User: | Open Learning Faculty Member:
Below are the scanned images from my field journal showing the ongoing Field Observations at Duggan Community Garden. This time I decided to narrow my observations to one plant species-the beans (Phaseolus vulgaris)-in the garden.
Below are the images of the three locations where I did my observations. Location 1, 2, and 3 respectively.
Processes that may have caused the observed patterns.
- More exposure to the sun may have caused more abundance of the bean plants, especially the larger leaves, and the abundance of flowers.
- The presence of other plant species, other than the beans may have induced more growth.
Hypothesis
The growth of bean plants is stimulated by the presence of other plant species in a polyculture environment.
Prediction
The beans in the first location (first garden bed-monoculture) will grow less abundantly (fewer leaves; and fewer flowers per plant) than the beans in the second location (Fifth garden bed from the first one-polyculture).
Variables
Predictor variables: presence or absence of other plant species (in this case carrots, pumpkins, peas and onions) in the same location (one feet) from the bean plants.
Response variable: bean plant abundance (total number of leaves, and flowers per plant)
The response variable is continuous, while the predictor variables is categorical (two level factor).
In doing your observations, and observing the patterns there are a few other things that come to my mind that you may want to consider in your study design. For example, things like variation in planting dates, soil used, and amount of watering could vary between garden plots and so how will you be able to say with certainty that bean leaves / flowers is related to the other plants around it? Perhaps you can, or you may need to make observations on some of these other factors as well.