3. A group of rescarchers are investigating the impact that white tailed deer ha

Question

3. A group of rescarchers are investigating the impact that white tailed deer have on the woody plant species diversity in an old growth forest in upstate New York. To perform this experiment, the rescarchers mark off a two 10 x 10 mcter plots. In each plot, the researchers randomly survey 100 total individuals of five local species (A-E). Once these initial surveys are complete one of these plots is surrounded by a fence, which the deer cannot get past, and the other plot is left open so that deer may freely graze on the vegetation. After 4 weeks, the researchers return to these plots and again randomly survey 100 of these same species The table below contains the data that these researchers collected, as well as the calculated Shannon Index (H) for each plot. Use the information in the table to answer questions below. (6 points) Species Fenced (4 Open (0 weeks 10 28 Open (4 weeks Fenced (O weeks 16 25 39 20 100 1.381000548 19 23 35 15 100 1.507628435 38 42 20 100 1.353852112 Total 100 1.405351627 A. Based on the data provided, which species of plant do you hypothesize is the preferred food source for white tailed deer in this forest? Explain your answer Based on the data, one can conclude that the preferred food source for white tailed deer is Species C, because it indicates that all the dests, ate that species Based on the data provided, describe how the plots compare in terms of species richness 5 different species Species richness: the number of different species in the community C. Based on the data provided, which plot is the most diverse at the end of the experiment? Explain how you know Eenced(4 weeks) is the most diverse because it has the highest H D. Over time, white tailed deer are predicted to impact this ecosystem significantly. Propose a conservation mechanism to limit the impact of white tailed deer on old growth forests. Prevent hunting, add more food sources,

Explanation / Answer

(A) From the given data, we can see that when the plot is open the plant species that suffers the most by grazing is species C. The low number indicates that it is the most over grazed species and hence the preferred food source for white tailed deer in the forest. It can also be seen that in the fenced plot, species C revives its numbers when the deer do not have access to it.

(B) Species richness of a plot can be compared by their Shannon Indices.The Shannon diversity index (H) is used so as to characterize species richness (abundance and evenness) and diversity in a community. From the data we can see that, in the order of increasing species richness, the plots can be arranged as -

least Fenced (0 weeks) ? Open (0 weeks) ? Open (4 weeks) ? Fenced (4 weeks) most

(C) From the Shannon Index, we can see that Fenced (4 weeks) is the most diverse by the end of the experiment.

(D) Conservation steps that may help to limit the impact of white tailed deer on old growth forest are -

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