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) • • • • 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 • • • • • 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 • • • • Seed removal transect 3 sites (habitats) 5 treatments (species) 300 “stations” – 60 replicates of each treatment