User: | Open Learning Faculty Member:
Jan 23rd Time: 2pm Temp: -2 degrees
Weather: Windy
Site: Kenna Cartwright Park
Originally, the sampling method selected was the belt transect and the trees that were being studied were both the ponderosa pine and douglas fir. The trees were counted in 50×10 m transects. Only the trees on the upward slope (going towards the top of the hill) were counted due to the scarce evergreen tree cover on the downward slopes. The belt transects were the sampling units and they were collected at 10 random distances in the 1000m from the entrance to the park. This sampling method was too broad and did not take into account other factors; data obtained would incomplete.
The revised sampling method still involved 10 replicates over the 1000m distance from the entrance point. Only the Ponderosa pine trees were observed in this method. At the sampling points, trees in the 5m radius of the point were observed and the average diameter at breast height (DBH) was determined. Only the trees that are on the upward slope were considered. The distance from the entrance, the average DBH, the highest DBH and the elevation were recorded.
The change in the approach enables analysis of the relationship between anthropogenic activity and the stability of the environment for tree growth while taking into account other factors in the environment.
Instructor: Robyn Reudink
Sounds good, I look forward to seeing your next small assignment with the details on how this alters your study design and hypotheses.