User: | Open Learning Faculty Member:
After doing some initial observations at General Brock Park, I have decided to study the dandelions (Taraxacum) growing there. I noticed that the dandelions tended to grow more abundantly and in greater density towards the perimeter of the field, especially towards the north and east sides. Although the dandelions can be observed to be growing throughout the field, it is sparser towards the centre of the field as well as on the south and west sides where a playground, benches, and street hockey court can be found nearby. I also noticed that the dandelions in this field were shorter compared to ones found on the lawns of nearby residents.
From these observations, a hypothesis I have come up with is:
The abundance of dandelions found at General Brock Park is influenced by the proximity to areas of the park frequented by humans.
One response variable is the abundance of dandelions while one explanatory (predictor) variable is the frequency of human presence in certain areas of the park. The response variable is continuous while the explanatory (predictor) variable is categorical.
