DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.4059951
title: yorku.forest.oct25-2016

description: <b>CAMPUS ECOLOGY META-DATA</b> <b>Location</b> This survey was conducted on Tuesday, October 25, 2016 from 2:53 pm to 3:46 pm. The weather conditions were cloudy, windy, and 7 degrees Celsius. The data was collected through a number of methods in the forest habitat. The field site was located on the York University-Keele Campus on a forest habitat (43.77, -79.51) near Keele Street and York Boulevard. The forest was approximately 350 m by 200 m wide and trees surrounded its perimeter. The elevation was 126.30201. <b><br></b><b>Methods</b> Survey 1 - Herbaceous plants Data for native and exotic plants was collected using a 1 metre (m) by 1 metre quadrat in the forest habitat. The quadrat was randomly placed every 2 metres alternating left and right along a 50 metre transect. Within each quadrat, the abundance of native plants, the abundance of exotic plants and the total number of individual flower heads were counted and recorded. This process was repeated 25 times in the forest habitat. Survey 2 - Woody plants Data for woody plants was collected using a 50 metre transect in the forest habitat. A woody plant was determined to be a tree that was 1.5 metres or greater in height. The total number of trees within 0.5 metres of the transect was counted and recorded. Furthermore, an estimation of the canopy coverage, vegetative ground coverage, and the total number of flowers were recorded by walking along the transect. The estimation of the canopy coverage was done by creating a rectangle using your thumb and index fingers. The coverage within this rectangle was estimated and recorded as a percentage. The same method was done for vegetative ground cover. The total number of flowers was determined by counting the total number of flowers in the rectangle. These variables were measured every 2 metres. This process was completed until 25 replicates were achieved in the forest habitat. Survey 3 - Vertebrates and Invertebrates The data for vertebrates was collected using the point survey method. The abundance of vertebrate species within a 50 metre radius of our location in the forest area was recorded. This was done during one fifteen-minute survey. In addition, the abundance of people within 50 metres of the forest area for a total of 15 minutes was recorded. The abundance of insects was also collected by observing the number of insects within a 5 radius of the transect in a forest area for 15 minutes. Survey 4 - Invertebrates The data for invertebrates was collected using pan traps and sweep nets. For pan traps, data was collected by placing 6 solo bowls of different colours (white, yellow and blue), filled with 60 millilitres (mL) of soapy water, along the length of the transect (the bowls were placed every 3 metres). These bowls were placed while alternating colours in the forest area. After<b> </b>approximately one hour<b>,</b> a count of the total number of insects captured was recorded. For sweep nets, data was collected by walking along the 50 metre transect in the forest area for 1-2 minutes. While walking, the sweep nets were waved in the air to collect insects. At the end of this period, the total number of insects was counted and recorded. This was repeated 10 times. <b>Data Column Headers and Key to Variables</b> <b>Census:</b> Census refers to the week during which surveying and sampling was done. Census 3 refers to the third (of three) sampling weeks. <b>Calendar Date:</b> Calendar date is the day on which the surveying and sampling was done. For Census 1, the data was collected on October 25th, 2016. <b>Campus:</b> The university campus where the survey was conducted. <b>Data Collectors (Group ID):</b> The group ID consists of the lab number and group number (lab02group02). This was used to identify who collected the data. <b>Habitat:</b> Habitat refers to the location in which observations were made. The forest is defined as a woodlot on campus. <b>Lat:</b> The latitude of the location of the field site. <b>Long:</b> The longitude of the location of the field site.<b>Rep:</b> The replication number of each variable. <b>Abundance of Native Plants:</b> The total number of native plants within a 1m by 1m quadrat, repeated 25 times in each habitat. <b>Abundance of Exotic Plants:</b> The total number of exotic plants within a 1 metre by 1 metre quadrat, repeated 25 times in each habitat. <b>Total Number of Flowers (Quadrat):</b> The total number of independent flower heads within a 1 metre by 1 metre quadrat, repeated 25 times in each habitat. <b>Abundance of Woody Plants:</b> The abundance of shrubs and other plants observed 0.5 metres from both sides of the transect tape. <b>Canopy Cover:</b> An estimation of canopy coverage at every other metre of the transect in percentage (%). <b>Ground Cover:</b> An estimation of vegetative ground cover at every other metre of the transect in percentage (%) (alternating with canopy coverage). <b>Total Number of Flowers (Transect):</b> The total number of independent flower heads within 0.5 metre of the transect, repeated 25 times in each habitat. <b>Abundance Vertebrates:</b> The abundance of vertebrate animals observed within 50 metres (a measuring tape was used as a guide) of the forest for a total of 15 minutes. <b>Vertebrate Richness:</b> The number of vertebrates observed within 50 metres of the forest for a total of 15 minutes. <b>Abundance Human:</b> The observation of the number of people within 50 metres of the forest (excluding people within our lab group) for a total of 15 minutes. <b>Abundance Invertebrates (Pan Traps):</b> The total abundance of insects captured via 6 pan traps. <b>Abundance Invertebrates (Sweeps):</b> The total abundance of insects captured via 10 sweep nets. The sweep net used had a 32 centimetre diameter. <b>Abundance Invertebrates Observed:</b> The total abundance of flying insects observed within 5 metres of the forest for a total of 15 minutes. <b>Hypothesis and Predictions</b> Survey 1 - Herbaceous plants <b>Hypothesis: </b>The forest will have a greater abundance of native plants and a lower abundance of exotic plants and flowers. <b>Prediction:</b> If the forest has a greater abundance of native plants and a lower abundance of exotic plants and flowers, then the viability of native plants is better supported for in the forest habitat. Survey 2 - Woody plants<b>Hypothesis: </b>The areas of the forest with greater canopy coverage have a lower percentage of ground coverage and total number of flowers. <b>Prediction: </b>If the forest has greater canopy coverage, then the availability of sunlight decreases, reducing the amount of sunlight that plants on the ground receive, preventing their growth. Survey 3 - Vertebrates and Invertebrates <b>Hypothesis: </b> The presence of vertebrate will be greater than the presence of invertebrate species in the forest habitat. <b>Prediction: </b>If the presence of vertebrates is greater than the presence of invertebrates, then the resources provided in this environment are essential to the survival and longevity of the vertebrates and unsuitable for invertebrates. Survey 4 - Invertebrates <b>Hypothesis: </b>There will be a low number of invertebrates in the forest habitat. <b>Prediction: </b>If there is a low number of invertebrates in the forest habitat, then the environment of the forest in not suitable for the survival of these organisms. <b> </b> <b>Details of Data</b> The data obtained in this experiment is continuous as the data was recorded numerically for abundance of native and exotic plants, total number of flowers for quadrat and transect, abundance of woody plants, canopy and ground cover, abundance of vertebrates, invertebrates and humans, and vertebrate and vertebrate richness. <b><br></b><b>Equipment Used</b> Quadrat: 1 metre by 1 metre in area Pan Trap: 6 plastic bowls (2 white, 2 yellow, 2 blue), 17.5 centimetres in diameter and 4.5 centimetres in depth Soapy Water: 720 millilitres of a water and soap mixture Sweep Net: 32 centimetres in diameter with a handle of 90 centimetres Transect: 30 metres in length