User: | Open Learning Faculty Member:
Materials used in data collection include, 300m measuring tape for transect line and quadrant marking; as well as measuring distance from center of quadrant to species and DBH. Field journal and pencil ( not pen because ink has begun to freeze while writing due to cold temperatures). A compass to ensure my transect line ran from North to South. Activities have included me walking the randomly generated step to transect point in each substrate area. I then will walk the randomly generated steps between quadrants marking the area with bright green tennis balls ( they stand out well against the small amount of snow) Species distances and DBH are measured and recorded in field journal.
So far I have collected 10 replicates on bedrock, and 10 replicates amongst soil substrate. I have found my experimental design and methods easy to carry out without too many problems. The only difficulty I have found is trying to walk through thick brush with measuring tape , trying to keep line as straight as possible. I have noticed that along with jack pine frequency being more common on bedrock, the species also appears to be distributed heavily in higher elevations then the rest of the forest canopy. It seems as though jack pines have adapted away from the boreal canopy, thus away from species competition. I still expect to see relative frequency and distribution higher amongst bedrock though the variable of elevation may be contributing to this bedrock preference. That or the high drainage of bedrock with low soil and water content may have determining factors for Jack pine abundance.
