FoSP Written Answer

Forest Succession Project – Answer Template Name and Student ID: The Forest Succession Project is an INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT and is due to the Dropbox by Friday, November 17 th at 10PM. Provide your answers below, and submit this file along with the Excel Data Analysis Template file to the Dropbox. In addition to the marks above, the total mark for this assignment also includes 4 marks allotted to writing (overall quality and clarity of writing, spelling, grammar, and punctuation). Late assignments will be subject to a 10% late penalty per 24-hour period. PART II: Data Interpretation (34 marks) 2.1. In seminar 5 we counted the number of individuals above waist height as a measure of abundance. Instead of counting the number of individuals, researchers also measure basal area when studying forests and woodlots. Basal area is an estimate of how much area is taken up by living trees in proportion to the area being sampled. Additionally, percent cover might be used when measuring shrub abundance. For woody plants, percent cover is an estimate of how much ground surface area the foliage of each species covers, as a proportion of the total area being sampled. Why would a researcher choose one method over others? (2 marks) A researcher might choose one method over the other, based on their specific goals for their research, as well as the nature of the study. Basal area is especially useful in forest ecology because it provides a more comprehensive measure of the forest density, because it takes horizontal space taken up by tree trunks into consideration. Percent cover is more ideal in studies involving ground vegetation (i.e. shrubs) because the vertical projection of the foliage is a far better indicator of abundance than the number of individuals. Basal area is more often used when making decisions on management practices, because basal area is valuable when it comes to assessing growth and density. While percent cover assessments are often quicker and less destructive compared to measuring basal area which is why percent cover is more ideal when it comes to conducting large-scale field studies. 1 BIOL*1070 Forest Succession Project Total Marks for Assignment: 85 + 4 marks for writing = 89

2.2 Compare the frequency histogram and the standard deviation values from the data collected in your seminar for the Dairy Bush (Questions 1.4 and 1.5) with the histogram and standard deviation value from the larger data set for the Dairy Bush (Questions 1.8 and 1.9). A) What effect does the difference in the number of samples have on the appearance of the histogram? (2 marks). B) What effect does the difference in the number of samples have on the standard deviation? (2 marks) A) The histogram with the greater number of samples has a wider range because of the increased amount of data that was available to be interpreted. However, the histogram with the lower number of samples is more condensed and displays a smaller range because of the limited data that is available to interpret. B) The set of data with a greater number of samples, has a higher value of standard deviation. Correspondingly, the set of data with a lower number of samples has a lower value of standard deviation. Therefore, the greater the number of samples the higher the value of the standard deviation. 2.3 Below are 3 different samples, taken by three different groups, of the same plot. Notice the difference in the species ID as well as the measurements (here already converted into DBH cm). Sample 1 Sample 2 Sample 3 Sugar maple Norway maple Sycamore maple White pine Alternate-leaved dogwood Sugar maple White pine Sycamore maple White ash Alternate-leaved dogwood Sugar maple White pine White ash Alternate-leaved dogwood Alder buckthorn 85 1.2 10.2 50 2.5 94 133.1 19 5.5 1.5 40 43 2 2 3 90 15 103 14 4 2 37 37 3.6 2 3.6 20.4 140 129 3 1 2.4 1.5 4.5 3 1.5 2 BIOL*1070 Forest Succession Project Total Marks for Assignment: 85 + 4 marks for writing = 89

2.5 How do the diameter at breast height (DBH) means compare between the Dairy Bush and Vicar’s Woods? (2 marks). Vicar Wood’s mean DBH is higher than the Dairy Bush’s mean DBH which suggests that trees in that location have a larger average diameter. 2.6 Based on the data collected, what can you conclude about the relative ages/stages of the Dairy Bush and Vicar’s Woods (2 marks). Vicar’s Woods for the most part has a more diverse composition as well as higher DBH values than the Dairy Bush which suggests that due to it’s more diverse and mature composition Vicar’s Woods is older in age or in a more advanced stage of succession. 2.7 After analysing the data gathered from this experiment, what is a reasonable conclusion that you could make regarding one element of forest ecology (ie: on the plants or animals that may inhabit these woods) in the Dairy Bush and Vicar’s woods. Refer to the data in this project. Comment on either an aspect of evolution or physiology related to the data collected (4 marks). After analysing the data, one possible conclusion that could be made is that the diversity and abundance of plant species in the Dairy Bush and Vicar’s Woods is that in the Dairy Bush, where from the data collected in the experiment it was confirmed that the plant diversity is lower in comparison to Vicar’s Woods, species are likely to exhibit adaptations that will allow them to utilize the resources available to them. Emphasizing resource collection and competitive ability. Whereas in Vicar’s Woods, which from the data collected was proven to have a higher plant diversity, the higher plant diversity suggests a more complex and diverse community which could contribute to a greater variety of habitats, allowing the species of plants a better chance to compete and coexist. 4 BIOL*1070 Forest Succession Project Total Marks for Assignment: 85 + 4 marks for writing = 89

2.8 Based on your observations in the Dairy Bush and the comparison of the data from the DB and Vicar’s Woods, write a follow up research question. Keep your question simple and straightforward. ‘How’ or ‘Why’ questions are best (4 marks). How do environmental factors, such as soil composition, contribute to differences in growth and species composition between the Dairy Bush and Vicar’s Woods? 2.9 Write one hypothesis that addresses or explains the question listed above. Remember that hypotheses for this course should take the form “A [Variable 1] is related to/affected by B [Variable 2] because of C [mechanism]” (4 marks). Soil composition is related to and affects tree growth and species composition in the Dairy Bush and Vicar’s Woods because of differences in nutrient availability and microclimatic conditions. 2.10 Write one prediction that is generated by the hypothesis you wrote above. Remember that predictions should be straightforward and direct. This is what you would expect to happen if you conducted an investigation (4 marks). Areas with richer nutrient availability and more favourable microclimatic conditions will exhibit higher values of growth and greater species diversity in both the Dairy Bush and Vicar’s Woods compared to areas with poorer nutrient content and less favourable microclimates. 5 BIOL*1070 Forest Succession Project Total Marks for Assignment: 85 + 4 marks for writing = 89