SHADE OUR SCHOOLS: FLORA & FAUNA POINT COUNT AND DATA PROTOCOLS STUDY PERIOD: JAN. 8, 2018 – FEB. 17, 2018 Challenge techniques are modified from these standard protocols http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw140 with FC-specific changes:
I. ESTABLISHING POINT COUNT STUDY SITES
SIZE of plots/study sites - radius of 20 feet.
TWO SITES will be established at each school’s grounds: o One containing at least one medium or large shade tree (DBH > 38cm (15”), larger is better) and ideally containing few or no shrubs. o One containing at least one shrub* but NO large trees (bigger than DBH 25cm (10”). * For the purpose of this study the term “shrub” is interchangeable with the term “bush,” meaning, a plant smaller than a full-grown tree, generally containing many woody stems rising from the base as opposed to a single central trunk. Shrubs often have stems and leaves very near to, or touching the ground.
Refer to instructional video on SOS page of Online Challenge Booklet for instructions on measuring your shade tree’s trunk and calculating DBH
CENTER of point count circle does not have to be a Tree or shrub.
IDENTIFY shade tree by scientific and common name (use common shade tree identification guide). Shrub does not have to be identified.
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II. CHOOSING EACH POINT COUNT SITE: 1) Identify general areas for sites based upon tree/shrub presence and Challenge requirements. 2) Measure largest shade tree DBH to determine if it is suitable for inclusion. 3) Mark the center of the circle with a flag – The radius must be 20 feet so determine the center based upon (a) including target tree/shrub (b) making sure not to intersect the two sites (c) trying to exclude roads or other potentially dangerous areas. 4) Measure and record where the center of the circle is relative to your target tree/shrub. This is vital for recreating the same point count plots multiple times without leaving flags outside. 5) Measure 20 feet straight out from the center in 3-4 different directions and mark boundary with flags. ONLY BIRDS WITHIN THIS BOUNDARY WILL BE COUNTED. AT EACH SITE VISIT, REMEMBER: Center and boundary of site circle can be marked with 3-5 provided flags in select places to give general idea of boundary. The entire outline does NOT need to be marked. Center of circle should be indicated on data sheet in relation to target vegetation so the same circle can be recreated as many times as needed (for example: note that the circle’s center is 1m east of the tree). The two sites should not intersect. Refer to instructional video on SOS page of Online Challenge Booklet for instructions on creating point count study sites.
III.MAPPING YOUR SITES ON PROVIDED DATA SHEET 1) Data sheet includes an area to roughly map where the center of your circles are relative to target tree/shrub and where circles are in relation to each other and the school building(s), parking lot.. 2) If there is a building on your map, mark it with a small RECTANGLE. A road can be roughly indicated with two parallel lines labeled “ROAD” 3) Mark the center of each study site with a small filled-in circle 4) Mark your target tree/shrub with a star. Mark each additional tree/shrub with a small “x” 5) Label tree site “TREE” and shrub site “SHRUB” 6) Refer to MAP OF STUDY SITE EXAMPLE to see how to complete this portion
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IV.POINT COUNT PROTOCOLS
Point count duration is 10 minutes per site, per visit, not including 2-5 minutes to be still and quiet before count begins.
Teacher and no more than FIVE STUDENTS should be within the point count site while counting. The rest of the class should be outside of the study site. Students not actively counting can be working on journal entries or looking for lizards just outside of the site boundary. See LIZARDS ON THE LOOSE PROTOCOLS
Remember to WATCH and LISTEN. A bird heard but not seen can be included in a point count. Binoculars are useful for trying to identify birds but observers should use their naked eyes first and then binoculars for additional details.
You can sit or stand while performing counts.
Only ONE PERSON will actively keep count by recording on the hard data sheet. One student per count should be the assigned time-keeper.
Any time someone other than the recorder with the hard copy of the data sheet sees or hears a bird the researcher tabulating should be quietly notified of the bird seen or heard.
When there are many birds present or several of the same species it can be difficult to determine if you are counting the same birds more than once, particularly with several observers. The researcher physically recording the data must make this determination.
Additional information can be gathered from the person who observed the bird and written on the data sheet once time has expired.
Ideally, both sites are to be visited during the same general time period, sequentially and in quick succession. If you have older students who are comfortable with the protocols and do not need to be closely supervised, counts can be performed at the same time at both sites.
Each site should ideally be visited at roughly the same time of day over the course of the study. Birds are most active in the morning so earlier is better. Do not perform counts if raining.
If the tree and shrub site cannot be visited the same day, please try to perform your point count at the same time on the following day.
MAP OF STUDY SITES Measurements can be given in METERS, FEET, OR STEPS Approximate distance of boundary* of TREE SITE from nearest BUILDING or ROAD (underline ONE):________________Unit________ Approximate distance of boundary* of SHRUB SITE from nearest BUILDING or ROAD (underline ONE):_________________Unit________ Approximate distance of boundary* of TREE SITE From boundary* of SHRUB SITE:
_________________Unit________
*measure from boundary point NEAREST to building, road, or other study site
SOS DATA SHEET: TARGET TREE AND SHRUB INFORMATION (PLEASE INCLUDE ALL UNITS) TREE SITE
TARGET TREE DBH________________________________________ TARGET TREE SPECIES______________________________________ HOW MANY OTHER TREES ARE IN THE TREE SITE?____________
SHRUB SITE
TARGET SHRUB MEASUREMENTS LENGTH___________________ WIDTH____________________ HEIGHT____________________ TARGET SHRUB DESCRIPTION
Is the shrub dense, sparse, or somewhere in-between?
Are there fruits or flowers present?
Are stems thorny or smooth?
_____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _________________________ HOW MANY OTHER SHRUBS ARE IN THE SHRUB SITE?________
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DATA PROTOCOLS I. Data will be recorded on paper data sheets while in the field. After the last site visit all data must be entered into google docs online REQUIRED for MIDDLE & HIGH SCHOOL ONLY. These google sheets will be sent out individually in January.
II. Shade tree species should be identified and recorded on first data sheet. If you cannot identify the tree using the resources provided, please send the following photographs to
[email protected] with subject line: SOS TREE ID: a. one photo of the tree from a distance b. close-up photos of a leaf, any flower, or fruit, c. close up photo of bark
III.Shrubs should be measured. If more than one shrub is present, include how many are in your site. Measure the shrub at its highest, widest, and longest points. Shrub does not need to be identified but should be described:
Is the shrub dense, sparse, or somewhere in-between? Are there fruits or flowers present? Are stems thorny or smooth?
IV.Birds identified as a particular species must contain description as to why it was identified as such. V. Each row on the data sheet is for an individual sighting. a. If multiple birds of the same species are sighted at the same time include that in the same row b. If you are not sure if multiple birds seen at the same time are the same species, record them individually c. For each sighting note: o
NUMBER OF BIRDS: HOW MANY you saw/heard
o
WHERE BIRDS WERE SEEN 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
On the ground In target tree/shrub In another tree/shrub Flying THROUGH site Flying OVER site a. Picture an imaginary column rising up from your point count circle boundary up into the sky. Any birds flying through this imaginary column should be categorized as flying OVER
POINT COUNT DATA SHEET HARD COPY SCHOOL: _____________________________________________________________ DATE:
TIME START:
TIME END:
SITE (CIRCLE ONE)
TREE
SHRUB
WEATHER (CIRCLE ONE)
CLEAR
PARTLY CLOUDY
OVERCAST
WIND (CIRCLE ONE)
STILL
INTERMITTENT BREEZE
WINDY
SCHOOL NAME AND LEVEL (CIRCLE ONE): BIRD DESCRIPTION OR SPECIES
ES MS HS NUMBER OF BIRDS
WHERE BIRDS WERE SEEN (in target tree/shrub, in another tree/shrub, flying through site, flying overhead, on the ground)
