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Blog 6: Data Collection
On January 21, 2020, the West coast of Vancouver Island was at the tail end of a typical winter storm. The morning had seen winds of up to 33km/hr and Environment Canada expectations were 20mm of rainfall. This is not unusual, however, it was not an ideal day for data collection. The sample unit was of soil matrixes of ten replicates. Each sample underwent three tests for total dissolved solids (TDS) taken to study the conductivity of the gradients in relation to the diversity of flora species. The ten soil samples were taken from surface to a depth of fifteen centimeters. Five samples were taken from the westernmost open ocean plot (41.1331°N, 125.8905°W) and five from the easternmost inlet plot (49.1207°N, 125.8969°W). The matrix of the soil samples may be more telling as to the biodiversity as is the electroconductivity, however, I think the data I collected will provide a reasonable clear expression of the patterns of vegetation. I will add the predominant storm patterns for this time of year to the introduction of my study and wonder if it should have been incorporated into the hypothesis.
The following is similar to Blog #5 because I have accidentally combined the two posts.
My hypothesis is testing soil conductivity and comparing vegetative species in quadrats placed using a systematic sampling method. I maintained random selection of sample replicates by tossing my spade towards a first sample site and then used a tape measure (predetermined distance) and a compass to sample the next four sites. For each sample site in the two gradients being compared, I placed the quadrat (0.5m x 0.5m) so that the spade was in the center and in a manner that allowed for the stems of the species of vegetation present, gently discouraging vegetation that was “leaning in”.
The soil samples were taken from surface to a depth of fifteen centimeters. Five samples were taken from the western (open ocean) plot and five from the eastern (inlet exposure) plot. The matrix of the soil samples was as I expected, the open ocean samples being mostly sand and the inlet samples being mostly humus. At home I baked each sample in the oven at 200 degrees Celsius for four hours. I used a 1:2, soil to distilled water, to create a slurry, then followed the same procedure for testing the concentration of total dissolved solids for each of the ten samples.
Because both regions being sampled had very little differentiation, there was no need to create subareas, therefore I did not use the stratified random sample method. Instead, I used a systematic sampling method to transect the sample region, the sample sites spaced in proportion to representation of the gradient, a method that if replicated would yield samples that were also indicative of the region. The data I have collected has demonstrated completely opposite results from the position of my hypothesis. In the name of science, I will not change anything but I will explore why this is so in the discussion portion of my study.
E. Carmen Bell
