Hi flog!
As we have mentioned previously on the flog in all of the experimental plots we measure every plant every year. We mainly need to know if the plants are alive each year. We also measure various other traits, for example leaf length and number.
As you might suspect we don’t find every plant every year we call these plants “can’t finds.” To ensure that these plants really not there and we didn’t just miss them we search these positions again.
I have been working on going through the recheck data, cleaning things up a bit and fixing any problems. I have also calculated the re-find rate for three of the plots that we have measured. For p8 the re-find rate was 2.0%, in p679 which has hybrids of E. angustifolia and E. pallida planted in it, the re-find rate was a whopping 14.0%. Lastly in p1 which is our largest experimental plot had a re-find rate of 10.1%.
I find the range in re-find rates among the plots interesting, the low re-find rate in p8 would correspond with the higher mortality rate in this plot. P679 had the highest re-find rate at 14.0%, this plot was the first plot that we measured. I would suspect that over time we have gotten better at measuring and finding plants. If we measured these plots later in the season some of the positions that we recorded as can’t finds we would have found with more experience. This would lower the re-find rate.
Overall, I think that the team did a really great job at measuring and rechecking, it was a lot of work, but I think we worked hard and got things done very efficiently. I know the re-find rates aren’t actually that high, but I was somewhat shocked how high the rates were.
In other news I finished harvesting all of the heads from the remnants, and finished Demo at all of the sites other than near town hall.
I am heading down to Illinois at the end of the week, Stuart and I will be wrapping up field work this week. I am excited about the move and to start work at the Garden, but I am also sad to leave Minnesota. I have enjoyed being in the wide opened skies and the fresh air.
Until next time
Burr bye!
Mia
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