User: | Open Learning Faculty Member:
I chose to study the three populus thrichocarpa (common name, black cottonwood) seedlings that stemmed from the largest tree. I will be comparing the height and quality of bark and leaf health between all three seedlings. While connected to the same stem, all three seedlings have different surrounding environments that affect access to sunlight. I have observed that the middle seedling (seedling 2) has the thickest trunk and is the highest of all three. Seedling 2 also has the greatest access to sunlight as Seedling 1 and Seedling 3 both have obstructions in the form of canopy created by adjacent larger trees and a tool shed. Seedling 1 and Seedling 3 also have slightly curved trunks and are noticeably shorter than Seedling 2.
Hypothesis: I hypothesize that Seedling 2 will have the most successful growing period.
Prediction: I predict that greater access to sunlight will allow Seedling 2 to grow at a faster rate than the other two seedlings.
Predictor variable will be access to sunlight (continuous) and the response variable will be the growth in height of each seedling. Explanatory variables could be the nearness to the shed or adjacent trees as these could both impede growth (categorical).
