Insect lab results
1. What was the median number of arthropods found in the unvegetated microhabitat? 1 (2)
2. What was the median number of arthropods found in the vegetated microhabitat? 3 (2)
3. What was the median number of beetles found in the unvegetated microhabitat? 0 (2)
4. What was the median number of beetles found in the vegetated microhabitat? 2 (2)
5. What was the median number of ants found in the unvegetated microhabitat? 0 (2)
6. What was the median number of ants found in the vegetated microhabitat? 0 (2)
7. What was the p value for this statistical test for total arthropods? 0.00009 (2)
8. Was there a significant difference in the median number of arthropods found in vegetated versus
unvegetated microhabitats? Yes, significant difference (2)
9. What was the p value for this statistical test for total beetles? 0.0001 (2)
10. Was there a significant difference in the median number of beetles found in vegetated versus
unvegetated microhabitats? Yes, significant difference (2)
11. What was the p value for this statistical test for total ants? 0.29154 (2)
12. Was there a significant difference in the median number of ants found in vegetated versus
unvegetated microhabitats? Not significant difference(2)
13. Shannon – Weiner diversity index value for vegetated microhabitat 2.56 (8)
14. Shannon – Weiner diversity index for unvegetated microhabitat 2.66 (8)
15. Calculate (Your result from #13, above) / ln (Sv) where Sv is the total number of species captured in
vegetated microhabitat. 0.73 (2)
16. Calculate (Your result from #14, above) / ln (Sun) where Sun is the total number of species captured in
unvegetated microhabitat. 0.85 (2)
17. Which microhabitat had higher evenness? Note: if the results are quite similar, you can say that they
really were not that different in evenness. Unvegetated had higher evenness(2)
Rank Abundance Curve
0.3
Proportional Abundance
0.25
0.2
0.15
0.1
0.05
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
Abundance Rank
Vegetated Unvegetated
, 18. This graph shows that the vegetated samples (jars) had higher species richness because (what
demonstrates they had higher species richness) the blue line representing the vegetated samples shows
more species with similar proportional abundance across a greater number of ranks.
*Vegetated sample had higher species richness
19. This graph shows that the vegetated samples (jars) had higher species evenness because (what
demonstrates they had higher species eveness) the blue line representing the vegetated samples is
more evenly distributed across ranks, indicating a more uniform distribution of species abundance.
Please note: that if there is a lot of overlap between the two lines on the graph (they are not that
different) then state that evenness is about the same. If there is barely any difference in evenness,
then don’t state there is a difference.
Using this graph, answer these questions (2 points each for the first two questions below, and 4 points
for the third, below):
Rarefraction Curve for Vegetated and
Unvegetated Samples
40
Species Richness
30
20
10
0
# of individuals collected
Vegetated Unvegetated
20. Did we collect more individuals in the vegetated or unvegetated jars? Vegetated Jars
21. Did we collect more total species in the vegetated or unvegetated jars? Vegetated Jars
22. Did vegetated or unvegetated habitats have greater rarified species richness (controlling for the
effect of sample abundance on sampled species richness)? As part of your answer, explain how you
arrived at your answer. Note: that if there is a lot of overlap between the two graphs, and there is very
little apparent difference in rarefied species richness, then state this. Do not state there is a difference
if there is practically no difference in rarefied species richness seen in the graph.
While the vegetated sample had a slightly greater rarefied species richness for most shared sample
sizes, the difference is minimal and there is significant overlap between the two curves. As a result,
1. What was the median number of arthropods found in the unvegetated microhabitat? 1 (2)
2. What was the median number of arthropods found in the vegetated microhabitat? 3 (2)
3. What was the median number of beetles found in the unvegetated microhabitat? 0 (2)
4. What was the median number of beetles found in the vegetated microhabitat? 2 (2)
5. What was the median number of ants found in the unvegetated microhabitat? 0 (2)
6. What was the median number of ants found in the vegetated microhabitat? 0 (2)
7. What was the p value for this statistical test for total arthropods? 0.00009 (2)
8. Was there a significant difference in the median number of arthropods found in vegetated versus
unvegetated microhabitats? Yes, significant difference (2)
9. What was the p value for this statistical test for total beetles? 0.0001 (2)
10. Was there a significant difference in the median number of beetles found in vegetated versus
unvegetated microhabitats? Yes, significant difference (2)
11. What was the p value for this statistical test for total ants? 0.29154 (2)
12. Was there a significant difference in the median number of ants found in vegetated versus
unvegetated microhabitats? Not significant difference(2)
13. Shannon – Weiner diversity index value for vegetated microhabitat 2.56 (8)
14. Shannon – Weiner diversity index for unvegetated microhabitat 2.66 (8)
15. Calculate (Your result from #13, above) / ln (Sv) where Sv is the total number of species captured in
vegetated microhabitat. 0.73 (2)
16. Calculate (Your result from #14, above) / ln (Sun) where Sun is the total number of species captured in
unvegetated microhabitat. 0.85 (2)
17. Which microhabitat had higher evenness? Note: if the results are quite similar, you can say that they
really were not that different in evenness. Unvegetated had higher evenness(2)
Rank Abundance Curve
0.3
Proportional Abundance
0.25
0.2
0.15
0.1
0.05
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
Abundance Rank
Vegetated Unvegetated
, 18. This graph shows that the vegetated samples (jars) had higher species richness because (what
demonstrates they had higher species richness) the blue line representing the vegetated samples shows
more species with similar proportional abundance across a greater number of ranks.
*Vegetated sample had higher species richness
19. This graph shows that the vegetated samples (jars) had higher species evenness because (what
demonstrates they had higher species eveness) the blue line representing the vegetated samples is
more evenly distributed across ranks, indicating a more uniform distribution of species abundance.
Please note: that if there is a lot of overlap between the two lines on the graph (they are not that
different) then state that evenness is about the same. If there is barely any difference in evenness,
then don’t state there is a difference.
Using this graph, answer these questions (2 points each for the first two questions below, and 4 points
for the third, below):
Rarefraction Curve for Vegetated and
Unvegetated Samples
40
Species Richness
30
20
10
0
# of individuals collected
Vegetated Unvegetated
20. Did we collect more individuals in the vegetated or unvegetated jars? Vegetated Jars
21. Did we collect more total species in the vegetated or unvegetated jars? Vegetated Jars
22. Did vegetated or unvegetated habitats have greater rarified species richness (controlling for the
effect of sample abundance on sampled species richness)? As part of your answer, explain how you
arrived at your answer. Note: that if there is a lot of overlap between the two graphs, and there is very
little apparent difference in rarefied species richness, then state this. Do not state there is a difference
if there is practically no difference in rarefied species richness seen in the graph.
While the vegetated sample had a slightly greater rarefied species richness for most shared sample
sizes, the difference is minimal and there is significant overlap between the two curves. As a result,
