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The attribute I plan to study is the species variation dependent on the elevation in the valleyview nature park. As shown in my field journal, at the top of the hill, defined in the field journal as high elevation, there is the most variety of species of plants. I have identified the few small trees as young ponderosa pine trees. There is also lots of sagebrush, but most of them are very small, around 1-2 feet in diameter. There is an abundance of tall, dry grass covering the entire ground.There is a wider blade grass, sage green in colour that grows in small patches. There is one last new plant I found which has tiny ‘fluffy’ ends to it.
In the medium elevation, along the side of the hill as you are walking down the trail I noticed a few changes. There were no ponderosa pines, or the wide bladed grass. There were however still lots of the tall, dry grass and the fluffy ended plant. The sagebrush plants became visibly larger in diameter, this time around 2-4 feet in diameter. There was a new bush type plant that was not in the higher elevation, with thick dark brown stems and burnt orange leaves on the ends.
Lastly, in the lowest elevation of the park, the main walking trail through the 2 higher elevation sections, there is only sagebrush, tall dry grass, and the orange leaf plant. This time the sagebrush were larger again, with some being at least 4 feet in diameter.
One of the first things I noticed was the clear difference in size in the sagebrush along the elevation gradient.
Hypothesis: The size, in diameter, of sagebrush is determined by elevation level.
Prediction: The diameter of sagebrush becomes larger as the elevation becomes lower because they are more sheltered from the elements.
Response variable: The diameter of the sagebrush (continuous variable).
Explanatory variable: The elevation level (categorical).
