Team+2

Specific Aims and Protocol

Do green spaces connected to larger green spaces (>150 Ha) preserve a greater diversity of native ant species than isolated small green sites?

 * ==Materials ==

Measuring tape [in meters] (1/group)

Nylon or cotton rope [1 meter with ends tied together to make square] (1/group)

Compass (1/group)

Brightly colored flags on stakes (16/group)

Index cards (20/group)

Clear packing tape [one side of index cards should be covered with tape to prevent leaks]

Bait: Tuna fish, peanut butter, cookie crumbs [or any food that will attract ants]

Sifter [this can be made - see images below - or purchased] (1/group)

Timer (1/group)

Camera

Aspirator with tubing and mesh (can be made - see images below) or purchased)

Ethanol rubbing alcohol [70%]

Eppendorf tubes [or other collection vials] (~30)

Data sheets

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Alcohol proof pen

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Small paper labels for sample collection

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Plastic funnel

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Microscope 20X - 40X (or hand lenses if microscope not available)

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Field guide to identifying ants in your geographical area || ==<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Procedure ==

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">1. Set up <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">2. Place bait on each index card (16)

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">3. Place cards at the base of each flag in grid

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">4. Record # ants and # of species at each card on <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">at two intervals: 30 minutes and 60 minutes

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">5. Collect a sample of each morphospecies seen at a site <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">(place in alcohol tube for later ID with label including 1. location <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> 2. habitat 3. names collected by )

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">6. While waiting, use hand collection techniques within a 10m <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">perimeter of the grid (do not disturb actual grid) - see details below

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">7. While waiting, record environmental variables - see details below

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">8. (Back in lab) Using microscopes or hand lenses, identify <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">genera of each morphospecies collected at each site

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">9. Record the number of distinct morphospecies collected at each site <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">and habitat in Data sheet

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">10. Analyze data to find patterns in diversity of species across sites <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">and habitats (see <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Data Analysis <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">) ||

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">To test this, we helped Amy collect ant samples and analyze species data, collected from three different types of habitats in Cambridge, MA.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Habitats included: <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Community gardens <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Forests <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Tall grass/wild flower prairies

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">We are interested in extrapolating overall ant population number as well as in documenting the composition of ant diversity, based on collections from isolated sites vs. those habitats that are connected to larger green spaces (>150 Ha).

=<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Protocol: =

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Materials details
<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">pre-measured rope to 6 meters

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">compass

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">bright colored flags numbered 1 - 16 <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">index cards (clear tape coated on one side) <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">smelly stuff:

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">peanut butter <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">cookie crumbs <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">tuna fish

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">sifter and collection tub <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; line-height: 0px; overflow: hidden;">

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">rope tied in 1 meter square

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">timer

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">camera

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">aspirator with tubing and mesh <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">measuring tape (meters), funnel and tweezers <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; line-height: 0px; overflow: hidden;">

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">data sheets, alcohol proof pen, and small paper labels for documenting habitat info for each ant collected

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">approximately 30, 1.5mL eppendorf tubes containing 750mL EtOH <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; line-height: 0px; overflow: hidden;">

=<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Procedure Details =

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Set up bait grid -- 6 x 6 meter square using flag markers and compus

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Place bait on each index card (16) place cards at base of each flag set 2 meters apart <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Observe ants on baiting grid after 30 min and after 60 min; count total number and number of species <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; line-height: 0px; overflow: hidden;">

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Hand collecting -- search outside perimeter of your flagged collection zone for ants and collect them into clearly marked tubes

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">During the 30 min and 60 min "breaks" continue with:

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Set up litter sifting area - outside your bait collection zone <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; line-height: 0px; overflow: hidden;">

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Make observations of your collection zone

__<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Documenting environmental variables: __

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">measure volume of litter (1m) - lay out 1m square and collect debris inside area, using the sifter.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">ID ground cover:

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">percentage (of zone) that is:

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">bare <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">herbaceous <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">litter <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">rocks <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">other <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">grass <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">human

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"># of plants in grid <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"># of trees in grid <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">height of tallest plant <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">canopy cover photo