I created several different figures in Excel, experimenting with various styles. I eventually settled on a bar graph to illustrate the three transects I took at varying distances from the driveway. The y-axis represents the percent cover of moss (dependent variable), while the x-axis shows the distance from the road (independent variable). Each transect has a bar indicating the percent cover at each of the 10 recorded distances.
One challenge was displaying data for the two edge environments (road and driveway) as independent variables, which was not feasible. Instead, I included the transects’ distances from the driveway as a note at the bottom of the figure. A table was not suitable as it wouldn’t represent the data meaningfully.
I believe there might be a better way to illustrate the moss percent cover data, perhaps by including a third axis to show driveway distance for each replicate. However, my current graph adequately showcases the relationship between moss percent cover and roadside edge environments, with R² values included along the three trendlines.
The data outcomes are not as clear-cut as I had hoped. The R² values for two sample groups suggest a weak influence, while the third indicates a moderate influence of edge environments on moss percent coverage. Nevertheless, all three trendlines show an increase in moss percent coverage with greater distance from the road edge.
This leaves me uncertain about the significance of the results in supporting my hypothesis. Further research with a larger study area and more replicates is needed to strengthen the findings. Future studies could focus on distinguishing the various levels of influence different types of roadside edge environments have on moss growth.
I look forward to seeing your graph!