Dandelion write up
Statement of Problem
This experiment aims to measure the effect that distance eastward from a wall in the West High School baseball lot has on the number of dandelion stalks found in the field, sampled with belt transects. The wall runs parallel to a major street, so this measurement could also show the correlation between dandelion population and distance from the street.
Hypothesis
It was hypothesized that dandelion stalks would appear in greater numbers away (at least 4 meters away) from the shade offered by the concrete wall. In the open, grassy area, dandelion plants will receive direct light from the sun for the majority of the day and will be uninhibited by the wall’s shade, allowing them to grow freely.
Variables
Independent Variable
The independent variable in this experiment is the distance from the concrete wall in meters. The independent variable is measured in five sub-ranges, each one-fifth the length of the 23 meters length of the belt transects.
Dependent variable
This experiment’s dependent variable is the number of dandelion stalks (of species Taraxacum officinale) counted within each sampling belt 23 meters long and 1 meter wide.
Controlled variables Since the independent variable is distance from the straight concrete wall, getting a sample representative of the area of field along the wall requires placing belts throughout as much of this field area as possible. By spacing out the belt transects the confounding variable of chance variation in a small area independent of the targeted correlations is controlled. Direction (which could be relevant due to shadows cast on the field changing throughout the day) can be controlled for by sampling from both sides of the wall. One side of the wall is bordering an area of grass, however on the other side there is blacktop, so a gap of around 30 meters would have to be added to that side in order to reach grass.
Standards of Comparison
The standard of
This experiment aims to measure the effect that distance eastward from a wall in the West High School baseball lot has on the number of dandelion stalks found in the field, sampled with belt transects. The wall runs parallel to a major street, so this measurement could also show the correlation between dandelion population and distance from the street.
Hypothesis
It was hypothesized that dandelion stalks would appear in greater numbers away (at least 4 meters away) from the shade offered by the concrete wall. In the open, grassy area, dandelion plants will receive direct light from the sun for the majority of the day and will be uninhibited by the wall’s shade, allowing them to grow freely.
Variables
Independent Variable
The independent variable in this experiment is the distance from the concrete wall in meters. The independent variable is measured in five sub-ranges, each one-fifth the length of the 23 meters length of the belt transects.
Dependent variable
This experiment’s dependent variable is the number of dandelion stalks (of species Taraxacum officinale) counted within each sampling belt 23 meters long and 1 meter wide.
Controlled variables Since the independent variable is distance from the straight concrete wall, getting a sample representative of the area of field along the wall requires placing belts throughout as much of this field area as possible. By spacing out the belt transects the confounding variable of chance variation in a small area independent of the targeted correlations is controlled. Direction (which could be relevant due to shadows cast on the field changing throughout the day) can be controlled for by sampling from both sides of the wall. One side of the wall is bordering an area of grass, however on the other side there is blacktop, so a gap of around 30 meters would have to be added to that side in order to reach grass.
Standards of Comparison
The standard of