field study lab

Field Sampling/Ecology Name______________________

Regents Biology Per ________ Date___________

Lab # _______ A Field Study

Introduction

One of the best ways to learn biology is to do field work. Biologists often:

Use various sampling techniques
Identify and count various organisms they collect
Preserve specimen for future reference
Consider how abiotic (nonliving) factors in an environment affect the biotic (living) factors in an area

Purpose:

In this lab you will:

1. Study a meter square area in a field near school

2. Collect 5 plant specimens from your study area and identify them

3. Preserve your plants for future reference

Materials:

clipboard 1 large collection bag (to carry specimens) glue stick or tape

2 permanent markers 5 specimen bags (gal. Ziploc) wide clear tape

4 m length of string newspaper (to dry specimens) scissors

meter stick plant labels/specimen sheets identification books

4 bamboo stakes group card

Procedure:

Your teacher will assign you to a group and site number. Record the following information in the spaces provided:

Site number________

Group members: _______________________ _______________________

_______________________ _______________________

1. Assign jobs to members in your group.

Site Manager (1): _______________________

· Make sure all tasks are done and coordinated

· Set up meter square area (with help from group)

· Take down meter square area

· Report information to class at end of lab

Recorder (1): ________________________

· Label 5 specimen bags (Group Number, Specimen #)

· Record all field data including 2 sketches and site description

· Share data with group members back in classroom; your group is counting on you!

Specimen Collectors (2): _____________________ & ______________________

· Collect 5 different specimens & place them in correct specimen bags

Important: be sure to gather enough so each member of the group will have a recognizable piece to put in their own lab report later!

2. Recorder : With the permanent marker, label the 5 specimen bags (one for each

different specimen). On each bag, record your group number and specimen number.

group# - 1 group# - 2 group# - 3 group# - 4 group# - 5

3. Site Manager: Using a meter stick, measure out and cut a 4.5 - 5 meter length of string.

Neatly and loosely, wrap it into loop and place it into your Ziploc bag.

4. All: Remember to wear suitable clothing (jeans, sneakers). The grass will be extremely

wet in the morning. If you have allergies, be sure to take your allergy medication in the

morning. If you are allergic to bees, be sure to bring your epi-pen.

5. Bring the following items with you out to the field:

Site Manager: copy of lab, meter stick*, 4 bamboo stakes*

Recorder: copy of lab, clipboard, pencil

Specimen Collectors: copy of lab, large collection bag containing 5 labeled specimen bags, group card & 4 m string

* Your teacher may carry these items.

At the site:

6. Recorder: Survey the area and draw a sketch (aerial view) of the field. In the drawing, note the location of large features like hills, trees, wooded areas, bare areas, & buildings. Label your drawing with those features.

General Sketch of Field (Aerial View)

7. All: Choose a location. Your teacher will assign you to stay in a general area. Choose

an area with biodiversity (number of different species living in the same place). It

needs to contain at least 5 different types of plants. Use your meter stick, stakes, and

string to measure off and set up a 1-meter square area. This will be your study area.

8. Specimen Collectors: Locate 5 different plants in your study area. These will be the

plants you bring back to the classroom and identify using field guides. Take a significant

piece of each plant (including stem, leaves, and flowers) and place it in one of the

specimen bags. The number on its bag will then identify each specimen.

Data and Observations:

9. Recorder: The square below represents your study area. As each specimen is

collected (and bagged), indicate where it was growing in the study area by a drawing

corresponding “blob” in the blank square (as shown in the example below). Use the key

provided to shade in the different plant locations.

Example:

Key: Site# ______________

1 meter

specimen pattern

10. Characteristics of your study area:

a) Is it in the open or shaded by trees? _________________________________

b) Is in on a hill, flat area, or in a depression? ____________________________

c) What are the soil characteristics (rocky, sandy, wet)? ___________________

d) Do you see any animals (besides humans) either in your study area or in/above the field? If yes, list them.

________________________________________________________________

11. Specimen Collectors: Make sure you have enough of each specimen so that each

member of your group will be able to put a recognizable piece in their own lab report

later. Place the 5 specimens in the large collection bag with your group card.

12. Site Manager: Take down your meter square area. If previously instructed to do so,

give your teacher the string, 4 stakes, and meter stick.

13. All: Return to the classroom. Hurry back – there is more work to do!

14. Site Manager & Specimen Collectors: Copy the field data from the recorder’s lab packet into your own .

Table 1: Description of Specimens Collected

Plant	Description (flower color, leaf shape, height, overall form...)
1
2
3
4
5

15. All: Use a variety of reference books and identify at least 3 of the specimens.

Complete the following chart.

Table 2: Plant Specimen Identified

Plant	Common Name	Latin Name (Genus species)
1
2
3
4
5

Preserving the Specimens:

16. All: Preserve your specimens (by pressing and drying) according to the following

instructions:

Obtain the following materials (per group):

5 newspaper “folders”
10 sheets of plain white paper
1 large piece of construction paper
marker

For each plant specimen, do the following:

Open a newspaper “folder” and place a plain white piece of paper on one side of it
In pencil, write the specimen number on the white piece of paper
Place the plant specimen on the labeled white paper (arrange & spread out to flatten)
Cover the specimen with a second sheet of white paper and close the “folder”
With marker, write the specimen number on the outside of the newspaper folder.
Repeat for the remaining four specimens
Fold the construction paper to make a large folder. Place all 5 newspaper folders inside the construction paper folder. With marker, write your group number on the outside of the construction paper folder.
Your teacher will show you where to put your plant specimens for pressing and drying.

In a few weeks, your specimens will be ready to mount on specimen sheets (white paper with specimen labels) using glue and/or tape. Your teacher will give you further instructions at that time. These specimen sheets will be attached to your lab report.

Discussion/Conclusion: answer the following in complete sentences in the space provided.

1. a) What were some problems or difficulties encountered while doing this lab?

________________________________________________________________

b) How did you solve these problems?

________________________________________________________________

c) What would you do differently next time to make it easier to collect or identify

plants?

________________________________________________________________

2. Abiotic factors are nonliving aspects of an environment that determine what living

things can survive in the environment. What type of abiotic conditions do you think are

necessary for the survival of the plants in the field we visited.

_____________________________________________________________________

3. You were advised to choose an area for your study site that had biodiversity. Define

biodiversity and explain why it was best to choose a study site with biodiversity. (See p.2)

_____________________________________________________________________

4. Producers are organisms able to make their own food through photosynthesis.

Herbivores are plant eaters and carnivores are organisms that consume animals.

Complete the following questions by thinking about the field you visited.

a) Which type of organism was most abundant in the field (producer, herbivore, or

carnivore)? _________________________

b) List two producers in the field.

_____________________________, ___________________________

c) List three herbivores that might live in/around the field (guess if you did not actually see any).

____________________, _____________________, _____________________

d) List two carnivores that might live in/around the field (guess if you did not actually see any).

____________________________, _______________________________

5. How could information like this be used by scientists or business people?

_____________________________________________________________________

6. What were the three most common plants found in the field? (Your teacher will help you

gather class data.)

_____________________________________________________________________