Category: Post 3: Ongoing Field Observations

Blog Post 3

TRU Open Learning 3 Comments

The organism that I have chosen to study is the black spruce species (Picea mariana) since they are most abundant in the boreal forest where my study is taking place during winter in Canada. The different gradients that I will be looking at will be the different elevations on one of the hills in the forest.

Gradient 1: Low elevation
More leaf-less deciduous trees compared to coniferous trees, more animals/animal tracks such as feces,

Gradient 2: Medium elevation
Deciduous trees are decreasing in abundance compared to coniferous trees, vegetation is becoming more spaced out, more open areas, less animals/animal tracks

Gradient 3: High elevation
More coniferous trees compared to deciduous trees, less animals/animal tracks, vegetation more spaced out except for batches of coniferous trees, more open areas

My hypothesis is that the abundance of coniferous trees specifically the black spruce species will increase with elevation because they prefer more open, arid areas and there is less competition with deciduous trees. My response variable would be the abundance of black spruce trees which would be continuous by counting the number of these trees in a specified area. My explanatory variable would be the elevation which would be categorical.

Post 3: Ongoing Field Observations

TRU Open Learning 1 Comment

For the ongoing field observations, I intend to document the creosote bushes of the Sonoran scrublands. The creosote bushes are one of the most frequent scrubland vegetations in this community.

I picked three 10m x 10m plots, 50m, 20m and 5 meters from a man-made oasis in Papago Park.

Area 3 (50m from water source):

Creosote plants are about about 1.5m evenly spaced from each other. The plants have grown to a height of about 2.2m tall on average. There are 46 individual plants in the plot with a wide band of separation around the outside of the plot where no plants are found. Each creosote plant is a pale green in colour with moderate foliage.

Area 2 (20m from water source):

The Creosote plants are about 1.1m evenly spaced from each other. The plants have grown to a height of about 2.4m tall on average. There are 61 individual plants in the plot with no band of separation around the outside of the plot. Each creosote plant is a pale green in colour with moderate foliage.

Area 1 (5m from water source):

The creosote plants are about 0.6m but unevenly spaced from each other. The plants have grown to a height of about 2.6m tall on average. There are 12 individual plants in the plot with wide bands of separation around each grouping of individuals. Each creosote plant is dark green in colour with heavy foliage.

My hypothesis is that creosote plants compete heavily with each other for soil moisture. I predict that creosote plants are adept at monopolizing soil moisture in a given area around themselves but either do not compete well with other plants at high soil moistures or prefer the rocky soil with better drainage farther from the water source.

A response variable: Creosote productivity (amount of mass per plot)

An explanatory variable: Soil moisture

Both variables would be continuous as they are prone to measurement and change.

On going field observations

TRU Open Learning Leave a comment

The last few weeks I have made repeated trips to my study area. This time of the year most trees, shrubs and grass vegetation is dormant with all the snow coverage in the park. One of the few organisms that stays around during the winter months is the black capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus). They are very abundant in the area I am studying and based on initial observations I inquired to myself where these birds like to spend most of their time in the winter months. The city park I chose has noticeable environmental variances: A large grass fielded area when not covered in snow, grouped coniferous trees, and a denser mixed vegetative with coniferous trees and deciduous trees and small shrubs. (Please see attached photos below.) My hypothesis is that Poecile atricapillusspecies spend more time in realtivly dense vegetation environments to protect them from the elements and from larger birds that prey on them. My response variable would be the Poecile atricapillus.This would be a continuous variable. The predictor variable would be the vegetation environment type and this would be continuous as well. The experiment design would be regression. This experiment could provide valuable feed back to  city planners when developing parks as to what kinds of vegetation lay out is beneficial to these small non migratory birds that live in the urban environment.

 

 

 

Post 3: Ongoing Field Observations

TRU Open Learning Leave a comment

1. Identify the organism or biological attribute 

I have decided to study the occurrence of four tree species at Pipers Lagoon Park; Quercus garryana, Arbutus menziesii, Pseudotsuga menziesii, and Alnus Rubra.

2. Observations of  organism or biological attribute along an environmental gradient. 

I decided to observe the relative abundance and occurrences of species at different locations around the park. In my field notes, I compared four physically different areas which all had different combinations of surrounding influences such as their proximity to water, orientation to north, slope angle, growing substrate, and surrounding vegetation.

I found that Alnus rubra was least abundant throughout the park, and all that were present were extremely young. Young Arbutus menziesii were growing between dense Pseudotsuga menziesii trees. There were vast amounts of both Quercus garryana and Pseudotsuga menziesii trees, where Quercus garryana appeared to occur mainly on rocky coastlines closes to the water.

3. Postulate one hypothesis and make one formal prediction based on that hypothesis. 

A major environmental influence observed while traversing the area is direct and altered wind. Along the Northern coastline waves and wind hit the land vigorously and create a relatively more harsh environment. The South portion is protected by physical effects from the lagoon, where waves are dispersed and the area is protected from wind by the length of the tied island.

I have also considered the amount of sunlight each portion of the island receives. On the North side the sun rises without being blocked, however, on the South side the sun becomes hidden by a hill diminishing the amount of net sunlight possible.

Hypothesis: Quercus garryana trees are more abundant where there is a large amount of sunlight and protection from direct ocean wind.

I predict that Quercus garryana will be most abundant on the South coastline where there is little to no ocean breeze and a gradual landscape. I also predict that Pseudotsuga menziesii will be most abundant on the Northern coast where there is harsh wind and rocky bluffs.

4. Potential response variable and potential explanatory variable and whether they would be categorical or continuous. 

The potential response variable is tree species abundance, which is categorical in which the trees will be assigned to their respected category. The predictor variable is relative exposure to ocean breeze/wind, which will be categorical relative to each site conditions.

The experiment is not manipulative, and is defined as a logistic regression experimental design for analyzing the presence or absence of four tree species due to environmental influences.

Blog Post 3 – Ongoing Field Observations

TRU Open Learning 1 Comment

I am going to be studying the distribution/abundance of various species of moss (Bryophyta) within the study area and the direction in which they are growing on trees (can they accurately demonstrate cardinal points). I will be collecting distributional data from the “peninsula in the woods”. Although it is, as a whole, a forested area, there definitely are micro-environments which vary significantly from one another. Here is a summary of what I’ve observed:

Area 1: Dense

Sunlight is minimal. Trees at an average of 30cm from each other. Shorter grass. Ground fairly flat. Visible moss and fungi growth.

Area 2: Open

Sunlight is moderate. Trees at an average of 1-2m from each other. Flat land. Tall grass commonly flattened by wildlife. Visible moss and fungi growth.

Area 3: River bank

Sunlight is abundant. Various distance between trees. Ground slanted towards the river. Visible moss and fungi growth.

I hypothesize that moss grows on the Northern face of trees, making it an accurate and reliable source for navigation. Considering my hypothesis, I predict that:

  • There will be an abundance and noticeable amount of at least one species of moss in the studied area.
  • The majority of moss studied will be pointing North.

I believe that the categorical response variable is moss and that the categorical predictor variable is the direction of growth. My experiment is not a manipulative experiment, I won’t be modifying predictor variables to observe the results. I will be conducting a natural, tabular experiment where I will observe the areas as they are, and collect data.

Ecology Blog Post 3

TRU Open Learning Leave a comment

After repeated visits to the Art Gibson Memorial Park I have decided to study the correlation between soil pH levels and the presence of undergrowth. The park is for the most part dominated by an old canopy of coniferous trees underneath which there is minimal undergrowth, but there are small areas of new growth with different species of trees where there is plentiful undergrowth. I have decided to investigate 2 plots approximately 30x50m one belonging to the old growth and another the new growth. There are many factors that could cause the presence or lack thereof of undergrowth, soil moisture, amount of shade cast by the canopy or the pH levels of soil. The park belongs to the biogeoclimatiic  zone ICHdw1 which is supposed to be a typically moist so I doubt there being a change in moisture between such little distance in the two research plots. I hypothesize that there is a correlation between the presence of undergrowth and soil pH, I predict that there will be a positive correlation with higher levels of soil pH  being present in the areas of new growth. The response variable should be the presence of undergrowth and the explanatory variable should be soil pH levels the former being a categorical variable and the latter being a continuous variable.

Ongoing Field Observations

TRU Open Learning Leave a comment

The organism I have chosen to study is the leaves on the trees in my study area.  While at my study area I was observing the environment around me trying to decide what to study.  I looked on the ground and noticed that the leaves had begun to fall recently.  I studied the leaves on the ground and in the trees.  I noticed that the leaves had a white substance on them, presumably fungus or mould.  I am going to study the leaves from the different trees in all the areas of the park to see whether the leaves’ placement has an affect on if and how much of the white substance is on the leaves.  My hypothesis is that the placement of the leaves has an affect on whether the leaves will have the substance and will also affect the amount of substance.  I postulate that the leaves still in the trees will have less of the substance than the leaves on the ground.  Some continuous variables could be the amount of moisture the leaves are exposed to, amount of sunlight exposed to and temperature; some categorical variables are species of tree, the size of leave, thickness of leaf, colour of leaf, and other organisms around the leaves.  

Post 3: Ongoing Field Observations

TRU Open Learning Leave a comment

I plan on focusing on the soil moisture of three varying areas and see how this relates to the vegetation growing there.

Location 1

  • Surrounded by coniferous trees, with a few leaf trees
  • Weed grass everywhere
  • Sloped hill, north facing
  • Many varieties of mosses
  • Some small mushrooms
  • Soil feels very moist, a dark brown, friable consistency,

Location 2

  • Area mainly consists of weed grass and sagebrush
  • Slightly sloped, north facing
  • A few mushrooms and different variety of small plants
  • Soil feels moist, but loose consistency and is a lighter brown than location 1, the texture is silky.

Location 3

  • Vegetation consists of tall cattails and various other tall grass species
  • The soil is noticeably more moist as this is a marsh area
  • The soil has almost a green colour to it, a firm almost clay consistency, and a sticky texture.

There are multiple processes and factors that lead to this difference in vegetation. Some including sunlight, elevation, nutrients, pH and moisture. I hypothesize that moisture level of soil greatly affects the vegetation of that area. From this hypothesis I predict that location 2 will have the lowest moisture level in the soil and location 3 will have the highest moisture level. This is my prediction based on the vegetation I saw in these areas. The response variable is the vegetation and the explanatory variable is the soil moisture.

Blog post 3

TRU Open Learning Leave a comment

Blog Post 3

 

  1. Identify the organism or biological attribute that you plan to study.The organism I have chosen to study is the common Jack pine – Pinus banksiana.
  2. Use your field journal to document observations of your organism or biological attribute along an environmental gradient. Choose at least three locations along the gradient and observe and record any changes in the distribution, abundance, or character of your object of study.

Gradient 1  –  Boreal forest . Many species of plants and moss present. Tree distribution moderately spaced. Trees include , birch, larch, white and black spruce. Jackpines scarce.  Low lying plants include Labrador tea and Crowberry.Soil dry. Low elevation. Some areas slightly elevated with rocky terrain  

Gradient 2- Marsh – Open area. Tall grasses. Larch species and spruce surround waters edge. Jackpines scarcely distributed .

Gradient 3- Open rocky area. Plant life scarce, Jackpine  seem to be scattered along rock face. White spruce and Birch also present.

  1. Think about underlying processes that may cause any patterns that you have observed. Postulate one hypothesis and make one formal prediction based on that hypothesis.

Hypotheis :Jack pine of the Northwest Territories grow in open arid areas.

If this is true, then it can be predicted that Jake pine will be found growing in areas of low tree density with exposed substrate.

  1. Based on your hypothesis and prediction, list one potential response variable and one potential explanatory variable and whether they would be categorical or continuous. Use the experimental design tutorial to help you with thiss

Response variable : Jackpine distribution – continuous ( quantitative measurements of Jackpine per areas)

Explanatory Variable: Terrain/substrate – categorical 

 

Blog Post 3: Ongoing Field Observation

TRU Open Learning 4 Comments

I plan to look at the Canada Thistle in the open field in the natural preserve area in St. Albert, Alberta.

I looked at three different places across this field.  One in the middle and one at either end of the field.  I noticed that in the areas that had more natural grasses that there was less thistle than there was in the areas that had less natural grasses and vegetation.  It appears that the bigger/taller the grasses were the less thistle that there was.   The first spot I looked at had a large abundance of thistle with little growth of any other vegetation.  The second spot in the middle of the field I looked at had small growth of thistle (approximately 4 plants of medium growth).  The last spot I looked was at the other end of the field and the thistle growth appeared very stunted compared to the other locations I had looked at.

The hypothesis that I am looking at is that when there is an abundance of tall grasses growing there is a limited amount of thistle that grows.  The less grass and other vegetation apparent, the more thistle there is.

The response variable is the growth rate of the thistle and the explanatory variable may be the amount of natural grasses and other vegetation in the area.