尺上的发现位置距离；Vivian负责统计花朵数；Stephanie则测量植株从地面至顶端的株高。由其中一人负责记录数据、估算斑块等级并核对各项统计数值。本次数据采集的初衷为积累植物种群采样的实践经验，本数据集亦可用于分析所测量变量间的关联关系。