I have two ecology assignments attached.
ECOL302 Ecology Fall 2021 Long Answer Question Please number your answers to the questions below. You may use this document or make another. Upload your answer to the Assignment on D2L that matches your question title. 2.B) Mesquites: Dispersal and Dispersion Your Mission: You are interested in learning more about why mesquites have the dispersion patterns that you saw in the aerial photos from the Santa Rita Experimental Range. You are wondering if the distance between trees affects their survival over time (possibly because those that are farther apart avoid enemies and/or competition for limited resources). You decide to design a study to test for the effect of adult tree density on survival of seedlings. Hypothesis 1. State the hypothesis that you will test. [1 pt] An hypothesis is a proposed explanation for something, made as a starting point for further investigation. Based on the mission given above, state what you are proposing for how something is affecting something else, i.e. your hypothesis for what is happening as given in the mission. Approach 2. Will you do an observational study or a manipulative experiment? [½ pt] This must match the experiment you propose below, or no credit will be given. 3. Why did you choose that approach? (explain in 1-2 sentences) [1 pt] 4. What is your independent variable (treatments or conditions)? [1 pt] 5. What is your dependent variable? [1 pt] 6. What is your unit of replication? [1 pt] What are your replicates, for which you measure your dependent variable? 7. Summarize your approach in a few sentences, so that you can be sure that we understand what you are describing. Include any background information or assumptions that you are making that have shaped how you decided to set up your study. Are there any things we would need to know about the organism or environment to understand why this is a good approach? Finally, if you see obvious pitfalls or shortcomings of your study, you can let us know here. (approx. 2-5 sentences total) [1 pt] Prediction 8. State a prediction for what the results of your study would look like if they support your hypothesis. (1 sentence) [1pt] This must match your hypothesis and variables. 9. Make a figure of results that would be consistent with that prediction: a. Label y axis with the variable that should be on the y [1 pt] b. Label x axis with the variable that should be on the x [1 pt] c. Draw results bars or lines consistent with your prediction [2 pts] d. Provide a caption below the figure, describing what is in the figure [½ pt] 10. Based on the results shown in your figure, what kind of statistical test could you use for this study? [1 pt] Suggest an ANOVA, a regression/correlation, or a Chi-squared test based on which would be most consistent with your types of variables. Discussion Question(s) / Follow-Up [2 pts] 11. You conduct your study and several follow-ups, and you gain a good understanding of the factors that shape mesquite dispersion at the site. Mesquites are in general expanding their distribution into grasslands at the larger landscape scale. Based on what we have discussed in class, do you expect to be able to use your current information about dispersion to predict landscape scale patterns of expansion of mesquites? State yes or no and explain why or why not. ECOL302 Ecology Fall 2021 Long Answer Question Please number your answers to the questions below. You may use this document or make another. Upload your answer to the Assignment on D2L that matches your question title. 1.B) Tortoises: Age-Dependent Vital Rates Your Mission: You are studying the rare Desert Tortoise and are able to follow individuals throughout their yearly activities. You know that tortoises can live a long time, but you can’t tell for sure how old any individual is. You do know that shells get bigger as tortoises get older. You suspect that the number of eggs laid increases for older (larger) female tortoises, and you want to test whether shell size (i.e. age) affects the number of eggs laid. Hypothesis 1. State the hypothesis that you will test. [1 pt] An hypothesis is a proposed explanation for something, made as a starting point for further investigation. Based on the mission given above, state what you are proposing for how something is affecting something else, i.e. your hypothesis for what is happening as given in the mission. Approach 2. Will you do an observational study or a manipulative experiment? [½ pt] This must match the experiment you propose below, or no credit will be given. 3. Why did you choose that approach? (explain in 1-2 sentences) [1 pt] 4. What is your independent variable (treatments or conditions)? [1 pt] 5. What is your dependent variable? [1 pt] 6. What is your unit of replication? [1 pt] What are your replicates, for which you measure your dependent variable? 7. Summarize your approach in a few sentences, so that you can be sure that we understand what you are describing. Include any background information or assumptions that you are making that have shaped how you decided to set up your study. Are there any things we would need to know about the organism or environment to understand why this is a good approach? Finally, if you see obvious pitfalls or shortcomings of your study, you can let us know here. (approx. 2-5 sentences total) [1 pt] Prediction 8. State a prediction for what the results of your study would look like if they support your hypothesis. (1 sentence) [1pt] This must match your hypothesis and variables. 9. Make a figure of results that would be consistent with that prediction: a. Label y axis with the variable that should be on the y [1 pt] b. Label x axis with the variable that should be on the x [1 pt] c. Draw results bars or lines consistent with your prediction [2 pts] d. Provide a caption below the figure, describing what is in the figure [½ pt] 10. Based on the results shown in your figure, what kind of statistical test could you use for this study? [1 pt] Suggest an ANOVA, a regression/correlation, or a Chi-squared test based on which would be most consistent with your types of variables. Discussion Question(s) / Follow-Up [2 pts] 11. You find that larger females do produce more eggs than smaller females. You want to use your data to help build a population model for the tortoise. Among all of the models that we have discussed, which kind of model would you use? Give the name of the model type and explain why you would choose it. ECOL302 Ecology Fall 2021 Long Answer Question Please number your answers to the questions below. You may use this document or make another. Upload your answer to the Assignment on D2L that matches your question title. 2.B) Mesquites: Dispersal and Dispersion Your Mission: You are interested in learning more about why mesquites have the dispersion patterns that you saw in the aerial photos from the Santa Rita Experimental Range. You are wondering if the distance between trees affects their survival over time (possibly because those that are farther apart avoid enemies and/or competition for limited resources). You decide to design a study to test for the effect of adult tree density on survival of seedlings. Hypothesis 1. State the hypothesis that you will test. [1 pt] An hypothesis is a proposed explanation for something, made as a starting point for further investigation. Based on the mission given above, state what you are proposing for how something is affecting something else, i.e. your hypothesis for what is happening as given in the mission. Approach 2. Will you do an observational study or a manipulative experiment? [½ pt] This must match the experiment you propose below, or no credit will be given. 3. Why did you choose that approach? (explain in 1-2 sentences) [1 pt] 4. What is your independent variable (treatments or conditions)? [1 pt] 5. What is your dependent variable? [1 pt] 6. What is your unit of replication? [1 pt] What are your replicates, for which you measure your dependent variable? 7. Summarize your approach in a few sentences, so that you can be sure that we understand what you are describing. Include any background information or assumptions that you are making that have shaped how you decided to set up your study. Are there any things we would need to know about the organism or environment to understand why this is a good approach? Finally, if you see obvious pitfalls or shortcomings of your study, you can let us know here. (approx. 2-5 sentences total) [1 pt] Prediction 8. State a prediction for what the results of your study would look like if they support your hypothesis. (1 sentence) [1pt] This must match your hypothesis and variables. 9. Make a figure of results that would be consistent with that prediction: a. Label y axis with the variable that should be on the y [1 pt] b. Label x axis with the variable that should be on the x [1 pt] c. Draw results bars or lines consistent with your prediction [2 pts] d. Provide a caption below the figure, describing what is in the figure [½ pt] 10. Based on the results shown in your figure, what kind of statistical test could you use for this study? [1 pt] Suggest an ANOVA, a regression/correlation, or a Chi-squared test based on which would be most consistent with your types of variables. Discussion Question(s) / Follow-Up [2 pts] 11. You conduct your study and several follow-ups, and you gain a good understanding of the factors that shape mesquite dispersion at the site. Mesquites are in general expanding their distribution into grasslands at the larger landscape scale. Based on what we have discussed in class, do you expect to be able to use your current information about dispersion to predict landscape scale patterns of expansion of mesquites? State yes or no and explain why or why not.