Spring Quarter 2009 Jessica Lawson Amanda Holland

Table of Contents Slide Title 1Title Page 2Table of Contents 3List of Tables 4Abstract 5Introduction 6Literature Review 7Methods and Materials 8-14Data Conclusions 17Bibliography

List of Tables Slidetitle 8Light Intensity 9Air Temperature 10Soil Temperature 11Percent Relative Humidity 12Wind Speed 13Average # of Plants Seen 14# of Plant Species Seen

Abstract Holland, Amanda J., Lawson, Jessica A. 1 June, 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 Ecology s/bio303/index.htm Carter, Jan Ecology Environmental Factors Protocol.