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Select an area
or habitat that has some diversity of vegetation. Ideally this
habitat would have some mix of grasses, broad leaf plants, shrubs,
and trees. You can choose just about any size area, but you
probably should designate an area that is at least 25m x 25m.
What do you
know about the history of your study site? Is it a remnant of a
larger woodland? How has the land use changed near your site over
the past 50 years? What is your evidence and source(s) of
information?
How is the
habitat managed (e.g. evidence of mowing grass, cutting trees or
shrubs, application of fertilizer, herbicides, or pesticides)?
What is your evidence and source(s) of information?
What are the
annual averages of rainfall and temperature for your site? What is
the annual average of snowfall for your site? What is your
evidence and source(s) of information?
Has your site
experienced a major windstorm, ice storm, flood, drought, or fire
in the last 50 years? In the last 10 years? What is your evidence
and source of information?
Does your
site have an invasive organism? When did the invasive organism
first appear? Where did the invasive organism come from? How did
it get to your site?
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Describing
Your Site
Draw a map of
your site. This may be a sketch, a detailed map that shows
dimensions and topography, or a GIS map generated from GPS
recordings.
What surrounds
your site? Generally, describe the surrounding land that you can
see from the middle of the site.
How would you
generally describe the most obvious vegetation in your site?
Wooded? Mostly shrubs? Mostly grasses and broadleaf plants?
How would you
describe the soils in your site? Wet or Dry? Sandy? Leafy?
If most of the
plants in your site were leafed out and you were sitting in the
middle of the site, would it be sunny or shady?
Map the
location of each tree and shrub on the map of your site. Include
the location of patches or areas that are grasses and or
broad-leaf plants.
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What types or
species of trees, shrubs, grasses, or broad-leaf plants are
present at your site? Which of these species of trees, shrubs,
grasses, or broad-leaf plants are native to this area? Which are
not-native to this area?
What are the
relative abundances of the different types of trees, shrubs,
grasses, or broad-leaf plants at your site? Which is the most
abundant? Which is the least abundant?
What are the
relative ages of the trees at your site? Size (especially the
trunk diameter at chest height) is a relative indicator of age.
Are most of the trees at your site larger and older or smaller and
younger? Does this depend on which species of tree that you’re
looking at (e.g. Burr Oaks compared to Silver Maples)?
Can you compare
the diversity, relative abundance, and age of the trees at present
with any historical information? If so, how have these aspects of
the site changed from past – present?
Based on the
species present at your site and what you know about their
relative abundance, their relative age, and their environmental
sensitivity (e.g. can that species survive, grow, and reproduce
under a wide or a narrow range of conditions) which species at
your site would be more vulnerable than others to invasive
organisms? How? Why? What is your evidence?
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How has the
distribution of garlic mustard changed following its introduction?
Is the density
of garlic mustard increasing, decreasing, or staying about the
same? Note opportunities to use management as a variable comparing
managed and unmanaged areas.
Is garlic
mustard affecting the growth, density, or distribution of other
vegetation? Note this could be native and / or other invasive
species.
Is garlic
mustard affecting the phenology of any organisms in the habitat?
What habitat
characteristics may increase or decrease opportunities or
likelihood of future establishment after introduction? Opportunity
to gain predictive insight with management implications or in
other words what are some of the most vulnerable (in terms of
susceptibility to establishment of garlic mustard) areas of the
school forest.
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