Ecology Lab 1
Observing Plant Successional Changes in Old-Field Succession in
Gatineau Park in Old Chelsea
By Ghummaz Bhatti
4909040
Bio 2129 Section A2
Demonstrators:
Paul Sokoloff
Laura Robson
November 11, 2009
Department of Biology
University of Ottawa
Abstract
Patterns of plant successional change in Gatineau Park, Old Chelsea, were studied quantitatively. The relations between different successional stages of plant communities and abiotic factors were descried. To test these, we went to the fields, and worked on two transect in groups of 4. We counted the trees and measured the diameter at breast height (dbh) for tree with a dbh value greater than 2cm. The dbh measurements (cm), percentage of fern cover and percentage of bare ground were recorded and used to perform statistical analysis. No significant variations in the distribution of abundant tree species using chi2 analysis and percentage of fern cover using t-test analysis were observed between the compared sites. No significant variations found in the interquadrat analysis, and mean dbh of abundant tree species and percentage of bare ground between the sites compared. The results verified the stated hypothesis and were supported by literature sources.
Introduction
The purpose of this study is to quantitatively describe patterns of plant successional change in old-field succession in temperate mixed forest ecosystems and to describe the relation between abiotic factors and plant communities at different successional stages. Succession is described as predictable patterns of change over time and specifically, in ecology, as the predictable pattern of change in the species structure of an ecological community over time. There are two types of succession; primary and secondary. Primary succession refers to the successional development of plant communities that takes place on a site formerly devoid of vegetation and usually lack well developed soil. Secondary succession refers to the
Gatineau Park in Old Chelsea
By Ghummaz Bhatti
4909040
Bio 2129 Section A2
Demonstrators:
Paul Sokoloff
Laura Robson
November 11, 2009
Department of Biology
University of Ottawa
Abstract
Patterns of plant successional change in Gatineau Park, Old Chelsea, were studied quantitatively. The relations between different successional stages of plant communities and abiotic factors were descried. To test these, we went to the fields, and worked on two transect in groups of 4. We counted the trees and measured the diameter at breast height (dbh) for tree with a dbh value greater than 2cm. The dbh measurements (cm), percentage of fern cover and percentage of bare ground were recorded and used to perform statistical analysis. No significant variations in the distribution of abundant tree species using chi2 analysis and percentage of fern cover using t-test analysis were observed between the compared sites. No significant variations found in the interquadrat analysis, and mean dbh of abundant tree species and percentage of bare ground between the sites compared. The results verified the stated hypothesis and were supported by literature sources.
Introduction
The purpose of this study is to quantitatively describe patterns of plant successional change in old-field succession in temperate mixed forest ecosystems and to describe the relation between abiotic factors and plant communities at different successional stages. Succession is described as predictable patterns of change over time and specifically, in ecology, as the predictable pattern of change in the species structure of an ecological community over time. There are two types of succession; primary and secondary. Primary succession refers to the successional development of plant communities that takes place on a site formerly devoid of vegetation and usually lack well developed soil. Secondary succession refers to the
Cited: November 5, 2009. http://bio.rutgers.edu/~gb102/lab_13/skip.htm * Bio 2129 Ecology Lab Manual. Currie et al, 2009 Raw Data