DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.4046595
title: York.woodlot.oct20-2016.csv

description: <b>Methods:</b> To assess the relationship between herbaceous plants, woody plants, vertebrate abundance, and invertebrate abundance by using transects, quadrats, pan traps and sweep nets, a study was conducted in the Danby Woods. One group, consisting of four members, were each assigned a category to sample at the study site. The latitude was 43.768756, the longitude was -79.5079, and the elevation was 126.30201. The data collected was categorical. For herbaceous plants, measurements observed within the quadrat were recorded for abundance of native and exotic plants and total number of flower heads. Two transects were used to make a fifty-meter path. The quadrat was placed along the transect, alternating left and right every two meters. This was repeated twenty-five times for a total length of fifty meters, and twenty-five quadrats. For woody plants, two transects were placed to make a fifty-meter path. Every two meters the individual stopped to observe and record the number of woody plants, no more than 0.5m on each side of the transect, canopy and ground coverage, and total number of flowers. Canopy coverage was observed by looking up and ground coverage was observed by looking down. The estimation of coverage was made by dividing visual area into quadrats by forming a rectangle with their hands (connecting the thumb of your right hand to the index finger of your left hand and vice versa). The amount of coverage was recorded as a percentage. Flowers were recorded if they were 0.5m from either side of the transect. For vertebrates and invertebrates, the student stood at the beginning of the transect and surveyed a fifty-meter radius from their location for fifteen minutes. The total number of vertebrates, number of different species, and the total number of humans (not participating in the lab) were observed and recorded. In another fifteen-minute interval the student stood at the beginning of the transect and surveyed a five-meter radius, recording the total number of invertebrates observed. For invertebrates, a transect of fifty meters was laid down and starting from the zero mark, six pan traps, half filled with soapy water, were placed down in alternating colours (yellow, blue, and white) every three meters. After forty-five minutes, the number of invertebrates captured were recorded. Ten sweep nets were conducted along ten different fifty- meter transects. <b>Study site:</b> This study took place in the afternoon at York University on Thursday October 20th, 2016, in the Danby woods located south of Chimneystack Road and parallel to the Danby grasslands. The Danby woods is a parcel of woodlot with an abundance of forest products such as trees and saplings and can be used for wildlife appreciation. The Danby woods is a tampered woodlot, meaning that there has been human interference(such as presence of a picnic table and cigarettes). This is a deciduous woodlot, and its green leaves that shed annually. This lab was conducted outdoors; the weather was rainy, cloudy, and 13 degrees Celsius. <b>Hypothesis:</b> In a woodlot area, there will be a decrease in herbaceous plants because there are less nutrients available at ground level. <b>Prediction 1:</b> There will be a lower abundance of vertebrates and invertebrates in the woodlot. <b>Prediction 2: </b>There will be a higher amount of canopy coverage in the woodlot. <b>Prediction 3:</b> There is a decrease of flower heads in the woodlot. <b>Meta Data</b> <b>Habitat:</b> Categorical- Each individual collected one data set in the Danby woodlot at York University. <b>Abundance of Native Plants:</b> Categorical- A one meter by one-meter quadrat was dropped randomly on alternating sides of a fifty meter transect. Quadrats had a two-meter distance between them. Once quadrat was dropped the number of native plants were counted. This was repeated twenty-five times. <b>Abundance of Exotic Plants:</b> Categorical- A one meter by one-meter quadrat was dropped randomly on alternating sides of a fifty-meter transect. Quadrats had a two-meter distance between them. Once the quadrat was dropped, the number of exotic plants were counted. This was repeated twenty-five times. <b>Abundance of Flower Heads (in quadrats):</b> Categorical- A one meter by one-meter quadrat was dropped randomly on alternating sides of a fifty-meter transect. Quadrats had a two-meter distance between them. Once the quadrat was dropped, the number of flower heads were counted. This was repeated twenty-five times. <b>Abundance of Woody Plants:</b> Categorical- Individual walked along a fifty-meter transect and stopped every two meters to count the number of woody plants within 0.5 meters of either side of transect. Woody plants were defined as any tree taller than 1.5 meters. <b>Canopy Coverage:</b> Categorical- Individual walked along a fifty-meter transect, stopping every two meters to look up and estimate canopy coverage. The estimation was made by dividing visual area into quadrats by forming a rectangle with their hands (connect the thumb of your right hand to the index finger of your left hand and vice versa). The amount of coverage was recorded as a percentage. <b>Abundance of Flower Heads (along transect):</b> Categorical- Individual walked along a fifty-meter transect stopping every two meters to look down and count the number of flower heads. <b>Ground Coverage:</b> Categorical- Individual walked along a fifty-meter transect, stopping every two meters, to look down and estimate the amount of vegetation covering the ground. The estimation was made by dividing visual area into quadrats by forming a rectangle with their hands (connect the thumb of your right hand to the index finger of your left hand and vice versa). The amount of coverage was recorded as a percentage. <b>Abundance of Humans:</b> Categorical- Individual surveyed a fifty-meter radius and recorded the number of humans in that area. This was done for fifteen minutes. <b>Abundance of Vertebrates:</b> Categorical- Individual surveyed a fifty-meter radius and recorded the number of vertebrates in that area. This was done for fifteen minutes. <b>Abundance of Invertebrates (observation):</b> Categorical- Individual surveyed a five-meter radius and recorded the number of invertebrates in that area. This was done for fifteen minutes. <b>Abundance of Invertebrates (pan traps):</b> Categorical- Six pan traps were laid in alternating colours (white, blue, yellow) and were half way filled with soapy water. Pan traps had a three-meter distance between them. The traps were left alone for forty-five minutes, after which the number of each invertebrate was counted. <b>Abundance of Invertebrates (sweep net):</b> Categorical- Ten sweep nets were conducted along ten different fifty-meter transects. At the end of each sweep, the total number of invertebrates in the net was counted.