User: | Open Learning Faculty Member:
I plan to look at the Canada Thistle in the open field in the natural preserve area in St. Albert, Alberta.
I looked at three different places across this field. One in the middle and one at either end of the field. I noticed that in the areas that had more natural grasses that there was less thistle than there was in the areas that had less natural grasses and vegetation. It appears that the bigger/taller the grasses were the less thistle that there was. The first spot I looked at had a large abundance of thistle with little growth of any other vegetation. The second spot in the middle of the field I looked at had small growth of thistle (approximately 4 plants of medium growth). The last spot I looked was at the other end of the field and the thistle growth appeared very stunted compared to the other locations I had looked at.
The hypothesis that I am looking at is that when there is an abundance of tall grasses growing there is a limited amount of thistle that grows. The less grass and other vegetation apparent, the more thistle there is.
The response variable is the growth rate of the thistle and the explanatory variable may be the amount of natural grasses and other vegetation in the area.
good start! think also about what an invasive plant needs (or what allows a plant) to get established. How is this related to what you see via tall grass and other vegetation?
I think your hypothesis is clear and will be easily investigated, maybe with quadrat sampling? Your predictor and response variables are accurate. Though I wonder, could soil composition have a part to play in the thistles growth?
soil composition might have a factor and also soil compaction. Perhaps site history – is it disturbed?
Great topic. Your hypothesis is well formed. The predictions are clear and falsifiable, they are also well-linked to the hypothesis. Are you taking into account the time of year and how that could have an effect on various plants?