Design an experiment in ecology

INTRODUCTION:

Ecology is the study of organisms in relationship to each other and to their abiotic environment.  The complexity of many relationships can make ecology difficult to study.  For this reason, actual experiments are often done by isolating a single variable and measuring the affect of that variable on the organism(s), population(s) or community(ies) of interest.

ASSIGNMENT:

Select from the following options; either:

(1) Design an experiment to measure how one factor affects the distribution of a plant or animal species;

(2) Design an experiment to measure one aspect of a relationship between two species.

PARAMETER(s):

• Each experiment must include a formal ecological sampling technique like a transect, a quadrat, capture and release, etc.
• Multiple students may (but are not required to) work with a common plan and may pool their data, but every student must collect a unique set of data.

CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING (thanks Bill!):

1. You do not have to gather data suitable for a scatter graph; you could also compare two "populations." 
2. If you need random numbers you can make your own; here at Graphpad or here at StatTrek.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:

Design

Data Collection & Processing (identify sources of data each time they are not your own data)

Conclusion & Evaluation

DUE DATE:  27 May 2010 this is last class day before exams