- Identify – The organism being studied is Trifolium which is commonly known as clover.
- Observations along environmental gradient – Trifolium is growing in tightly packed bunches in the acidic soil under the Picea pungens. The area is mostly shaded from direct sunlight. The distribution and abundance of Trifolium is non-existent in other areas of the gradient. The areas that receive sunlight, completely shaded areas and the areas that do not have acidic soil.
- Hypothisis and Prediction – The underlying processes that I think may cause the pattern of growth of Trifolium is the acidity in the soil and the absence of direct sunlight in the area where it is growing. My hypothesis is that the Trifolium grows more abundantly in acidic soils and out of direct sunlight.
- Potential Response Variable – A potential response variable is the growth of the Trifolium plant. A potential explanatory variable is the amount of sunlight that Trifolium is exposed to. The variables in this case would be categorical because they would not be measured by a numerical scale they would be categorized as thriving or failure to thrive.
