Ecological variation of plant and animal species in impermeable and riparian environments at York University

Methods: In order to assess the relationship between species abundance and habitat, 2 tape measures were used to create a 50 meter transect near a pond and an impermeable area respectively. 4 different surveys were conducted along the transect. The first survey was conducted on herbaceous plants. Every two meters along the 50 meter transect, a quadrat was placed, alternating between left and right of the transect, for a total of 25 replicates. Total number of native plants, exotic plants, and flowers were visually counted within each quadrat. The same procedure was conducted both near the pond and the impermeable area. The second survey was conducted on woody plants. Every two meters along the 50 meter transect, the trees within 0.5 meters of either side were counted, for a total of 25 replicates. The canopy cover of each tree, total vegetation ground cover, and total number of flowers were visually counted. Only trees that were taller than 1.5m in height were counted. Canopy and ground cover was visually estimated. The same procedure was conducted both near the pond and the impermeable area. The third survey was conducted on vertebrates and invertebrates. Within a 50 meter radius starting at the beginning of the transect tape, visual aerial observations were made for 15 minutes. This procedure was repeated for a 5 meter radius starting at the beginning of the transect. Vertebrate abundance, number of different vertebrate species, number of different invertebrate species and human abundance were recorded. The same procedure was conducted both near the pond and the impermeable area. The fourth survey was conducted on invertebrates. 6 pan traps (solo bowls filled halfway with soap water) alternating between white, yellow and blue in colour were placed 3 meters apart from one another along the 50 meter transect. Total number of invertebrates caught in the pan traps were counted after 45 minutes. During the 45 minutes, sweep nets were used along the 50 meter transect for 10 replicates. Abundance of invertebrates found in the net after each sweep was counted. The same procedures were conducted both near the pond and the impermeable area. Study Site: This study took place at the Southwest corner of York University Keele campus on October 6th, 2016 between 2:30PM to 5:00PM. The weather was hot and sunny and the temperature was 23⁰C. The study was conducted near a pond located at 43.77061⁰N, -79.506627⁰W at an elevation of 151.321945 ft and an impermeable area located at 43.768235⁰N, -79.50731⁰W at an elevation of 137.745789 ft. A 50 meter transect, pan traps, sweep nets, and 1m2 quadrats were used as equipment. Visual counts were made to measure each attribute. Hypothesis: There will be a greater abundance and diversity of plant and animal species near the pond compared to the impermeable area. This is because the relatively undisturbed nature of the pond area is more suited to support greater abundance and diversity of plants and animals. Predictions: 1) The abundance and diversity of native and exotic plants and total number of flowers will be greater near the pond, compared to the impermeable area because there is a water source and soil near the pond that is permeable, which support vegetation. 2) The abundance and diversity of vertebrates and invertebrates will be greater near the pond, compared to the impermeable area because there is more soil and vegetation, which provides nutrients and shelter. 3) The abundance of invertebrates will be greater near the pond compared to the impermeable area because there are more flowers. Pollinating invertebrates are attracted to flowering plants. Group Members: Avani Abraham, Vanessa Guo, Monica Matta, Krysten Zarivnij Meta-data (attribute & description):CENSUS: Each group in each lab section samples each block only ONCE, order of sampling is organized by lab ta to ensure at least one group samples each block over three separate weeksCorresponds to the sampling week. Week5=1, Week7=2 and Week8=3(categorical data)GROUP_ID: The unique group identifier within each lab. Group_ID was the word “lab” followed by the first 2 digits corresponding to the lab section, then the word “group” is followed by the two digits corresponding to the group within the lab section. The TA assigns a group number within each labs section.(categorical data)CALENDAR.DATE: Month and date of data collection in 2016(discrete data)HABITAT: Grassland is defined as an open area at least 250m by 250m in size with few trees, a disturbed open space similar to grassland in size but with more mixed vegetation and more trails/pathways for people such as a university open commons, a forest is a woodlot on campus, a near-pond is defined as a small body of water at least 100m in diameter on a campus- sample near shore of pond and an impermeable area is a paved or gravel area with mostly impermeable materials like gravel.(categorical data)CAMPUS: The York university Keele campus and University of Toronto Mississauga Campus participated in this study.(categorical data)LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE:A GPS unit was used to record the Geographic location of each plot in UTM coordinates. Precise coordinates are used as a reference for future students who revisit study site.(continuous data)ABUNDANCE IN QUADRATS:A 1m x 1m quadrat was used to measure the abundance of variable of interest in study site. Quadrats were used to determine the abundance of vegetation along a 50m transect. Quadrats were placed on alternating sides 2m apart along the 50m transect.(discrete data)TOTAL.NUMBER.FLOWERS:Flowers observed in quadrats were recorded as a total number of independent flower heads. Each flower was considered independent if it has its own stem.(discrete data)ABUNDANCE.WOODY.PLANTS (GRASSLAND):In grassland and disturbed areas, this could be very low to 0 if there are few shrubs, use same transect tape you set up for quadrats, count with 0.5m on both sides of tape, near pond, place transect alongside longest dimension of pond and same near shore. Woody plants were considered any vegetation observed with bark/woody stems.(discrete data)ABUNDANCE.WOODY.PLANTS (FOREST):In forest, record total number of trees within 0.5m on either side of transect within forest. We define a tree here as > 1.5m.(discrete data)CANOPY.COVER:At every other meter, estimate canopy coverage (look up). A quantitative measure was used to describe how much canopy covered the observers view. A percentage of the coverage was recorded as a decimal value.(discrete data)GROUND.COVER:At every other meter (alternating with canopy coverage), estimate vegetative ground cover (look down). A quantitative measure was used to describe how much ground covered the observers view. A percentage of the coverage was recorded as a decimal value.(discrete data)TOTAL.FLOWER.NUMBERS:Every 5m, record total number flowers within 1m of transect tape. This is a very coarse, landscape-level estimate of floral density within this region of your campus.(discrete data)ABUNDANCE.VERTEBRATES:Abundance of animals such as squirrels, birds, etc. were recorded. Vertebrates were observed within 50m/5m of the beginning of the 50m/5m transect for 15mins. A tape measure was used as a guide for the 50m/5m transect. (discrete data)VERTEBRATE.SPECIES:Any vertebrate species that looked different was considered a unique species and counted independent of similar looking species. Abundance of unique vertebrate species.(discrete data)ABUDANCE.HUMAN:Abundance of humans were recorded. Humans were observed within 50m/5m of the beginning of the 50m/5m transect for 15mins. A tape measure was used as a guide for the 50m/5m transect. (discrete data)ABUNDANCE.INVERTEBRATES.PANTRAPS:Total abundance of insects captured using pan traps placed along a 50m transect at ground level.(discrete data)ABUNDANCE.INVERTEBRATES.SWEEPS:Total abundance of insects captured using sweep nets used along a 50m transect at ground level.(discrete data)ABUNDANCE.INVERTEBRATES.OBSERVED:Total abundance of flying insects observed within 5m of the beginning of the 50m transect. Recorded as a single value in the first row of your data sheet as a total sum.(discrete data)INVERTEBRATE.SPECIES:Any invertebrate species that looked different was considered a unique species and counted independent of similar looking species. Abundance of unique invertebrate species.(discrete data)

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