User: | Open Learning Faculty Member:
I chose to use a table to represent the field data I collected in this study. My table depicted a summary of each species I found at the range of elevations along the slope, and the percent canopy coverage of those species. Also included was quadrat size, location, and area covered by each species. Many species appeared in more than one elevation location. Lower elevations were dominated by pine grass and clover. Mid elevations primarily displayed the common fern and Saskatoon berry bushes. Finally, the highest elevations I recorded data for (10-11 m above the base of the slope) were dominated by the Lodgepole Pine and Paper Birch. I had no difficulty in organizing and aggregating the data. I may be able to summarize the information more concisely in graph format for the final report. In graph form, I would be able to show how individual species percent canopy cover changes across the entire slope in a more understandable visual way, rather than listing the species found at each site and their coverage. The outcomes of this data conformed to my expectations, nothing new was revealed. As predicted, more complex plants were more abundant at higher elevations, perhaps due to more sunlight exposure, or a change in nutrients found upslope. For further exploration, a more comprehensive study could be undertaken to determine if this pattern applies to the entirety of Terrace Mountain, or only on this specific slope.
