Create a final blog post that reflects on your field research. You both designed a field experiment and then carried it out. Did you have any issues with the implementation or have to make any changes to your design? Has engaging in the practice of ecology altered your appreciation for how ecological theory is developed?
To test my hypothesis I created a 12 inch by 12 inch quadrat. Under the pine tree base I performed 10 replicates. I placed the quadrat down in 10 random areas around the base of the tree, while representing the various points of the circumference. The circumference was a circle 4 feet away from the base of the tree. I then counted the number of lily of the valley plants and the weight of the pine needles in the quadrat. The pine needles were placed through a strainer to remove the excess organic matter. The issue with this study was various confounding variables such as sunlight, precipitation, temperature, etc. This definitely skewed some data points. This experiment has enhanced my knowledge of ecological studies. It is important to understand that we live in dynamic ecosystems and there are always many variables involved. Ecological theory must encompass all components of the ecosystem.