Percent light penetration

The purpose of this experiment is to determine the extent to which species not normally present in a small plot are able to survive and potentially reproduce if added to the plot as seedlings. In the area of Field D in which this experiment is to be done, the average 4 x 4 meter area contains approximately 30 species of vascular plants. Into replicate 4 x 4 meter areas we will either add no species or we will add the seedlings of 50 native prairie species. These were grown by Prairie Restoration, Inc. and were planted on May 27-28, 1993. In adding the seedlings of a variety of species to these plots we will, for all cases, add three seedlings per species into a given plot. These will be fairly uniformally spaced throughout each plot. Thus, the average distance between seedlings will be approximately 28cm apart