Blog Post Six
The field collection activities include the selection of sampling areas randomly. When the areas are selected, they are measured on a scale of 20 by 20 meters. Then, the vegetation population and salinity of the selected areas are sampled. The salinity is tested several times at different points in the selected region. Then, the average salinity is calculated and used to represent the sampled area. In the research, about ten replicates were sampled. The only major challenge was measuring the areas since some of the selected areas for sampling were in dense vegetation while others were in marshy areas. This made the area measurement process to be quite challenging. However, the collected data will facilitate the testing of the hypothesis in the following way. The null hypothesis is that the osmotic adaptations of the vegetation around Prince Rupert Regional Hospital are the determinants of the population of species. To test this hypothesis, I will plot a graph on the level of salinity and the population of the species in the sampled areas. This will help show the relationship between the two variables: salinity and the species population. If there is a direct positive correlation between the species of the trees and vegetation and the salinity levels, then it would suggest that the species have adapted to the salinity of the ocean.
How did you measure salinity?