We recently used data provided to us that took a census of tree species regarding size and number in given plots of land. We graphed all of this data, and then the data of specific trees in order to observe the trends in the growth of the forests in these plots of land.
Full Group Data
|
Total Area=
|
3,000 sqft
| ||||||
Species
|
Saplings
|
Young
|
Adult
|
Mature
|
Old
|
Over-Mature
|
Species Density
| |
Black Birch
|
23
|
17
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
#VALUE!
| |
Dogwood
|
10
|
11
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
#VALUE!
| |
Tulip Tree
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
5
|
21
|
#VALUE!
| |
American Beech
|
8
|
17
|
5
|
7
|
16
|
3
|
#VALUE!
| |
Sugar Maple
|
578
|
58
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
#VALUE!
| |
Black Cherry
|
2
|
3
|
5
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
#VALUE!
| |
Black Oak
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
5
|
4
|
#VALUE!
| |
White Ash
|
0
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
5
|
#VALUE!
| |
Chestnut Oak
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
15
|
8
|
#VALUE!
| |
Red Maple
|
22
|
21
|
4
|
9
|
3
|
0
|
#VALUE!
| |
Sweet Gum
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
6
|
16
|
27
|
#VALUE!
| |
Total Tree Density
|
#VALUE!
|
Species
|
% Saplings
|
% Young
|
% Adult
|
% Mature
|
% Old
|
% over mature
|
Black Birch
|
56.09756098
|
41.46341463
|
0
|
2.43902439
|
0
|
0
|
Dog Wood
|
40
|
44
|
16
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Tulip Tree
|
16.12903226
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
16.12903226
|
67.74193548
|
American Beech
|
14.28571429
|
30.35714286
|
8.928571429
|
12.5
|
28.57142857
|
5.357142857
|
Sugar Maple
|
90.45383412
|
9.076682316
|
0.4694835681
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Black Cherry
|
14.28571429
|
21.42857143
|
35.71428571
|
28.57142857
|
0
|
0
|
Black Oak
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
55.55555556
|
44.44444444
|
White Ash
|
0
|
27.27272727
|
0
|
0
|
27.27272727
|
45.45454545
|
Chestnut Oak
|
3.703703704
|
0
|
0
|
11.11111111
|
55.55555556
|
29.62962963
|
Red Maple
|
37.28813559
|
35.59322034
|
6.779661017
|
15.25423729
|
5.084745763
|
0
|
Sweet Gum
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
12.24489796
|
32.65306122
|
55.10204082
|
We picked 5 different trees to show their spread across the sapling, young, adult, mature, old, and over mature size differences, in order to show when trees first show up in the forest. the more old trees that there are, the longer that those trees have been present, making them pioneer species. we picked Dogwood, Red Maple, Tulip Tree, Black Birch, and American Beech because they all have similar numbers of total specimens, but they vary in terms of size distribution. We can see that tulip and beech trees are among the first present, while red maple, black birch, then dogwoods followed.
In 50 years, this forest will have likely changed its dominant species. The ash, oak, tulip, and sweet gum all had mostly old and over-matured individuals in this plot, so they will likely be less present in the future. The two maple species both have many young individuals which will likely dominate the forest in the future, while the other species like beech, dogwood, and black birch will also be present, but not in the same numbers as the sugar maple. Contrast this to 50 years ago, when the beech, tulip, chestnut oak, and sweet gum were the only trees that were present in any sort of size, and we can see the changes that occur in a forest as it grows and develops. These changes happen because certain trees are better at growing in certain environments. We can assume from this data that the sugar maple needs a semi-established forest before it is able to thrive, while species like the tulip and sweet gum do better before other trees have come into an ecosystem and crowded them out. I’m completely confident with the data that we used in the lab because it was provided for us. There isn’t any source of error in identifying the trees, because this isn’t necessarily a real plot of land, just a set of data.
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