How extensive is the alien plant invasion in the King Canyon Wash at Saguaro National Park ?
Students will have an area of the King’s Canyon wash to divide into plots and study over the semester. This unit focuses on this one question, but further studies will be developed to look at alternate control strategies (for alien species) and their effectiveness. Make sure students come prepared for the field trip. They should bring lunches, water, sunscreen, and hats. To set up a study plot: Students will be provided with a piece of graph paper showing a square, This will represent their 3×3 meter plot. Each square on the graph paper will equal 10 cm. On this paper, the students will “map” their plots with number of perennial plants* and the size of coverage of each plant. They will place the diameter of the base of each plant on the map, along with the diameter of the coverage area . If they know the name of the plant, this can be recorded in a key by numbering each plant and recording its name next to the number, on a separate piece of paper. If the identity of the plant is not kn
