Blog Post 3: Ongoing field observations

1. Identify the organism or biological attribute that you plan to study.

The organism I plan to study is the Douglas Fir tree.

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.

I chose 4 areas of a 5 metre radius which each contained douglas firs. The first location was of low latitude with a single douglas fir in the area, and the second location was of low latitude but had 3 trees within 30 cm of each other. The third area was of high latitude and had a single tree in the area and the fourth area was of high latitude with 4 trees within 30 cm of each other. The douglas firs in the area of high latitude and with neighbouring trees are estimated to be the tallest and have the greatest cone count. 

3. 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. Your hypothesis may include the environmental gradient; however, if you come up with a hypothesis that you want to pursue within one part of the gradient or one site, that is acceptable as well.

My hypothesis is that cone production of douglas fir trees is influenced by latitude of the topography. I predict that the cone production will be greater for douglas firs of a slightly higher latitude than those of a slightly lower latitude.

4. 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 this.

Based on my hypothesis and prediction, a potential response variable would be the number of cones on one tree and a potential explanatory variable would be the latitude. Due to both variables being continuous, a regression experimental design would be used.