Download Seeing the Forest for the Trees

Seeing the Forest for the
Trees
An EET workshop
Key Point
• Taking too small of a data sample will
distort scientific data
• Lots of data gives the big picture
Why Are Forests Important?
• Beauty
• Resource
• Help the Earth
What is biodiversity in a forest?
• No 2 trees add up to more than 50%
• Example: in the first study we’re going to
look at, red oak and red maple add up to
68%
• This is not diverse.
Step 1: Download software and
data
• http://serc.carleton.edu/eet/forest/part_1.ht
ml
• Download Myworld GIS
• Download other files on this website
Step 2
• Lets look at
Auburn Land
Lab Data
(orange)
• It is not diverse
• Red Oak + Red
Maple = 68%
Species Distribution Auburn
American
White Oak
Beech
White Pine
2%
8%
4%
White Ash
2%
Sugar Maple
4%
Red Oak
34%
Black Oak
2%
Balsam Fir
2%
Other Oak
4%
Paper Birch
4%
Red Maple
34%
Look at Larger Area (green)
Together they show diversity
• No 2 species make up more than 50%
• Each green dot by itself does not have
diversity, but together they do