Transcript burnsbogwatershedserpentineintro_2015

Why study these areas?
Consider:
-The presence of three unique
ecosystems in a relatively short distance
(see map handout)
- The unique value of each of these
areas as described in the Preparation
Exercises
Research Question: Which key factor(s)
account for the significant differences in
vegetation types between the Delta Nature
Reserve (Burns Bog), Watershed Park, and
the Serpentine Wildlife Management Area?
Hypothesis: You design one. Based upon
your preparation exercise readings and
exercises and looking over the Factors
Affecting Biomes/Ecosystems web,
hypothesize as to the main factor(s)
determining the differences in vegetation
type.
/Ecosystems
Biome: community of living things
Ecosystem: community of living and
non-living things
Consider the formation of these areas over geologic time:
Ice Cover over the Lower Mainland – 16 000 years ago
Ice Cover over the Lower Mainland – 13 500 years ago
Note: Source for the previous two slides –
p. 39 and 51 of:
Clague, John, and Bob Turner. Vancouver, City On
The Edge. Vancouver: Tricouni Press,
2003.
10 000 years ago
5 000 years ago
Burns
Bog
Watershed P.
SWMA
Today
Note: Source for the previous three slides –
Natural Resources Canada. Geoscape Vancouver: The
Fraser River Delta. Jan. 3, 2008
<http://geoscape.nrcan.gc.ca/vancouver/fraser_e.php>.
Formation of Burns Bog over
the last 7000 years. See
preparation exercise readings
and questions for more
details as well as more Burns
Bog information on
Mr. Mleziva’s website.
Burns
Bog
Watershed P.
SWMA
Note: Source for the previous slide –
Turner, Bob. Vancouver’s Landscape. Feb. 12, 2008
<http://gsc.nrcan.gc.ca/urbgeo/vanland/images/vanland_v7_3.jpg>.
Nature
Reserve
Burns
Bog
Watershed
Park
SWMA
Vegetation of Southwestern
Fraser Lowland 1858-1880
Vegetation of Southwestern Fraser Lowland 1858-1880
Burns Bog – It cb P = Labrador Tea: labrador tea (lt), cranberry (cb),
salal, Pine (P)
mP = Moss with scrub pine: sphagnum (m), scattered pine (P), Hemlock,
Spruce.
Watershed Park – DFC = Mixed Coniferous: Douglas fir (D), Grand fir
(F), Cedar (C), [Hemlock], [Pine], [Spruce], Alder, Dogwood, vine maple,
briars.
D = Douglas Fir: Douglas fir (D), [Cedar], salal, oregon grape, hawthorn
Serpentine Wildlife Management Area – g = Prairie: grass (g)
g W hh ca = Prairie grass with shrubs: grass (g), Willow (W), hardhack
(hh), crabapple (ca)
sg sw s = Salt marsh: saltgrass (g), saltwort (sw), sedge(s)
Special Notes:
Underlined species = dominant
[Bracketed species] = minor occurence
Capitalized species = part of tree canopy, not capitalized = understory
Burns
Bog
Watershed
Park
SWMA
Note: See p. 331-332 in Geography: An Integrated Approach for a further
description of podzols or podsols.
Note: Source for the previous four slides –
North, M.E.A., and M.W. Dunn. Environment Canada. Lands Directorate.
Vegetation of Southwestern Fraser Lowland 1858-1880 (Poster).
Canada: Minister of Supply and Services Canada, 1979.
Watershed
Park
SWMA
Underlying Geologic Materials near the surface
Underlying Geologic Materials
Burns Bog – Modern Sediments in Lowlands
(<10 000 years old):
2: Peat
Watershed Park – Ice Age Sediments in Uplands
(25 000 to 11 000 years ago):
6: Silt and clay
9: Till
10: Steepland sediments
7: Sand
Serpentine Wilderness Management Area – Modern
Sediments in Lowlands (<10 000 years old):
4: Sand and silt
2: Peat (on fringes)
Note: Source for the previous two slides –
Turner, Bob. Geomap Vancouver. Feb. 11, 2008
<http://gsc.nrcan.gc.ca/urbgeo/geomapvan/index_e.php>.
To what extent have humans altered these three
sites since the late 1800s?
- Consider preparation exercise readings and
Burns Bog information on Mr. Mleziva’s website.
So what actually will we be doing
on the day of the field study????
Field Study Weather* Conditions at each site:
Time
Temperature
Air Pressure
Wind Direction
Wind Speed
Sky Cover (Fraction out of 8)
Cloud Type(s)
Present State of Weather
Explanation
Precipitation so far this year vs. Average Precipitation
*Do not confuse weather with climate as a
factor influencing vegetation differences
Go Through the Checklist of Items that
you need to bring to ensure that you are
prepared.
Research Question: Which key factor(s)
account for the significant differences in
vegetation types between the Delta Nature
Reserve (Burns Bog), Watershed Park, and
the Serpentine Wildlife Management Area?
Hypothesis: You design one. Based upon
your preparation exercise readings and
exercises and looking over the Factors
Affecting Biomes web, hypothesize as to the
main factor(s) determining the differences in
vegetation type.
Determining Our Transect Locations Ideally:
-Random Sampling Technique – Random Area
Read p.160-161 in Geography: An Integrated
Approach
- Place a grid over the site and draw from a hat the
coordinates that the transect will be located in
Advantage: Avoid bias. Every point or area of the
total population has an equal chance of being
selected.
Disadvantage: Careful sample design is needed to
avoid the possibility of achieving misleading
results when sampling over a large area.
Limitations for this field study:
-Safety concerns (i.e. slope at Watershed Park)
- Areas that are off limits due to wildlife management
(i.e. Serpentine Wildlife Management Area)
-Limiting our impact on a sensitive ecosystem (i.e.
stay near boardwalks in Burns Bog + central bog
closed to the public)
- Time and money (i.e. soil testing kits, bus rentals);
ideally, we would want to do much more than just
two transects for each site to better reflect the
nature of the “total population”.
General Site Conditions:
- Plot site on map + compass (show north)
- Study Site Area for Tree Survey Transect = 400m2
- Study Site Area for Detailed Vegetation
Identification; Two Transects; Each one = 32 m2
- Time
- GPS coordinates
- Elevation
- Slope
- Orientation of the Slope (aspect)
- Notation of special conditions / human activities or
features in and around the study area
i.e. farming, tourism, etc.
Tree Survey Transect
20 m
20 m
-Count the total number of trees within the transect,
identify the types, and measure circumferences
-Bring your “My Burns Bog Plant Book” Prep packet,
“Ecoscope” Prep packet and “Plants of Coastal
British Columbia” handout to help you identify
species – Take a picture of the entire transect
Detailed Vegetation Identification Transects
Bring your “My Burns Bog Plant Book” Prep packet,
“Ecoscope” Prep packet and “Plants of Coastal British
Columbia” handout to help you identify species
Total Study Area = 16m by 2m Transect = 32m2 x 2
transects = 64m2
Work with a partner in an assigned quadrat
(2m by 2m square); using sticks and strings, divide your 4m2
quadrat into four quarters to make analysis easier.
2m
Qu.#1
Qu.#2
Qu.#3
Qu.#4
Qu.#5
16m
Qu.#6
Qu.#7
Qu.#8
One Transect divided
into eight quadrats
In your assigned quadrat, identify each vegetation species
within the entire quadrat and give a description. Refer to your
Plant Guides for assistance. In the description, also include
the approximate height in cm (metre stick) of each species
and measure the circumference of any trees in cm (use
tape measure and/or string and metre stick). Also include
% of surface coverage for each species within your
quadrat.
Sketch the area occupied by each vegetation species within
your quadrat. Create a key and symbol for each species.
(Note: The example shown below uses more squares than you
will use and has some different species than you will find.)
Take pictures of your quadrat – remember to put
something into the picture for scale (eg clipboard).
Take picture(s) of the entire transect – have a person in
the picture for scale.
Take a picture looking upwards at the top of the
canopy (if present) to give a sense of the amount of
light intensity.
Note: We will try to measure the actual light intensity
using a light metre placed in the ground in each quadrat.
Describe soil conditions – colour, composition, texture. Is it
mineral based or organic based? Take a picture.
We will dig one hole for each transect (as close as possible
to Quadrat 1 for Transect 1 and near Quadrat 8 for
Transect 2) to expose a profile for the soil and try to reach the
water table and take a pH strip reading at the water table.
Take a picture. We will collect two soil samples from each of
these profiles four inches (10 cm) below the surface (as
instructed by the soil testing kit) and later test for pH,
nitrogen, phosphorous, and potash content.
We will take three pH meter readings in each quadrat and
average the data for each quadrat. These readings will be
consistently taken from the middle and towards opposite
sides of each quadrat . This is called Systematic Sampling
(see p.161-162). Advantage: Ease of use.
Disadvantage: All points do not have an equal chance of
selection – it may either overstress or miss an underlying
pattern.
We will also, if available, get a pH reading for
sitting water in or around the transect.
We will also later test for moisture content via a
drying process and measuring mass before and
after. In particular we will want to see if peat is
indeed composed of 90% water and 10% solids and
how do the peat samples differ from samples at the
other sites.
We will also take a couple samples of sphagnum mass to
test if it does hold 20 times its mass in water.
- Also consider based on the plants present in
the transect whether or not this is a “productive”
site – nitrogen rich. Note: Later on, look at the
packet entitled “Indicator Plants of Coastal BC”.
Labrador Tea
(Ledum
groenlandicum) =
indicator of
nitrogen-poor soil
Serpentine
Wildlife
Management
Area
Task List
-Fix long sticks and strings (16m-18m) for Detailed Vegetation
Identification Transects – check for 1m labelled intervals
(no repairs needed this year)
- Fix small sticks and string: measure each 2.75m long and
re-tie + tape secure (Carol C., Andrew M., Ben M., Mark G.,
and Josh L.)
- Fix four 20m long strings attached to sticks for the Tree
Survey Transect - check for 5m labelled intervals
(no repairs needed this year)
- Test ph and soil moisture metres
Elise B. and Kate B. , Elizabeth S. and Miranda V.
- Test light metres (Andrew M. and Carol C., Annika T. and
Jelena D.)
- Complete in HL class
Task List (Sat. Sept. 26, 2015) continued
Transect #1 (HL and SL)
Transect #2 (SL)
Quadrat #1: Elise B. Kate B., Miranda V.
Quadrat #1: Bob C., Wayne N. and Mila Q.
Quadrat #2: Ben M. and Josh L.
Quadrat #2: Miya W. and Tina H.
Quadrat #3: Andrew M. and Carol C.
Quadrat #3: Jimmy H. and David N.
Quadrat #4: Mark G. and Jimmy L.
Quadrat #4: Mia C. and Nancy D.
Quadrat #5: Jelena D. and Annika T. (SL)
Quadrat #5: Audrey W. and Jodi-Ann W.
Quadrat #6: Angela G. and Naaz S. (SL)
Quadrat #6: Emily C. and Bob Y.
Quadrat #7: Puneet T., Elizabeth S.
Quadrat #7: Isaac F. and Brad J.
Quadrat #8: Molly T. and James W. (SL)
Quadrat #8: Shagun K., Amarpreet M., and
Kompal G.
Tree Survey Transect: - (8 people) – Elise B. and Josh L. and
Jimmy L. and Mark G. / Angela G. and Naaz S., Isaac F. and
Brad J.
Task List continued
- carrying sticks and buckets + assisting teachers in setting up and
taking down the transects (i.e. 16m long string and sticks) [Note:
Everyone is responsible for taking down and furling their own short
strings and sticks]: 4 people (Ben M. and Elise B. / Audrey W. and Jodi
Ann W.)
- ph, soil moisture, and light intensity metres measurements:
(Transect #1): Puneet T. and Elizabeth S. (pH and Soil)
Andrew M. and Carol C. (Light)
(Transect 2): Jimmy H. and David N. (pH and Soil)
Annika T. and Jelena D. (Light)
- carrying shovels and digging soil profile holes near Quadrat 1 for
Transect 1 and near Quadrat 9 for Transect 2) , testing pH (using pH
paper) of water table and / or nearby sitting water, and collecting soil
samples 4 inches (10 cm) below the surface:
(Transect 1): Kate B. and Miranda V.
(Transect 2):Nancy D. and Mia C.
- Slope calculation (using sticks, string, and level):
(Transects 1 & 2): Ben M. and Andrew M. and Carol C. and Kate B.
- Lat. and Long. + elevation: (Transect 1): Ben M.
(Transect 2): Bob Y.
Task List continued
- Soil sample testing for pH, nitrogen, phosphorous, and
potash and Measuring mass of soil samples and sphagnum
moss samples before and after drying:
Tues. Sept. 29– 3:10pm to 5:00pm
Angelo L. and Puneet T. and Jimmy L. and Miya W. and
Tina H.
Wed. Sept. 30– 3:15pm to 4:00pm
Angelo L. and Puneet T. and Jimmy L.