The sampling method we used for our investigation was analyzing 3-meter land plots for the presence of native and non-native plant species. After being assigned a plot in the forest we used our GPS to locate specifically the plot we were given. Once at our plot, we used a 3 meter piece of string and gridded out our land plot into a box. Next, we used our dichotomous key to key in the specific native or non-native species within the plot. Part of keying in each species dealt with needing to know how to determine aspects of a leaf such as determining whether it was a simple or compound-leafed tree. After the investigation, we gathered all of the data collected by the other groups and tallied the prevalence of each species in the dichotomous key. We then calculated the percentage of native to non-native species found overall and in each plot, while also finding the direct variation of plants among each plot. Using the data, we were able to find out how much the forest has changed since the years it was surveyed before and accurately calculate the difference in population variance.
We have a lot of non-native species in the Pahole forest. This trap was used to track the non-natives that crossed through. It wasn't so we could trap as many as we could, it was more so that we can have an idea of what species are there and hopefully have a rough estimate of how many.
One of the many tracker traps set along the Pahole Forest trail; it's used to trace any species' that cross through the trap for the bait.
One of the many tracker traps set along the Pahole Forest trail; it's used to trace any species' that cross through the trap for the bait.
This is the quadrate that we used to measure the plants we took data on. Basically, it was a three meter long rope and we used it to make a big box, marking the ends with flags. From there, the plants inside of the 3 x 3 meter box was observed and marked as native or non-native. This is very effective because it takes random plots that we were given to get a good estimate of what else is throughout the forest. We were given a GPS and a map to figure out where we needed to find our plot.
A student gridding out his plot for their forest investigation
A student gridding out his plot for their forest investigation