a scientific paper about grassland ecosystem

AN ANALYZATION OF THE ABUNDANCE AND DIVERSITY OF PLANT SPECIES IN GLOBAL STEEL SOCCER FIELD

GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEM, ILIGAN CITY

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A Scientific Paper

Presented to:

Prof. Karyl Fabricante-Dagoc

Department of Biological Sciences

CSM, MSU – IIT

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Presented by:

Mary Glydel P. Florin

In Partial Fulfilment of the course Bio 107.2

General Ecology Laboratory

Second Semester A.Y 2015-2016

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to express my profound gratitude to a number of people who cooperated in

performing the experiment. Aside from my effort as the researcher in completing this paper, the

accomplishment of this field sampling depended largely on the encouragement and guidelines of

many others. To my instructor, Prof. Karyl Fabricante-Dagoc, thank you for your extended

patience, and above all, to God be all the glory.

ABSTRACT

Grasslands are terrains with regular grass spreads, bushes and not very abundant secluded

trees. These grounds are predominantly utilized for cows eating and raising animals. The

fundamental motivation behind this study is to dissect the vegetation found on the chosen area.

Our point is to decide the species area curve, spread estimation of vegetation and density

estimation in the grassland community. Using quadrats for plot testing and the transect line for

transect inspecting strategies, information and results were recorded. A 10-m transect line was

laid and the 1 square meter quadrat was put toward the end of the 10m transect line and number

of species were tallied. Results demonstrate that the species area curve is directly proportional to

the quantity of species present, thus, the number species increases as the area sampled expands.

For the estimation of top spread, it is found that one species of plant is abundant than other types

of plant in the field. The thickness estimation yields similar results. The Species Richness during

the conduction of zonation and thickness estimation was 4 and the figured assorted qualities

record (Simpson's Index) worth is 0.4025 which suggests that the species in the Global Steel

Soccer Field Grassland ecosystem is diverse.

INTRODUCTION

Grassland ecosystem is a field where grasses are the dominant flora and is composed of

other plants, animals and micro-organisms that utilized the zone as their habitat. It occurs in

places which are excessively dry for a forest, but have sufficient soil water to support a closed

herbaceous plant covering that is lacking in desserts. In tropical and subtropical grasslands the

length of the growing season is determined by how long the rainy season lasts. But in the

temperate grasslands the length of the growing season is determined by temperature. Plants

usually start growing when the daily temperature reached about 50° F. (Sam M., 2000)

The intentions of this study are to train the students on the principles of plot and transect

sampling as correlated in ecological research and determine the diversity of plant species in a

grassland ecosystem, species area curve, cover and density estimates. This also aims to construct

a zonation diagram of a grassland ecosystem and helps the students to be able to illustrate the

connotation of different combined parameters. By using this method, important parameters can

be estimated and quantified which include the areas’ density, frequency and important value of

constitutive species.

In this experiment, the usage of plot sampling to analyse methods of vegetation will be

introduced. This method is utilized for acquiring tests samples of both terrestrial and aquatic

such as plants and slow moving organisms for example. Quadrat size will rely on the type of

vegetation to be sampled. For short grassland, a range from 0.5 to 1.0m2 quadrats is suggested

and 2m quadrats might be the minimum requirement for taller grassland and shrubby habitat.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A. Sampling Area

The fieldwork sampling was administered at Global Steel Soccer Field, Suarez, Iligan

City (Figure 1) on March 12, 2016, starting from 7:00 am to 9:00 am.

Figure 1. Actual photo of the grassland field.

In the preparation for the species area curve, each group in the class randomly selected

an area in the grassland field to be sampled. Plant species present in the subquadrat that is 10 cm

X 10 cm within the 1 square meter quadrat was counted and recorded. The size of the subquadrat

was doubled and the results were again recorded. The doubling and counting was repeated until

the number of species counted at each doubling of subquadrat size no longer gave any species.

In acquiring the cover estimation of vegetation, the area covered with grasses (top

cover) was visually estimated in each of the 1 m2 quadrat and the results were recorded.

a. Direct Estimation of Top Cover

The top cover was visually estimated by the students for the whole quadrat. The species

observed were recorded to the nearest percent, thus, the total for all species and bare ground

equalled to 100%.

b. Subquadrat Estimation of Top Cover

The results of the estimated percentage cover of each species found in the 25 of the 100

10 cm x 10 cm subquadrat were added and then the mean to obtain an estimate of the top cover

percentages for 1m2 quadrat was calculated.

c. 50% Method

In the 50% method, 100 subquadrats were obtained, thus, species in the quadrat occupies

greater than or equal to 50%. The summed values for this method often lie below 100% since

many subquadrats contain a species mix where no single species (or bare ground) will reach

50%.

d. Braun – Blanquet 5 Point Scale

The top cover of each plant species was estimated visually and the bare ground for the

five 1 m2 plot using the following scale:

+very rare less than 1%

1 rare 1-5%

2 occasional 6-25%

3 frequent 26-50%

4 Common 51-75%

5 abundant 76-100%

e. Domin Scale

The top cover was visually estimated of each species in 1 m x 1 m meter plot using the

following scale:

+ A single individual

1 Scarce, 1-2 individuals

2 Very scattered, cover small less than 1%

3 Scattered, cover small 1-4%

4 Abundant, cover 5-10%





9 Abundant, cover greatly than 75% but not complete

10 Cover practically complete

In deciding the Zonation and Density estimation, the calibrated 10 m transect line was

set down over the study zone by connecting two randomly selected points. Transect line must be

no less than 5m separation from those of different gatherings. The quantity of plants captured by

the transect line were checked and distinguished. Start toward one side of the line. It

incorporated those plants whose arial foliage overlies the transect line and those that are touched

by the line or blocked inside of a 1 cm portion of the line. The separation captured by every plant

in the line was measured with the utilization of the Tape measure. In making the Zonation

outline, sections were utilized to demonstrate the captured separation. Plant stature, kind of

substrate and profundity of standing water if present, might likewise be noted. Likewise, the side

and top perspective pictures must be illustrated.

In the density estimation, a 100 m transect line was established across the study area, that

is extending perpendicularly starting at one meter from the trail. A 1 m2 quadrat was plotted at

the end of each 10 m transect line with each of the species being counted. The quadrat was

repositioned at the end of the next transect line. Number of species was again estimated at each

new position in order for the total to be 10 sampling units or quadrats for the entire study area.

All observed data were recorded accordingly. Computation thus follows. (See figure 1b. in

Appendix A for the formula used in the computation.)

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Using the different measures that were applied as stated in the procedure, the following

varied data were obtained in the sampled area and are presented below. (see Fig. 2)

Fig. 2 Data for generating species area curve

Subplot Number Cumulative Area

Sampled (cm2 ¿

Number of

Species

Number of

New Species

Cumulative

Number of New

Species

1 100 2 0 0

2 200 2 0 0

3 900 2 0 0

4 1600 3 1 1

5 2500 3 0 1

6 3600 4 1 2

7 4900 5 1 3

8 6400 6 1 4

9 8100 7 1 5

10 10000 7 0 5

In light of the above information, it can be seen that the most astounding number of plant

species seen is 7 and it is found on subplot number 9 and 10. The most noteworthy number of

new species found in the region is one that implies that the zone was made out of various

individual plant species and the least of new species is 0. It doesn't imply that there is no species

in that subplot, it only shows that there is no new species being included the 1x1 - 3x3, 4x4 -

5x5, and 9x9 - 10x10 subquadrats.

0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 120000

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Number of Species

Figure 3. The Species Area Curve.

Number of species in territories 100, 200 and 900 square meters has an equivalent

number and afterward included with one new animal varieties in regions 1600 and 2500 square

meters. The quantity of species was included with consistently until it achieve the territories

8100 and 10000 square meters which has the same number of species found that is seven. Along

these lines, as the range gets bigger the quantity of species discovered increments.

On the estimation of top cover in the quadrat 1, it resulted that Species A has the highest

value estimated compared to that in the Species B-G (see Fig. 4).

Figure 4. Estimation of top cover in quadrat no. 1.

Species Direct

Estimation

Subquadrat

Estimation

50% Method Braun-

Banquet

Domin Scale

A 40% 48% 6% 3 7

B 25% 21% 14% 3 1

C 15% 16% 3% 2 2

D 3% 3% 0 1 +

E 7% 6% 0 1 +

F 7% 4% 0 1 2

G 3% 2% 0 1 1

Species 1 Species 2 Species 3 Species 4 Species 1

Species 1 Species 2 Species 3 Species 4 Species 1

In the above table, it can be inferred that Species A had dominated the area being

conducted in the sample compared to the other species B-G. Species A was abundant in the area

that the rest of the species from B-G.

The zonation diagrams below are constructed using the data collected for the zonation

and density estimation (see Appendix A).

Figure 5. Zonation diagram of plant species showing intercepted length covered by each plant.

Side view

Top view

Figure 6. Summary of data for density estimation.

Species Density Relative

Density

Dominance Relative

Dominanc

e

Frequency Relative

Frequenc

y

Importance

Value

A 2.3/m2 57.5% .66 66% 2 40% 163.5

B .9/m2 22.5% .17 17% 1 20% 59.5

C .5/m2 12.5% .07 7% 1 20% 39.5

D .3/m2 7.5% .1 10% 1 20% 37.5

Total 4/m2 100% 1 100% 5 100% 300

Based on the above table, Species A has the highest value compared to the other species.

It also has the highest density estimation and it can be inferred that Species A dominated in the

working area selected. The species richness of the area is 4 and the diversity index computed is

Simpson’s Index with the formula

D=∑i=1

R

Pi2 ; Where Pi is the proportion of each species out of the total number of

individuals recorded.

The computed value is 0.4025 which nearer to 0 and a little bit far from 1. Simpson’s

Diversity Index value of D ranges between 0 and 1. With this index, o represents infinite

diversity while 1, no diversity. The result tells us that there is a diverse species of plant species in

the grassland sampled.

CONCLUSION

The grassland ecosystem prepared the way of the students to encounter the principles of

plot and transect sampling and how it is used as applied in ecological research. These sampling

techniques enable them to get data to determine the species area curve, cover and density

estimates, and the diversity of plant species in a grassland ecosystem.

In the conducted study, taking into account the outcomes, the quantity of species present

in the sampled field ranges from 2-7. It can be gathered that the bigger the region, the bigger

number of species around the area, thus results show that species richness is directly proportional

to the area. In the estimation of top cover and the tabulation of raw data for density estimation, it

can be inferred that Species A had dominated the area being conducted compared to that of the

other species found within the transect line. Thus, species A was abundant in the area being

conducted and selected and had dominated it. Species A also had the greatest Importance Value

which could mean of it being the keystone species in the grassland ecosystem.

RECOMMENDATION

It is highly recommended to study the diversity and abundance of the grassland area

further to obtain better results especially in the Philippines to provide more information of the

different plant species in the grasslands and their abundance for future studies.

Few insufficiencies and some mistakes may include the uncertainty whether the plant

species present inside the quadrat were to be counted or left uncounted because half of its

entirety belongs inside the quadrat while the other belongs to the outside quadrat.

APPENDIX A

Figure 1b

C. Zonation and Density Estimation

Density of a species = No. of individuals of a species Total area sampled

Relative Density = Density of a species . x 100 Total density of all species

Dominance of a species = Total area covered by a species Total area sampled

Relative Dominance = Dominance of a species x 100 s Total dominance of all species

Frequency of a species= number of quadrats where a species occurs

Relative Frequency = Frequency value for a species . x 100 Total frequency of all species

Importance Value= Relative Density= Relative Dominance+ Relative Frequency

The data from the different sampling techniques on the species composition and number

of individuals per species was computed using the Simpson’s and Shannon- Weiner’s Indices

for measuring diversity.

D. Diversity Measurements

Simpson’s Index D=∑i=1

R

Pi2

Shannon- Weiner Index HꞋ = - ∑i=1

R

p₁ log p₁

Where, Pi is the proportion of each species out of the total number of individuals

recorded. It can also be computed and analysed using the PAST software for an easier way

Figure 2. Raw data for Species Area Curve

Subquadrat Number of Species

1x1 22x2 23x3 24x4 35x5 36x6 47x7 58x8 69x9 7

10x10 7

Figure 3. Raw data for Subquadrat Estimation of top cover

Species 1st subquadrat (%)

2nd subquadrat (%)

3rd subquadrat (%)

4th subquadrat (%)

A 44 43 43 63B 24 15 26 17C 16 32 16 0D 6 2 2 2E 6 5 5 9F 4 3 4 5G 0 0 4 4

Figure 4. Raw data for zonation and Density Estimation

Species Number of Individuals Height (cm)A 23 25B 9 85C 5 7D 3 77

REFERENCES

"Temperate Grasslands" Retrieved on April 3, 2016 from: http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/tempgrass/tempgras.html, (Oct. 2000).

"Grasslands", Retrieved on April 3, 2016 from: http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/biome/grasslan.html, (Oct. 2000).

“ Grassland Ecosystem” Retrieved on April 3, 2016 from: http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/grasslands.htm