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Create a blog post describing your field data collection activities. How many replicates did you sample? Have you had any problems implementing your sampling design? Have you noticed any ancillary patterns that make you reflect on your hypothesis?
I have implemented three data collection activities to recognize the healthiness of ecology depending on humans intervention rate.
First observation was collecting the ratio of fresh vegetation per area. Fresh vegetation proportion was measured by the colour, green. In a quadrat (10cm*10cm), if the area is composed of greens more than 50%, it would be recorded as 1. If the area observed had green vegetation less than 50% of the area, it was measured as 0. Each landscape, ornamental garden, ornamental steps, and preserved hill side, was measured 8 quadrats and it was measured with 5 replication. Since the area wasn’t that big, the quadrat selection might overlap easily. I had to use systematic sampling techniques. The area was divided into 5 area and quadrates were selected in subdivided area per visit. After one visit the other area was selected for data collection. In this way, overlapping of quadrat was avoided.
Second observation was collecting the number of vegetation species observed per quadrat (10cm*10cm). As above the area was divided in to five and subdivided area was observed each visit. 8 quadrats were observed per visit and was measured with 5 replication.
As going through both experiment 1 and 2, there should have been consideration of the amount of water the land received and type of soil the vegetation grows. They both affect highly in vegetation growth. The hill nearby the church isn’t actively managed by someone, the amount of water the landscape receives and type of soil they grow on might be different. On the next observation, observing this point is another important criteria.
The third observation was measuring the bird activity rate depending on landscape. Bird activity should be considered morning, afternoon and evening. The bird activity rate changes during the time of the day. Therefore, each visit per day must be three times; morning (9am-9:30am), afternoon and evening, with 10 replication. Each observation lasted 10 minutes and the number of birds flying around the landscape was measured.
