Which Plot has the tallest Big BlueStem Grass?

who are we: We are 9th grade students at Freestate Highschool

visual lead: Zachiah Johnson

research lead: Mallory Oliver

Documenter lead: Lilly Taylor

Blue Stem Grass

Mesuring the Blue Stem Grass

Our group experimented with big bluestem grass. We wanted to see which plot it grew best in. First, we picked 6 different plots out in the prairie 2 grass only plots 2 grasses and forbs, and 2 grasses and 2x forbs. Next, we went out to the prairie and in each plot found the tallest big bluestem grass and measured them in centimeters. We then averaged the 2 different measurements from all the different types of plots. And that's how my group and I answered the question, Which plot has the tallest big bluestem grass?

The prairie at Free State High School is set up with 3 different plot types. They are seeded grass only, grasses and forbs, and grasses and 2x forbs. There are 18 plots total so that means 6 plots per type. Our question was, what type of plot does big bluestem grass grow best in? We wanted to research this because we wanted to see how the seeded grass only and the grasses and forbs and 2x forbs would affect this grass type. We chose to get information from 6 different plots, 2 from seeded grasses-only plots, 2 from grasses and forbs, and 2 from grasses and 2x forbs. Big bluestem grass is an important part of the food chain. According to Hamilton Native Outpost, (Hamilton Native Outpost, n.d., #1)“Various mammals, from voles to bison, eat the foliage. The leaves are also eaten by grasshoppers, katydids, and the caterpillars of some skippers among other insects.”112

We choose to measure in 6 plots, plots 1, 6, 7, 12, 13, and 18. We measured a grass called big bluestem grass. In all 6 of the plots, we found the tallest grass and measured it. We then averaged the 2 grass-only plot measurements, the 2 types of grass and forbs plots, and the 2 types of grass and 2x forbs plots. We used the average height to determine which plot was the best for growing big bluestem grass. We chose this experiment because when we researched grasses in Kansas, big bluestem grass stuck out to us and we liked how it looked.

On day one we walked around plots 18, 13, 7, 1, 6, and 12, and measured the tallest grass in each plot which was avg to for seed only 140.64 for grass, and Forbs 139.37 grass plus 2 Forbs 138.1 on day two we mainly took pictures

In conclusion, big bluestem grass grows the best in seed-only plots. We know this because our data shows the avg of the height of the grass is the highest in seed-only plots with a number of 140.64cm

Our group experimented with big bluestem grass. We wanted to see which plot it grew best in. First, we picked 6 different plots out in the prairie 2 grass only plots 2 grasses and forbs, and 2 grasses and 2x forbs. Next, we went out to the prairie and in each plot found the tallest big bluestem grass and measured them in centimeters. We then averaged the 2 different measurements from all the different types of plots. And that's how my group and I answered the question, Which plot has the tallest big bluestem grass?