University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
College of Biological Sciences
http://www.cbs.umn.edu/

All Methods

Log Out

Methods for Experiment 085 -

Animal Sampling Methods

Small mammal trapping in E085 is the same as that in E001.

Field Operations: Fencing

The plots in experiment B085 are enclosed by a fence to exclude mammalian herbivores. Galvanized welded-wire hardware cloth with 6mm x 6mm openings was buried to a depth of 84cm. Additional hardware cloth extends 60cm above the ground, and poultry netting extends to 1.8m above the ground.

Field Operations: Mammal Trapping

Small mammals are trapped as often as possible to keep the resident population low. A list of the number and kind of mammals taken from each field is in the small mammal documentation file. Pocket gophers are trapped out of the fields as soon as they appear. Gopher mounds are then removed and vegetation is unburied.

Field Operations: Other Notes

On May 5, 1995, a wildfire burned all of the plots in experiment 85 in field B.

Field Operations: Racking

Those plots receiving treatment 2 are raked lightly each spring to open up the soil to better receive seeds.

Sampling

Percent cover estimates were done in the fall of 1990 to get baseline data of the species present in each of the seven subplots in each plot before adding seeds and seedlings. Three of the subplots are 0.5m x 0.5m (subplots 5-7) and four of them are 0.25m x 0.25m (subplots 1-4). The plots will be "sampled" each year by doing percent cover estimates for each of the subplots in each plot. 1991: Percent cover estimates were done twice for each subplot in each plot during the field season. The first time was in July, the second in August. 1992: Percent cover estimates were done twice for each subplot in each plot during the field season. 1993: Percent cover estimates were done twice for each plot with the sample size being the entire 1m X 1m plot. Percent cover was not done on subplots because the plots were not subdivided this year.

Treatment layout : trmte85

Treatment codes: 1=Control 2=Lightly raked in spring 3=Seed of 30 species 4=Seed of 30 species + raked 5=Seed of 30 species + Schiz seeds (8000/m2) 6=Seed of 30 species + Schiz seeds (8000/m2) + raked 7= Seed of Schiz (8000/m2) + raked 8= Seedlings of Schiz

Field Identification Experiment Number Plot Number Treatment
B8518
B8523
B8534
B8541
B8554
B8565
B8576
B8586
B8593
B85105
B85112
B85123
B85137
B85143
B85157
B85165
B85172
B85182
B85198
B85206
B85217
B85224
B85234
B85247
B85258
B85262
B85275
B85282
B85298
B85306
B85311
B85326
B85336
B85345
B85352
B85364
B85371
B85384
B85395
B85407
B85418
B85421
B85431
B85443
B85451
B85463
B85477
B85488
 

Vegetation Sampling Methods

E085 is in field B. In 1990, percent cover estimates were done to get baseline data of the species present in the plots before treatments were begun. These plots will be "sampled" each year by having percent cover estimates done for each subplot in each plot. To do percent cover estimates in E085, a wooden frame 1m x 1m was built. The frame was divided into 7 portions, one representing each of the 7 subplots in each plot of E085. Three of the portions are 0.5m x 0.5m in size. The fourth portion, also this size, is divided once more into 4 smaller portions, each 0.25m x 0.25m in size. The percent cover of plants within each of these seven portions (subplots) was estimated for each of the 48 plots in E085. This frame fits over the rebars which mark the corners of the 1m x 1m plots and will be used each year in estimating percent cover of plants within the plots. Documentation of vegetation sampling for E085 can be found in the clipping section.