Prairie Field Trip Report

For the study, we will be heading to the Sugar Grove Nature Center located in Funks
Grove, Illinois. We will be answering the following questions: Is this a healthy prairie
environment? Is this location representative of a pristine prairie? The graphs below depict the
average precipitation and temperatures currently in the prairie.

We will attempt to answer these questions by the visual qualities of the prairie and the
quantitative results of the diversity of species in the prairie. The visual qualities would be
measuring the average height of the plants, taking sections of the prairie and recording different
plants, qualities of the soil, animals and insects. We will also be recording the differences
between sunlight and shade between two sections of the prairie. The diversity of the different
species also marks a healthy prairie, so recording the different plants we find in the squared off
sections would also be a piece of information needed to record our data.
A healthy prairie will look like a vast grassland with no wooded plants as well as many
flowers, insects, and some animals or animal manure. There would also need to be occasional
fires, herbivory, and weather events to disrupt the environment. The fires also help with
growing plants because some release pods that open when there is heat. On another note, the
roots of the plants at the prairie help keep erosion at bay and when they die then decompose to
fertilize the soil and start the nitrogen cycle.

The data we will be collecting would be the diversity of species for animals, plants and
insects. The quality of the soil would also be a piece of information collected to help determine if
it benefits the plants. By using a soil testing kit, we are able to determine the levels of Nitrogen,
Phosphate, and Potassium. Collecting this information would be difficult, especially when
determining the different species of animals and insects. So studying from far away and seeing
them go by would be one way to determine differences in species, as well as finding tracks
and/or manure. Checking for signs of previous disruptions would provide information to
determine if the nitrogen cycle functions correctly.

The Trip
Our trip to Funks Grove was on October 2nd, 2015. The temperature was 57 degrees
fahrenheit. Wing level was a 4 on the Beaufort Scale(small branches moving). The purpose of
our experiment was to look at the contrast between wildlife in the shade versus wildlife in the
sun. We found a spot with a lot of tree cover that provided shade. Our group first set up a 10m X
10m quadrat. The topography of our quadrat was flat. We split our group into two. One group
recording the wildlife in our quadrat, and the other, testing the levels of Potassium, Phosphorus,
and Nitrogen in the soil.

The Quadrat
The quadrat was heavily populated with a diverse set of plants. Not much animal life was
present. The brush was thick with foliage and very shady. Here are two panoramic photos:

Species

There were over 10 different plants species that the group could properly identify, along
with other miscellaneous animal life.. These species include but are not limited to:
Compass Plant
A population of this plant was scattered throughout the quadrat. This plant was found on the

northern side, which was the sunniest.

Common Teasel
These were found in a large group in the northwest corner of the
quadrat.

Cup Plant
These plant was found in the partly sunny area of the quadrat.
They were dispersed throughout the square.

Boneset
The Boneset in the quadrat was sparse. The few Bonesets that there were, were scattered in the

square.

Crab Apple Tree

There was one Crab Apple Tree in the shade. It was on the outskirt of the northeast side of the
quadrat.

Heath Aster
The Heath Aster lived in bunches on the northern side of the quadrat.

Obedient Plant
The Obedient Plant was found mostly in the full shade or partial shade of the quadrat.

Tall Goldenrod
These were found in groups spread out evenly in the quadrat.

Thistle
The population of Thistle was in a big vane stretching from the northeast to the northwest side of
the square.

Prairie Dock

These were found spread out all over the quadrat.

Rattlesnake Master
Found in the middle of the quadrat.

Moss
Green moss found on the ground on the southern side of the quadrat. Near the creek. Species of
moss unknown.

Snails
Because the area was next to a creek, many empty snail shells were found throughout the ground.

Abandoned Birds Nest

The nest that was found was hanging about 5 feet from the ground in the southeast side of the
quadrat. There were no eggs or any sign of life.

Bird Feather
Blue-Black feather found in the shady southern portion of the square. Species of bird unknown.

Worm
Very small white worm found in the middle
portion of the quadrat. Near the snail shells.

Human Life
There were a few signals of human life. Evidence of human life should be expected since this
area was open to the public.
Soda Can
A smashed soda can under a tree in the shady southern portion of the quadrat.

Metal Ring
An unidentifiable metal ring covered in dirt. Found under a tree in the shady south portion of the
quadrat.

Plastic

Small, thin sheet of white plastic/hard paper.

Data
The result of the soil sample taken from the
sunny patch was the same as the soil sample
from the shady patch.

The data regarding the plants and animals found in the shade differed slightly from that of
the data of the plants and animals found in the sun. The plant shannon index was slightly
higher(Sun H=1.579) and the animal shannon index was slightly lower(Sun H=1.19). The
average number of species of plants found in the sun was 10 species. The average number of
species found in the shade was 7 species. The average number of species of animals found in the
sun was 4 species. The average number of species of animals found in the shade was 3 species.