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For my research project I studied the growth rate of sunflower plants based on two different watering regimes, including: a high-water and a low-water treatment group. In the high-water volume application treatment, the plants received a total of four times the amount of water, then the low-water treatment group. The sunflowers were grown over a 40-day period and weekly measurements of the shoot height and the maximum basal diameter (mm) were collected for each plant. My hypothesis is that the growth rate of the sunflower plants, measured by the shoot height and the maximum basal diameter, will be influenced by the water availability/ treatment. My prediction is that the average size of the sunflower plants (Helianthus annuus) will be smaller in the low-water volume treatment group when compared to the high-water volume treatment group. The ecological process that relates to my research is the influence of water levels (or water stress) and their relationship to measures of plant growth.
Keywords: plant growth, water stress, soil moisture
This post is meant for you to expand on the theoretical background to your hypothesis to help you build the background for your introduction and points for your discussion. You will want to expand on the ecological processes and theoretical background for your paper.