Blog Post : Tables and Graphs

Table 1: Moss Abundance and Coverage Comparison Between Two Habitat Types

Moss coverage was calculated as the percentage of the area covered by moss compared to the total area of the tree giving the average coverage percentage for each habitat. Habitat 1, located at a higher elevation between 460 to 500 meters has more tree coverage and less sunlight exposure, and Habitat 2, located at a lower elevation between 420 to 460 meters has less tree coverage and more sunlight exposure. 

Organizing, and summarizing the data in this table was challenging. It took time to decide on the best way to summarize the data and time to do the calculations to get the area and then percentages and then averages.

The outcome of the data analysis was somewhat unexpected. The data showed that habitat 2, which has more sunlight exposure, had more moss coverage than habitat 1, which had less sunlight exposure due to greater tree coverage. However, the data did confirm my prediction that moss growth would be less at higher elevations.

The unexpected findings suggest there are other factors that impact moss growth besides sunlight exposure and elevation, such as soil acidity and moisture, temperature, and nutrient availability. Other factors could also influence these results such as the types of trees present, and the presence of other plants or animals. Many other environmental factors could also play a role in these findings as well

Further research could explore the influence of these and other factors on moss growth in these habitats and could confirm these results and explore potential alternative factors that impact moss growth. For example, further research may require monitoring soil moisture levels.