Multidisciplinary
ecology – teaching
using GIS.
William J. Cromartie
NAMS
Richard Stockton College
PO Box 195
POMONA NJ 08240
Email jamie.cromartie@stockton.edu
1
ABSTRACT
•
With support from the National Science Foundation, Division of Undergraduate
Education, Stockton College’s Environmental Studies Program has developed a
set of core courses that use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as an
integrative tool to teach basic ecology along with physical geography and
environmental issues. These courses include ongoing field studies that show
how biological and physical data are combined to understand environmental
processes. Students in ecology lab choose one of several continuing projects to
work on throughout the term. Among these are studies of shrub stem
demography in burned and unburned sites, shrub-layer phenology in uplands
and lowlands, effects of past land use on vegetation on the campus, and
colonization of litter of different trees by soil macroinvertebrates in uplands and
lowlands. Automated monitoring stations located in oak-pine upland and
Atlantic white cedar lowland sites provide data on weather, light, soil
temperature, soil moisture, and groundwater levels. Students collect data using
Global Positioning System (GPS)-datalogger units, allowing direct input into
GIS. Course materials, including an introductory manual for GIS, are included
on the Environmental Studies website
www.stockton.edu/~cromartw/ccdgrant/ccdhome.htm
2
Environmental Core Curriculum
Introduction to
Environmental studies
(Freshmen only)
Physical
Geography
Ecological
Principles
Environmental
Issues
Lab
Maps and Map Scale
Basic Data Analysis
Spreadsheets, GPS, GIS
Lab
Sampling and Comparison
Project Design
Data Collection and Presentation
Lab
Issue Presentation
GIS Concepts
GIS Project and Presentation
Labs progress through the core sequence from analyzing simple data (Geography) to designing parts of
continuing studies (Ecology) to individual student projects (Issues). Students see the same types of spatial data
at each level.
3
Campus GIS Database
Link to GIS website:
http://www.nemo.stockton.edu/
These data, along with county
and state-level data are
accessible in the GIS
laboratory in ArcView
and ArcInfo
4
Monitoring Stations
http://www.stockton.edu/~cromartw/iligrant/ilihome.htm
•
•
•
Three remote monitoring stations
have been established on the
campus, one (Kennedy Farm) is in
an open old field site.
One is in an oak/pine upland forest,
and one is in an Atlantic white
cedar lowland swamp (shown).
All three sites are equipped with
Campbell Scientific CR-10
dataloggers, with sensors attached
to monitor a range of
environmental variables.
5
Monitoring Station Plan
Not shown are soil moisture
and soil temperature sensors
placed with litter bags at two
sites for each station
6
Upland Monitoring Station and
Datalogger
7
Monitoring Station Data
Air Temperature, Feb. 1-14 99
25
Upland 30'
15
Upland 15'
10
Upland 2'
5
Lowland 30'
0
Lowland 15'
-5
Lowland 2'
-10
14
13
12
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
-15
Day
Temp. Deg. C
20
Time
8
Monitoring Station Data
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
-100
PAR30'E Upland
PAR15'E Upland
PAR2'E Upland
PAR30E Lowland
PAR15E Lowland
14
13
12
11
10
9
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
PAR2E Lowland
Day
PAR micromoles/cm sq/sec
Photosynthetically Active Radiation, Feb. 1-14 99
Day
9
Monitoring Station Data
7.5
7
6.5
6
28
26
24
23
21
20
18
16
15
13
12
10
8
7
5
4
2
5.5
Day
Height Above reference
Upland Water Table Depth (ft) Feb. 99
Day
10
Physical Geography Lab
http://www.stockton.edu/~epsteinc/webber/geolab2.htm
Laboratory Purpose
Measuring, monitoring and analyzing weather, soils, floral and hydrologic parameters.
1) field techniques
2) map & atlas analysis techniques
3) remote sensing - GPS (Global Positioning Systems) and monitoring stations
4) computer analysis - Spreadsheets and GIS (Geographic Information Systems).
List of Laboratory Exercises
Environmental Field Work I
Netscape Exercise
Spread Sheet Analysis
Introduction to Topographic Maps
Map Data Acquisition
Global Positioning Systems (GPS)
Microclimatology
Aeration Zone Hydrology
Environmental Field Work II
Water Budget Calculation
11
Topics for Ecology Lab Projects
Detailed information at:
http://www.stockton.edu/~cromartw/ecologylab/labproj.html
•
Relation of present vegetation to
past land use on campus
•
Demography of shrub stems in
disturbed and undisturbed sites:
control-burned vs. unburned plots.
•
Phenology of Pine Barrens shrubs
in relation to weather and habitat
•
Aquatic organisms, especially
plankton, in Lake Fred
•
Litter decomposition and fauna in
upland and lowland sites
•
Spatial pattern of trees
•
Ages of trees in pine forest
•
Populations of Quercus in upland
sites
•
Aquatic macroinvertebrates in
streams
•
Lichen distribution
•
Bird (or squirrel) utilization of
upland and lowland habitats
•
Photosynthesis in shrubs
12
Projects 1998-1999
• The following are samples from student projects
in the Ecology Lab, spring semester, 1998 and
1999.
• Detailed results of most projects can be found at
http://www.stockton.edu/~cromartw/ecologylab/project_results/
• An MS Word version of many of the final papers
from 1998 is available as Stocktonia at the same
site
13
IMPACT OF CONTROLLED FIRE ON
DEMOGRAPHY OF SHRUB
STEMS
• Patterns of shrub stem growth, survival and reproduction
in controlled-burned and unburned upland environments.
• Individual plots (mostly lowbush blueberry and
huckleberry) have been marked in two sites: an unburned
oak-pine forest and an adjacent tract of forest controlled
burned in spring 1998.
• Plots are sampled for shrub stem biomass, stem age and
stem survival.
14
Shrub Demography Project
#
#
# #
#
#
#
#
Bo Burned
un #
Unburned
Ma dary
rch of
19 c on
#
9 8 tro
(ap l b
pro urn
Upland monitoring station
x)
#
#
Plot4.shp
Plot3.shp
Plot2.shp
Plot1.shp
Tower.shp
Rdspaved
Rdsdirt
Path
Buildings
Draindt
Lakes
Stream
Boropits
Campusbd
N
W
0
200
E
400 Meters
S
15
Age-V. corymbosum
6
1998 Shrub Ages
Age-G. frondosa
6 0
3
5 0
5
5
1
1
Age
4
2
4
7
# found
3
3
2
3
2
8
3
1
1
0
2 0
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
# found
Undisturbed site
Disturbed site
1 0
Age - V. vacillans
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
5
Age
Disturbed
3
6
Age-G. baccata
5
3
5
3
2
7
2
11
4
# found
6
19
23
Age
12
3
20
16
23
33
25
2
21
3
0
1
10
78
39
5
5
39
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
60
3
0
31
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Age
Disturbed site
Undisturbed Site
45
50
55
60
65
70
75
80
85
90
95
100
105
# found
Disturbed Site
Undisturbed Site
16
1999 Results
Biomass per Site
200
180
Undisturbed/Clear cut
160
Burned/Clear cut
Undisturbed/Uncut
Biomass in grams
140
Burned/Uncut
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
G. baccata
G. dumosa
G. frondosa
Species
V. corymbosum
V. vacillans
17
LITTER DECOMPOSITION & LITTER
FAUNA
• Decomposition of different litter types in upland and
lowland environments.
• Forty-eight litter bags, made of fiberglass window
screening, in two sites: an oak-pine forest and an Atlantic
white cedar swamp.
• There are three bags of four types of litter at each of two
locations at each site.
• Each site has two moisture sensors and a temperature
sensor monitored continuously by the Campbell CR-10.
18
Litter Decomposition & Fauna in Uplands and Lowlands
Litter_b
Tower.shp
Rdspaved
Rdsdirt
Path
Buildings
Draindt
Stream
Lakes
Campusbd
#
#
#
# #
Lowland Monitoring Station
#
#
Upland monitoring station
N
W
0
200
E
400 Meters
S
19
1998 Litter Fauna Upland
Microfauna Found at Upland Sites in 97 & 98
250
200
Number
150
Spring 97
Spring 98
100
50
op
te
ra
He
m
Ti
ck
s
Th
rip
en
te
pe
de
C
An
ts
s
ip
te
ra
e
D
Sp
id
er
or
pi
on
s
Be
et
le
Ps
ue
do
sc
M
ite
s
bo
la
e
ol
le
m
C
Fl
y
la
rv
ae
0
Organisms
20
1998 Litter Fauna Lowland
Microfauna Found at Lowland Sites in 97 & 98
250
200
Numbers
150
Spring 97
Spring 98
100
50
op
te
ra
He
m
Ti
ck
s
Th
rip
en
te
pe
de
C
An
ts
s
ip
te
ra
e
D
Sp
id
er
or
pi
on
s
Be
et
le
Ps
ue
do
sc
M
ite
s
bo
la
e
ol
le
m
C
Fl
y
la
rv
ae
0
Organisms
21
LITTER DECOMPOSITION
DEC 98 - APR 99
% change
16.0
14.0
Maple
Low 1
Maple
Low 2
12.0
Cedar
Low 2
10.0 Cedar
Low 1
Maple
Upl2
CedarMaple
Upl1 Upl1
8.0
6.0
4.0
2.0
Pine
Low 1
Oak
Low 1
Cedar
Upl2
Oak
Upl2
Oak
Upl1
Pine
Oak Low 2
Low 2
Pine
Upl1
Pine
Upl2
0.0
22
PHENOLOGY OF UPLAND AND
LOWLAND SHRUBS
•
Patterns of plant growth and reproductive activity in
upland and lowland environments. Possible long-term
effects of climate change
• Individual clones of several shrubs, including highbush
blueberry and huckleberry have been marked in two sites:
an oak-pine forest and an Atlantic white cedar swamp.
• Each site has air temperature, relative humidity, rainfall,
photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), and soil
moisture and temperature sensors.
23
24
1998 Results
•
Average Daily Temperatures for Upland and Lowland Areas
25.00
20.00
15.00
10.00
5.00
0.00
Uplands
Lowlands
25
4/6/98
4/5/98
4/4/98
4/3/98
4/2/98
4/1/98
3/31/98
3/30/98
3/29/98
3/28/98
3/27/98
3/26/98
3/25/98
3/24/98
3/23/98
3/22/98
3/21/98
3/20/98
3/19/98
3/18/98
3/17/98
3/16/98
3/15/98
3/14/98
3/13/98
3/12/98
3/11/98
3/9/98
3/10/98
3/8/98
3/7/98
3/6/98
3/5/98
3/4/98
3/3/98
3/2/98
-5.00
3/1/98
Degrees Celcius
In the beginning weeks, the
vegetation growth was
following the regular phenophases
for all four shrubs.
• In late March, temperatures rose
considerably above normal for about
a week
•This elevation in temperature
advanced the shrubs phenology in
the uplands.
• The lowland bush however, did
not experience the
advancement.
• All shrubs in the upland area, first
grew leaves then
following, flowers.
1999 Results
• Blueberries flowered
much earlier last year
than this year.
• This could be due to
the greater accumulation of growing degree
days and a higher
total precipitation.
• Average temperature
was also slightly
higher.
1998 & 1999 Growing Seasons
200
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
1998
1999
Aver. Temp.
Growing Total Precip.
Farenheit Degree Days March-April
March-April
(mm)
26
1999
Both species grew
quicker in length in the
transitional area.
Average Flower Bud Growth for
Gaylussacia frondosa
7
6
5
Upland
Transitional
Lowland
4
3
2
1
0
3/22/99
3/29/99
4/5/99
4/12/99
Average Flower Bud Growth for
Vaccinium corymbosum
12
10
8
Upland
Transitional
Lowland
6
4
2
0
3/22/99
3/29/99
4/5/99
4/12/99
Blueberry buds in
this zone averaged
2mm longer than
the buds in the
other sites. 27
Effect of Past Landuse on Modern
Vegetation
•This project is intended to study whether past landuse is a
good predictor of current vegetation when other
environmental factors, such as soil type are the same.
• We are investigating areas of Downer soil type on the
Stockton Campus.
•We hope to compare our results to those of Motzkin, G. et al.
1996. Controlling site to evaluate history: vegetation patterns
of a New England sand plain. Ecological Monographs 66:
345-367.
28
Landuse and Vegetation Project
1998 summer &
1999 Groups 1 & 2 study area
#
#
#
# #
#
#
##
#
#
##
#
#
#
#
#
#
Group 2 study area
###
# #
# #
##
#
Plot.shp
Habitat.shp
Sample_p.shp
Plot.shp
Tower.shp
Rdspaved
Rdsdirt
Path
Buildings
Draindt
Stream
Lakes
Boropits
Campusbd
N
Group 5 study area
W
0
1
E
2 Kilometers
S
29
Campus Orthophoto
30
1998 Group 2 Undisturbed Site
Importance Value Undisturbed
40
35
30
25
# found
20
relative dominance
15
10
5
un
kn
ow
n
in
ea
oc
c
Q
.c
.e
ch
in
at
a
P
gi
da
.ri
P
Q
.v
el
ut
in
a
D
.u
nk
no
w
n
L.
un
kn
ow
n
Q
.a
lb
a
0
31
1998 Group 2 Disturbed Site
Importance value-Disturbed
50
80
45
70
40
60
35
50
30
25
40
20
# found
relative dominance
30
15
20
10
10
5
0
0
P. rigida
Q. alba
Q. prinus
Q. falcata
unknow n
32
Group 5 Plot Data
Basal Area
100000
90000
80000
70000
Basal Area
60000
Pitch Pine
White Oak
Dead White Oak
50000
Scarlet Oak
Dead Scarlet Oak
40000
30000
20000
10000
0
plot #1
plot#2
plot #3
plot #4
Trees
plot #5
plot #6
33
1998 GROUP 5 -THE MYSTERY OF
THE WHITE OAKS
Percentage of Oaks Alive In Study Areas
100%
Percentage Alive
• Discrepancy Observed
Only For White Oaks
• 100% White Oaks
Alive In Plowed Area
• 16% of White Oaks
Alive In Unplowed
Area
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
Series1
30%
20%
10%
0%
Unplowed
Plowed
Study Area
34
1998 GROUP 5 - THE MYSTERY OF
THE WHITE OAKS 2.
Average Oak Diameter (in cm)
11.9 cm
• Average Diameter For
Dead White Oak:
12
Diameter in Centimeters
• Average Diameter For
Live White Oak:
10
8
6
Series1
4
2
0
Plowed
Site
Unplowed
Site
Study Area
9.9 cm
35
SUCCESSION
• Percentage of Oaks
Found In The
Plowed/Pine Area:
Successional Changes
35%
25%
34%
20%
15%
10%
Series1
0%
Pines In
Unplowed
Area
5%
Oaks In
Plowed
Area
Percentage
30%
Study Area
• Percentage Of Pines
Found In The
Unplowed/Oak Area:
9%
36
1999 STUDY SITES
1999 Soil Pits
• For determination of
plowed/unplowed
soils, the soil horizons
were examined.
• If unplowed, there
were distinguishable A
and E horizons.
• Plowed soils had
mixed A and E
horizons .
• Soil pits were dug
about one foot deep
and three feet wide.
38
1999 Importance Values
Importance Value
Importance Values: Unplowed versus Plowed
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Imp Value Unplowed
Imp Value Plowed
a
a
a
m
ta
ta
lia
us
da
na
dic
ine
lla
alb
idu
ifo
ina
rin
igi
uti
c
e
n
t
r
l
s
b
t
h
p
c
a
l
a
e
l
s
l
u
c
ri
e
us
co
s
us
sa
ia
sv
erc
ma
us
lm
us
Pin
fra
rcu
erc
cu
n
s
a
c
r
a
e
i
Qu
u
r
u
e
s
K
P
e
Q
s
Qu
erc
Qu
Sa
Qu
Qu
39
The Plankton of Lake Fred
• What are the
differences in plankton
species and
abundance, based on
samples obtained from
the spillways at four
separate locations on
Lake Fred.
40
Site Locations
41
Key Methods
• 100 - 200 liters of lake water were filtered through
a plankton net into a 20ml vial, or samples were
obtained by scraping submerged plants or other
objects
• pH, water temperature, and site conditions were
recorded at each site
• Samples were brought back to lab and preserved
with Lugol’s solution
• Species were then identified using a compound
microscope
42
Number of Individuals Found: Filtration Sampling
1998 RESULTS
Synedra
Tabellaria
Cladocera
Closterium
Eunotiaceae
Micrasterius
Asterionella
Oscillatoria
Naviculeae
Rhodophyceae
Netrium
Spillway3
91
21
8
5
1
1
1
28
0
0
0
Spillway 4
30
4
1
0
0
0
0
0
3
1
2
Spillway 6
2
3
0
1
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
Types of Species Found: Substrate Sampling
Synedra
Tabellaria
Cladocera
Closterium
Eunotiaceae
Micrasterius
Asterionella
Gomphonemaceae
Naviculaceae
Merismopedia
Oedogonium
Spirogyra
Cosmarium
Staurastrum
Oscillatoria
Mougeotia
Perdinium
Balbochaete
Triploceras
Batrachospermum
Netrium
Trachelomonas
Spillway 3
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Spillway 4
X
X
Spillway 6
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
43
1999 RESULTS
FILTRATION SAMPLES
Genus
Site 1
Cladocera
x
Closteria
x
Diatoma
x
Micrasteria
x
Netrium
Oscillatoria
Schizilothrix
Schizomeris
Spyrogyra
x
Staurastum
x
Synedra
Tab ellaria
x
Trachelomonas
x
Volvox
x
SUBSTRATE SAMPLES
Asterionella
x
Batracospermum
x
Cladocera
x
Closteria
x
Diatoma
x
Eunotiaceae
Micrasteria
x
Perdinium
x
Netrium
Oscillatoria
Schizilothrix
x
Schizomeris
Spyrogyra
x
Staurastum
x
Synedra
x
Tab ellaria
x
Trachelomonas
x
Triploceras
x
Volvox
x
Spillway 3
x
x
x
Spillway 4
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Spillway 6
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
44
Student Response
•
•
•
•
Student comments suggest that the lab projects are very demanding, especially
for those who have jobs
The most frequent difficulty is students who desert their lab partners, or don’t
carry a fair share of the work. Lab groups are required to maintain worklogs
and to report problems as they come up. Serious offenders are asked to either
drop the course or take incomplete grades and make up the work
Students commented most favorably on the mentors, students from previous
years who assist students, sometimes with continuation of the projects they
worked on
Surveys before and after implementation of this project show increases in
students’ perception that working with spatial data helps them understand
environmental problems, in their overall satisfaction with the methods used in
the core courses and in their sense of being prepared for advanced work
45
Evaluation
•
•
•
•
•
Versus conventional labs, students show an increase in self-reliance and
initiative in solving problems in the project-based lab
Gains in analytic abilities, ability to design experiments and to critically
review others’ work are more modest
Quality of the projects is showing a gradual increase as students build on past
work, but only when the instructor maintains steady pressure to do so.
Otherwise, students tend to ignore previous results
Technical skills with hardware such as GPS and software, including GIS, are
not acquired in a single-semester lab. With three core courses combined, a
majority of students do achieve competence during their undergraduate
careers. Many go on to specialized courses in these techniques and use them in
advanced research projects
Many students value formal presentation of their projects as preparation for
jobs and graduate school and see GIS and other software as a way of
producing professional-quality work
46
Next Steps - Ecology Lab
•
•
•
•
•
Increase the number of mentors available to help students with fieldwork and
data analysis
Help students analyze previous results in preparing their proposals and reports.
Involve students in follow-up to improve quality of the data and presentations
and to extend the results through independent study
Use the database functions of GIS to tabulate and analyze results, especially in
the landuse and plankton projects. Improve use of monitoring station data in
litter decomposition and phenology studies
Develop a garden of cloned blueberry and huckleberry shrubs at the Kennedy
Farm monitoring station/arboretum site to provide phenological reference
plants
Make greater use of Geographic Information Systems in the classroom portion
of the course, to help students see how to think about spatial data
47
Acknowledgements
•
•
•
•
Besides the National Science Foundation, I would like to acknowledge the
support of the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics of Stockton
College and of the Environmental Studies Program, especially Drs. Claude
Epstein, Ray Mueller, George Zimmerman, John Sinton and Weihong Fan
We received invaluable service from Dr. Bruce Grant of Weidner University
and Dr. Karen Kemp of the National Center for Geographic Information and
Analysis during this project
Without the tireless assistance of James Grant, the monitoring stations would
still be in their shipping cartons
Finally, I wish to thank the students in ENVL 2105, who were hardworking,
endlessly patient and generally enthusiastic through all phases of this project,
1996-1999
48