Plants in the Human-Altered Environment (PHAE): Background, Module Instructions, & Plot Data
In this project, you will learn how plant community structure and function vary across landscapes and will compare data from your area to other sites.
PHAE is composed of easily digestible units called Modules (see links below). The core modules (Modules 1 and 2) contain specific directions to identify and characterize a study site and plot wherever you are located, from campus to urban and rural landscapes. Additional modules can be implemented, depending on the number of sessions or amount of time that you have to dedicate to this project. Once the plots are set up, you can even develop your own modules based on the plot infrastructure. Let us know if you want to share your new module with the rest of the ecological community!
Prior to participating in this Project, we request that all instructors indicate their use of PHAE by completing a short survey about your course. Upon receipt of your responses, we will send a link to a document that contains tips on implementing the project.
Background – Read these documents to get an introduction to structure and function of different land covers and the importance of monitoring changes across time and space. We also introduce two organizations, the Ecological Research as Education Network (EREN) and the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON), that have programs for collecting and providing (free) data about plants across landscapes. Last, we provide an initial research question that guides users through several PHAE Modules, recognizing that instructors and students can also generate their own research question. We assume that each instructor will guide students through the research process.
Instructions – The instructions are in the form of a readable GoogleDoc, with links to videos to demonstrate techniques. You can download the GoogleDoc as a PDF or other file format to access when not in contact with the internet or phone service.
Data spreadsheet template – To ensure that variables remain consistent for cross-site comparisons, please use the template to organize and contribute your data. The template is a readable GoogleSheets file from which you can make a copy, rename for your class, and share with students to enter their data. Students should first review the metadata for each variable, indicating variable name, units, and description. Once your class’s data are entered and proofed, please share the data file with the PHAE gmail account so that we can add your data to the other sites, including sample data from EREN and NEON sites (“Compiled data” files).
Background
- Landscape structure and classification
- Long-term ecological monitoring: EREN, NEON, et al.
- Research question
Module 1 – Identify and characterize your study site (online)
Module 2 – Identify and set up your plot(s) (outdoors)
Module 3 – Characterize your plot
- Instructions
- PHAE – Plot data
- Compiled data from participants and sample NEON sites
Module 4 – Number, tag, and map woody plants
- Instructions
- PHAE – Woody stem data
- Compiled data from participants and sample NEON sites
Module 5 – Identify woody plants
Module 6 – Measure woody stems and classify growth form
- Instructions
- PHAE – Woody stem data
- Compiled data from participants and sample NEON sites
Module 7 – Calculate average diameters and basal area for woody plants – forthcoming
- Instructions
Module 8 – Calculate aboveground biomass (AGB) – forthcoming
- Instructions
Module 9 – Calculate diversity – forthcoming
- Instructions
Module 10 – Ethnobotanical special topic – forthcoming
- Instructions
In support of the mission of the Ecological Society of America, this project reflects the Four Dimensional Ecology Education (4DEE) Framework’s core ecological concepts through its utilization of individual tree parameters (e.g., species, dbh, height, biomass) to evaluate and compare population size, potential carbon-sequestration, and community diversity in plots across different ecosystems and landscapes. PHAE enhances ecological skills through collaborative fieldwork (both on-site and virtual), communication across institutions, and the use of standard yet low- or no-cost approaches to measure plant and site characteristics, as well as the use of technological platforms like GoogleEarth, GoogleSheets, and R to share and analyze data. Variation in plot sizes will mean that students have to consider the significance of scale in their analyses, and this project will encourage students to examine the effects of humans on landscape features, plant-site interactions, and impacts on ecosystem services.