My research project analyzes the effect of water movement and retention in soil on plant growth. Specifically, I am analyzing how soil moisture differs across a field, and how the differing levels affect C. fulgida growth. Therefore, my project looks at two main ecological processes: the influence of the landscape on soil moisture, and the influence of soil moisture on plant growth. In my project soil moisture could be affected by distance from the creek and altitude. Although water is essential for plant growth, C. fulgida primarily grow in desert conditions with little soil moisture. Therefore, my hypothesis states that majority of C. fulgida plants in the field will be found in areas with dry soil, which according to my initial field observations are found along hillsides/hilltops in the field.
My research project differs from most others regarding C. fulgida because it takes place in a grassland instead of the desert. Overall, the effect of soil moisture on C. fulgida growth is expected to be the same, but there may be other factors in the grassland affecting soil moisture not present in the desert. For example, in my study area C. fulgida are found randomly dispersed throughout tall native grasses. The abundance of native grasses and their consumption of soil moisture will further affect the availability of soil moisture and thus C. fulgida growth.
Keywords that I would use to describe my research project for a publication are:
- grasslands
- soil moisture
- environmental gradient
- C. fulgida
By selecting these as my keywords, a potential reader could quickly infer the species of interest, the type of ecosystem the study took place in, and the predictor variable studied.