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To date I have gone out twice to collect field data at my grasslands site in Vernon BC. To this point I have sampled ten replicates. Each replicate is a different transect line along a slope gradient from a gentle lower slope position to a steep mid to upper slope position. On each replicate I have sampled 4 plots, totalling 40 plots. I have not had any particular difficulties implementing my sampling design.
A point of observation that I made on September 26th, on my second data collection day was that soil samples on the lower slopes demonstrated hydrophobic reactions to the water I added in conducting the texture analysis. I did not notice this pattern with the soil on the steeper slope position. This will be a point of further research into soil property characteristics.
I have not noticed ancillary patterns, however I have noticed that the vegetation has a quite a distinct zonation between gentle and steep slope sections, with predominately grasses on the gentle slope and forbs/shrubs on the steep slope section.
