Transcript Clermont College Ecology

Spring Quarter 2009
Jessica Lawson
Amanda Holland
Table of Contents
Slide Title
1
Title Page
2
Table of Contents
3
List of Tables
4
Abstract
5
Introduction
6
Literature Review
7
Methods and Materials
8-14 Data
15-16 Conclusions
17
Bibliography
List of Tables
 Slide title
8
9
10
11
12
13
Light Intensity
Air Temperature
Soil Temperature
Percent Relative Humidity
Wind Speed
Average # of Plants Seen
14
# of Plant Species Seen
Abstract
 Holland, Amanda J., Lawson, Jessica A. 1 June , 2009. Ecology of Clermont College
Campus
The light intensity, air temperature, soil temperature,
percent relative humidity, and wind velocity of Five Falls
Creek, Maple Creek, Marshy area, Morel Hill, and West
Woods of the Clermont College Campus were studied in
order to determine their relationship to the number of
plant species seen in each area.
Introduction
 Environmental factors play a major role in the number of plant
species present in a particular area. It is important to understand
the environmental factors that influence the presence of various
plant species
How do different environmental factors affect plant growth?
Light intensity, air temperature, soil temperature, percent
relative humidity, and wind velocity at various locations on the
University of Cincinnati Clermont Campus were determined in
order to study the relationship between amount of plant species
seen and the types of environmental factors present.
The purpose of this experiment is to study the different
environmental factors of different areas of campus, and their
relationship to other living organisms such as species of plants.
Literature Review
 The Clermont College Biology Website and the protocols were used to
obtain ecological data about the Clermont College campus.
From the Website, information and data were obtained regarding the
different environmental factors that have been studied on the
Clermont College Campus as well as the amounts of plants seen in each
area of Campus.
From the protocols, information was obtained about the different
methods of testing these environmental factors and how to test them.
The protocols provided details about each of the different instruments
used and how to use them including the light meter, sling
psychrometer, soil thermometer, and a wind speed meter.
Methods and Materials
 Using a light meter, light intensity was tested on various
locations on campus. A sling psychrometer was used to test
air temperature, a soil thermometer was used to test soil
temperature, and a wind speed meter was used to test wind
speed. In addition to these tests, data collected from
previous years on environmental factors of the different
areas of campus were compared with current data and were
used to analyze the correlations between environmental
factors and amounts of plant species seen on campus.
All of the measurements were obtained as described in the
Clermont Ecology Laboratory protocols (Carter, 1991).
Data
Figure 1
Data
Figure 2
Data
Figure 3
Data
Figure 4
Data
Figure 5
Data
Figure 6
Data
Figure 7
Conclusions
 The ecology of the Clermont College Campus is linked together in many
different ways.
Based on Figures 1, 6, and 7, it appeared that the more light that was
present led to a higher number on plants seen. It did however have an
inverse effect on the amount of plant species seen. It appeared that lower
light areas saw a greater variety of plant species.
Based on figures 2, and 6, it appeared that in areas of higher air
temperature, there were fewer plants. Thus, many of the plants growing on
the Clermont College Campus may be better suited at lower temperatures.
Based on figures 3 and 6, it appeared that the higher the soil temperature,
the more plants seen in each particular area. Higher soil temperature
seemed to aid it growing more plants.
Conclusions
 Based on figures 4 and 6, it appeared that there was a higher percent
relative humidity in the more wooded areas. Moisture and heat present
in these areas can get trapped under the canopy of the trees more so
than areas with fewer trees. Overall there seemed to be more plants in
areas with more humidity.
Based on figures 5 and 6, areas with higher wind speed appeared to
have more plants present. This could be due to that fact that many
plants are wind pollinated, therefore the areas with more wind would
have more plants.
Bibliography
 Stein-Carter, Jan. 1998. Ecology
http://biology.clc.uc.edu/course
s/bio303/index.htm
 Carter, Jan. 1991. Ecology Environmental Factors
Protocol.