DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.3979689.v1
title: YorkU.grassland.disturbed.Oct3-2016

description: <b>Meta Data</b>Census: This variable represents the week that is being sampled. Week 5 is defined as census 1.Campus: This categorical variable defines the campus that the study is being conducted.Habitat: This categorical variable defines the type of habitat used in the study. A grassland habitat represents an open area with limited amount of trees. A disturbed habitat represents an area with diverse vegetation and walking trails.Replicates: A total number of 25 quadrats were used to survey herbaceous plants. A total of 25 replicates were performed to survey woody plants. 2 replicates were conducted to observe vertebrates and invertebrates. A total of 6 replicates for pan traps and 10 replicates for sweep nets were performed to survey invertebrates.Abundance of native plants: This continuous variable measures the total number of individual plants that are native to Ontario within a quadrat.Abundance of exotic plants: This continuous variable measures the total number of individual plants that are exotic in Ontario within a quadrat.Total number of flowers: This continuous variable measures the total number of independent flower heads within a quadrat.Abundance of woody plants: This continuous variable measures the amount of a trees present within 0.5 meters of the transect. The tree must be larger than 1.5 meters.Canopy cover: This continuous variable represents the radius at which a given tree spreads its branches.Ground cover: This continuous variable measures the amount of vegetative ground cover.Total number of flowers: This continuous variable represents the amount of observed plant species.Abundance of vertebrates: This continuous variable measures the amount of animals located within a 50 meter radius and duration of 15 minutes.Vertebrate species: This categorical variable represents the type of specie observed within a 50 meter radius and duration of 15 minutes.Abundance of humans: This continuous variable measures the amount of human population that interact with the area but are not involved in the lab for a duration of 15 minutes.Abundance of invertebrates observed: This continuous variable measures the observed number of invertebrates within a 5 meter radius of the given habitat for a duration of 15 minutes.Abundance of invertebrates in pan traps: This continuous variable represents the observed number of invertebrates collected within colourful bowls (blue, white and yellow) that contained soapy water after 40 minutes.Abundance of invertebrates in sweep nets: This continuous variable represents the observed number of invertebrates captured in the sweep nets at the end of the 50 meter length transect. <b>Description</b>On October 3rd, 2016 a study conducted by Candice, Moses and Numra was performed near Stong pond in the grassland and disturbed area of York University. The temperature was 18 degrees, with significant cloud cover. The study was conducted to compare different habitats across various universities by using transects, quadrats, pan traps and sweep nets. <b>Methods</b>The data collection for the grassland habitat began at 3:10 pm and ended at 3:58 pm. The data collection of the disturbed habitat began at 4:00 pm and ended at 4:40 pm. In order to survey the herbaceous plants, a 50 meter transect was randomly placed. A quadrat was placed every 2 meters of the transect, by alternating left to right. The abundance of native plants, exotic plants and number of flower heads within the quadrat were recorded. The quadrat was divided into 4 squares. The abundance of plants within a square were recorded and multiplied by 4 to represent the whole quadrat. The woody plants were then surveyed along the 50 meter transect. The presence of a tree that is larger than 1.5 meters and within 0.5 meters of the transect was observed at every 2 meters. At every other meter, the canopy coverage was recorded by looking up and using 2 hands to form a square. Alternatively, at every other meter, the vegetation ground coverage was measured by looking down and using 2 hands to form a square. The number of flowers surrounding the transect was also calculated. Next, the data survey for the vertebrate and invertebrate was conducted within a 50 meter radius. The abundance of vertebrates was recorded by counting the total number of individuals. The specie type was also observed for a 15 minute interval. The abundance of invertebrates, for example, flying insects observed was recorded for 15 minutes within a 5 meter radius.In order to survey invertebrates, pan trap and sweep net techniques were used. A total of 6 pan traps, in alternating colours (white, yellow and blue) contained soapy water solution and were placed every 3 meters along the 50 meter transect. After 40 minutes, the amount of invertebrates present in the pan traps were counted. The sweep net technique was performed by sweeping the net in a figure 8 motion, right to left along the the 50 meter distance of the transect. A total of ten repetitions were made in each habitat.<b>Hypothesis</b>The grassland habitat will have a limited amount of animals and plants due to the fact that it is constantly landscaped in comparison to the disturbed habitat. <b>Predictions</b>GrasslandVertebrate and invertebrate species in the grassland will be evenly distributed across the landscape because of the significant monopoly of one plant species. The diversity of plant species in the grassland will be limited due to the visible constant upkeep of the area. DisturbedVertebrate and invertebrate species will significantly vary based on the growth rate of the plant species present, the more developed the habitat the higher the population and the diversity. Due to the relatively new development of the land the plant species observed will depend on the rate at which plant species colonize the landscape.