User: | Open Learning Faculty Member:
I am keenly interested in birds, small mammals, plant vegetation and mushrooms, however the organism or biological attribute that I plan to study would be on the density and abundance of white spruce (Picea glauca).
I went to Rundle Park, which is a municipal park, located at 2909 113 Ave NW, Edmonton, T5W 0P3, Alberta. I chose this park since it is quite bigger in area and has better sites to collect data and test my hypothesis. It’s total area is 0.82km^2 (0.32 sq. mi.) and elevation is 654m, with coordinates 53.563° N 113.392° W.
The three locations that I chose are:
Site 1: Forested area beside River
This location was right beside the river and I noticed that there were a lot of white spruce trees densely packed. The abundance and distribution was relatively high at this site. This was high elevated area with longer periods of direct sunlight available to them. The soil composition is ideal for the growth and abundance of spruce trees which was damp and moisty. It had lesser rocks when compared to other sites. The soil was loamy (sandy and clay).
Site 2: Near standing water (ponds area)
There were lots of little ponds in the Rundle park, with standing water. Some of the ponds had very clean water and some were not that much and had stagnant water. I noticed that the abundance and distribution was moderate at this site as there were fair amount of white spruce seen. Spruce found in this site were lesser in quantity compared to Site 1, probably because of the standing water ponds that were not that clean and fresh (stagnant). The soil was well moist, little rocky and not that loamy. There was less direct sunlight degree available. So observed few trees there.
Site 3: The park entrance area
The park entrance area did not have that many number of spruce trees comparative to the other location sites. One of the reasons I think is soil moisture and sunlight availability. The area was little dry and was rocky and less loamy in soil composition, so slighter number of spruces will grow.
My hypothesis is that the density and abundance of White Spruce is positively affected by soil moisture, light availability (shaded or direct sunlight), the degree of sunlight, pH levels of soil (little acidic) and soil type (sandy and clay soil) collectively.
My prediction is that the density and abundance of White Spruce is positively affected by soil moisture, light availability (shaded or direct sunlight), the degree of sunlight, pH levels of soil (little acidic) and soil type (sandy and clay soil) communally.
I might as well add how the soil depth level and specific soil pH level affects the growth of white spruce trees in my research paper including all study sites.
The potential response variable for my hypothesis is the abundance of white spruce trees. So, It is continuous.
The potential explanatory variable for my hypothesis is the soil composition, moisture and sunlight availability. It is continuous.
Your hypothesis is good though I recommend choosing only 1 or 2 variables to focus on, pick the ones you think are most likely to vary across your gradient based on your observations at your site. Students who measure too many things sometimes end up confusing themselves when it comes to plotting the data and interpreting it.
Your prediction should be more specific than the hypothesis, for example, at your site how do you expect your predictor variables to affect your response variable.
Okay, Thankyou so very much. I will keep that in mind.