In my initial data collection, I recorded nine replicates. I placed 3 randomized 2 m2 quadrats within each distance stratum. Using google maps to find the first randomized coordinates was difficult but the more replicates I did the easier it became. Also, the initial data collected was not very surprising. It seemed to follow the trend that the middle stratum (26 m to 50 m) has the greatest density of White Spruce seedling. This was one of my predictions. However, I was surprised the density in the third stratum (51 m to 75 m) had an average density of 4.3 this was almost double the density of the first stratum. I will need more replicates to see if this a significant finding or just a coincidence form the few replicates I collected.
Since the initial data collection in module 3 I have adjusted the way I plan to collect data. First, in addition to exploring the density of White Spruce seedlings I’m also going to explore the density of Balsam Poplars. This will allow me to compare two densities and perhaps explore if there are different densities among coniferous and deciduous trees. Second, after communicating with my faculty member he helped me realize that having stratified distances may not lead to valid results for my specific study. This is because it is difficult to justify a significant difference between the distance stratums. For this reason, I have decided to investigate distance on a continuous scale. I will outline this change in my study design in detail within Small Assignment 2. However, a brief summary is that I will now collect samples in 2 m increments from the Elbow River. This is the latitude, but the longitude will be randomized within Griffith Woods Park. This change in study design will allow me to use two continuous variables and will allow me to better understand if there is a relationship between distance from the river and the density of Balsam Poplar and White Spruce seedlings. It also eliminates the redundancies of using stratums and allows me to investigate a greater distance.