Req 8c2 — Surveying a Study Site

Choosing and Surveying Your Site

The site must be at least 100×100 feet (10,000 sq ft)—roughly the footprint of a small city block. It can overlap with the area you used in Req 8c1, or it can be a different location. Walk the site thoroughly before settling on your list; the first 10 plants you spot may not represent the full diversity present.

Woody plants have stems that persist and harden year to year: trees and shrubs. You only need 10 species, but try to include a range of sizes and forms—a canopy tree, a mid-story tree, a large shrub, and a low shrub if all are present on your site.

Non-woody plants (also called herbaceous plants) include wildflowers, grasses, sedges, ferns, mosses, vines without woody stems, and aquatic plants. These die back above ground at the end of the growing season (in temperate regions). Aim for diversity: don’t list 10 species of the same genus.

Documenting your list: For each plant, record:

• Provisional common name and scientific name (look it up if you don’t know it)
• Where on the site you found it
• Native or exotic status (see below)

Determining Native vs. Exotic Status

A plant is native to your region if it was present before European colonization and arrived through natural processes—not human introduction. A plant is exotic (non-native, alien, or introduced) if it was brought to the region by humans, intentionally or accidentally.

To determine status for each plant on your list:

1. iNaturalist: Search the species and look at the “About” tab, which notes native range.
2. USDA Plants Database (plants.usda.gov): Search by scientific name and check the “Native Status” field for your state.
3. State native plant society: Most states publish native plant checklists.
4. Go Botany (gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org): Excellent for New England, with clear native/introduced flags.

Note: “Native to North America” is not the same as native to your state. Use regional sources.

Common Patterns to Watch For

In many suburban and disturbed natural areas, you’ll find a mix: native oaks, maples, or pines dominating the canopy, with exotic invasive shrubs (Japanese barberry, autumn olive, multiflora rose, burning bush) filling the understory. Ground cover may be dominated by exotic grasses or garlic mustard. Recognizing this pattern—and knowing why it happens—is the point of this requirement.

Official Resources