Blog Post 3 – initial observations

1. I plan to study the elm, ash, and maple trees during the change of seasons (fall to winter).
2. I want to see how fast the trees lose their leaves in the following locations at Quarry Park:
   1. by the pond- this location has an abundance of water as well as many trees surrounding the perimeter.
   2. in the “forest” – this location has a lot of surrounding trees and limestone in the area. It also has hiking trails so it can see a lot of human activity from time to time, especially in the summer.
   3. in the parking lot of the park – this location still has trees, however the number is a lot smaller as it is mainly used for parking and has a heritage building located in the middle. This location will see a lot of human interaction and cars throughout the year.
3. Hypothesis: a few studies have indicated that pollution and areas that have less direct sunlight cause trees to lose their leaves faster during the changing of the seasons.

Prediction: Due to the increase in human interaction, the buildings, and fossil fuels (gasoline from cars), the trees in the parking lot will lose their leaves at a faster rate than those in the forest and by the pond.

4. Response Variable = elm, ash, and maple trees

Predictor Variable = pollution (cars and people) and degree of sunlight

observation 1 – post 3