NERDS 2012 Pre-Session #2
Content Lecture:
Flora and Fauna
Experimental Design
Jennifer Hollander
Ecosystems, again
Elevation at Portola ~4800 feet
Whitebark pine/
white fir
Lodgepole forest
Jeffrey pine
2
Plant adaptations in this region
• Ideal for conifers: numerous species, specially
adapted
• Many plants have shallow root systems to
absorb moisture from snowmelt
• Hot summers and cold winters
– Conifers have needles to withstand moisture loss
– Many shrubs have waxy coating on the leaves
• Fire adaptations
– Historic fires every 10 – 20 years, low-intensity
ground fires
• Adaptions for seed dispersal
Ponderosa Pine
(Pinus ponderosa)
• 3 needles per fascicle
• Long needles (4-8”)
• Cones about 5” long
with sharp prickle on
end (medium sized)
• Seeds winged, smaller
than Jeffrey or sugar
pine seeds
Jeffrey Pine
(Pinus jeffreyi)
• 3 needles (long)
• Cones larger (6-9
in) with inward
barbs
• Larger seeds, with
wings
• “vanilla” scent???
Ponderosa vs. Jeffrey
Sugar Pine
(Pinus lambertiana)
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Very long cones (~20 in)
5 needled pine
Mid-elevation
Very large, dark seeds
with frail wings
Western White Pine
(Pinus monticola)
• Long, cylindrical
cones
• Large winged seeds
• Needles ~3” long and
5 in a bundle
• High elevation
Whitebark Pine
(Pinus albicaulis)
• Very high elevation
(sub-alpine)
• 5-needled pine
• Cones purple when
ripe, don’t open
Lodgepole Pine
(Pinus contorta)
• Needles short (~2”
long) and in bundles of
2
• Cones small and have
sharp prickles
• serotinous cones
Fir Trees
(Abies spp.)
Red Fir
White Fir
• Cones disintegrate
when mature, stalk
remains on tree
• Soft needles
Douglas-fir
• Not a true fir…
• Different cone
shape
• Cones drop from
the tree
Bush Chinquapin
(Castanopsis sempervirens)
• Shrub ~4 ft tall with
slender, pointed
leaves
• Spiny cupule
enclosing 3 seeds
Greenleaf Manzanita
(Arctostaphylos patula)
• Twisted reddishbrown stems
• Oval, flat, shiny
leaves
Tobacco Brush
(Ceanothus velutinus)
• Oval leaves with
serrated edges
• White flowers
• Seeds ballistically
dispersed
Common berry-producing
shrubs:
Sierra gooseberry
Serviceberry
Sierra currant
Elderberry
Common threats to vegetation
Pine beetle
Mistletoe
Blister rust
Adaptations by animals to living in the
local climate (migrate, hibernate or tolerate)
• Behavioral adaptations:
– Burrowing
– Altering active times of day
• Diurnal
• Nocturnal
• Crepuscular
– Others
• Physiological adaptations:
– Entering torpor or hibernation
Yellow-pine chipmunk
• 36 – 50 grams (smaller
than others in its range)
• Drab brown
Lodgepole chipmunk
• 60-75 grams (medium
sized)
• More brightly colored
Long-eared chipmunk
80 – 100
grams
Townsend’s chipmunk
100+ grams
Golden-mantled ground squirrel
(Spermophilus lateralis)
• Striped back, but no
facial stripes
• Golden-brown neck
and shoulders
Deer mice
• Nocturnal
• Tan/grey back and
head, white
underneath
• Large ears
• Hanta virus
Common Freshwater Insect Larvae
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Mayflies – Order Ephemeroptera
Stoneflies – Order Plecoptera
Caddisflies – Order Trichoptera
Midges – Order Diptera, Family Chironomidae
Dragonflies/damselflies – Order Odonata
Ephemeroptera (Mayflies)
• Identification of Larvae
– Long posterior filaments
(ususally 3)
– Gills on first seven abdominal
segments
• Adults vestigial, live for
hours to days, non-feeding,
reproduction only.
– Hold wings vertically at rest
– Second set of wings smaller
than first
Plecoptera (Stoneflies)
• Identification of Larvae
– Two long cerci (appendages) on
posterior end
– Elongate flattened body
• Adults
– Elongate antennae
– 10 abdominal segments
– Wings long, membranous, and
fold over an around abdomen at
rest.
Trichoptera (Caddisflies)
• Identification of Larvae
– Caterpillar-like, build and live
in cases (silk + debris)
– Generally six legs on first
three (thoracic) segments
– Abdominal prolegs on
terminal segment.
• Adults
– Moth-like, but body and wings
with short hairs
– Wings tented (roof-like) in
vertical plane cover abdomen
at rest.
– Long antennae
Odonata (dragonflies/damselflies)
• Identification of larvae
– Long, hinged labium
– Large compound eye
– Short antennae
• Adults
Chironomidae (midges)
• Identification of larvae
– Worm-like
– C-shaped
– No true legs, but two pairs of
prolegs (one anterior, one
posterior)
• Adults
– Flies
Experimental Design
• Basic Requirements of an Experiment
– Different treatments are administered to different
groups of subjects.
– What does this mean in practical terms?
Experimental Design
• Treatment
– A classification, category, or factor.
• Group of Subjects
– A sample
– Numerical counts of key metrics
• Finally, replication is needed for statistical power
– Sample replication
– Treatment replication
Case Study #1
Case Study #2
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Seed removal transect
3 sites (habitats)
5 treatments (species)
300 “stations”
– 60 replicates of each treatment