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1. Introduction
a. Despite a few good rains caused by the recent tropical storm on the Eastern coast, Oxford, and all of its wildlife, is still suffering from an unusually dry summer. Looking around, it became quite obvious to us, at least visually, that the lack of precipitation was having some dramatic effects on the flora of the Western Campus. These perceived effects raised an interesting question, one that our group felt merited a scientific investigation. The purpose of our proposed study is to discover the effects of draught on the seasonal cycle of two species of trees on Western Campus. We believe, due to our preliminary observations, that the dry summer has increased the rate at which the leaves die and fall off of the trees. We hope to answer the question ÒWill more leaves fall, as a result of the draught, than in other years in which the yearly rainfall is higher, and more frequent?Ó We predict that this yearÕs draught will cause significant differences in the rate of leaf fall, as compared to these other years.
b. The decision process occurred one day in class while we were discussing many different types of experiments that could be used for the Student Generated Lab. Having no real interest in microorganisms, prayer, or sunspots, Dave and I set about to devise a study that interested us. Looking out the window and thinking about what we could study on Western, we were struck with the idea of studying WesternÕs most prominent inhabitants, the trees. Walking to and from class everyday, we had noticed an increased amount of leaves on the ground, dry and crunching under our feet in the middle of August. The walk to and from class also made it uncomfortably obvious to us that it was very hot, and that there wasnÕt a lot of precipitation. Putting these factors together, we decided they were related, and proposed to study just how much these two things were related.
c. One of the main goals of this study is to produce an accurate account of the effects of draught on two species of trees on Western Campus so that the information will be available for future classes, who hopefully will continue this research in other years in which the average rainfall differs from this year. Other studies have been done on leaf fall, but none that focus specifically on the effects of draught. These labs have focused on discovering the factors that effect leaf fall, including the soil, weather, and several others. Knowing already that the weather, and precipitation, have an effect on leaf fall, we want to set up a starting point for people to research just how much of an effect they have on trees. Essentially, we want to establish a base year for the future classes.
d. Many of us, whether from other students, faculty, parents, or the guides at Orientation or Visitation days, have heard about MiamiÕs reputation for having a beautiful fall season. This reputation, as well as the abundance of trees on Western Campus, makes the effect of draught on this seasonal show an interesting topic. Discovering why this summer is already bringing about the falling of the leaves, completely skipping the usually beautiful color change, should prove to be an interesting study. With our research, and the results of studies done in future years, the time and intensity of the fall color change might even be made predictable.
2.Relevance
a. Previous yearÕs students have performed studies in which they tested several factors that effect leaf fall. Their research incorporated such factors as pH levels, soil content, weather, and temperature in their study. Our study will move away from the broad topic of what effects leaf fall, instead focusing specifically on the effect of precipitation, or the lack thereof.
b. Our research relates to the larger question of how the shift in weather patterns is detrimental to the ecosystem, specifically deciduous trees in Ohio. The amount of these types of trees in Oxford, and specifically on Western, make it exceedingly relevant to this class, as the trees are a major player in the Western environment. Hopefully this research on draught will be able to not only help predict the time and intensity of leaf fall, but may also be used in researching the effect of draught on food crops, so that the peak of the season and the best time to harvest may be predicted, preventing crops from dying from draught before they can be harvested.
3. Materials and Methods
a. Our proposed plan for the class experiment will be a much different approach to recording data on leaf fall then is used on our original experiment. In our original experiment we collected both statistical and visual data for a four week period, focusing on two trees. Every Thursday pictures were taken, and very fine nets were set out underneath the test trees. These nets served the purpose of collecting any leaves that fell. Pictures were taken again on Tuesdays, and the leaves that were trapped in the net were counted. Only leaves that belonged to the tree were counted. Do to time restraints, we have decided that rather than just collect information from this year, we will analyze leaves from a variety of years and ask the class to compare he strata. To do this, a square foot of leaves from a dense spot in the forest bed will collected and brought to class. The class will be asked to observe the strata of leaves and sort the leaves into the year that they fell. Once sorted, the separate groupings of leaves will then be analyzed, and compared to weather records from the past five years. Hopefully the class will be able to infer from the comparisons that the amount of precipitation does indeed effect leaf fall. We believe that this a statistically sound way to scale our original lab down to a one day class lab. We will be providing the material and background information, and simply asking the class to sort and analyze.
b. We believe that this will a statistically sound experiment, at least as sound as possible given the transient nature of leaves. We were once again guided by Nancy in our quest to determine a successful way to bring this experiment into the classroom for a day. She once again helped us to simplify our experiment. We will also make much use of the weather record of this area for the past several years, which will be collected from the National Weather Service.
1. The amount of people participating in the lab will be one of the biggest factors in keeping our methods from being biased. Although some leaves may be sorted into wrong ages, and some leaves may be miscounted, the large amount of people working on it should work as a fail safe, as people will most likely pick up on other peopleÕs mistakes, and then correct them. The inherent nature of humans to pick up on the mistakes of others is by far our greatest tool in keeping our modified lab unbiased.
2. We will be collecting the square meter of leaves ourselves, providing one less place for the class to make an error in the research. Besides providing the research material, we will also be supervising the sorting and counting, as well as the analysis of the information. With our guidance, as well as the capabilities of our classmates, our data and conclusions should ring true. The modified lab will show the gist of the collection methods used by us in the real lab, and we feel it will show the importance of counting and collecting consistently.
c. Our most important materials will be the students in our class and our leaves, as well as the data on the weather of years past. Without the leaves there is no material to research, and without the students, there would be no way of counting and sorting the leaves. The data sheets will prove invaluable when analyzing what exactly the data means in relation to the climate and precipitation. There are really the only materials we will be using, and each of them plays a huge role in the success of the experiment and subsequent analysis.
d. We could come up with no other solution as to how to bring our lab into the classroom except this one. This way, although signifigantly different than our original experiment, carries the essence of what we are trying to do, and thus conveys the importance and effectiveness of our efforts to the class. This way involves them much more than simply bringing in or last net sample and having them count, and then simply plugging and chugging our numbers. We will be asking them to make their own conclusions through analysis.
e. For our data sheets, we will be using StatView.
f. The experiment will be done in one day, with a sample of leaves collected previously. A square meter will be collected and allowed to dry, and then brought in on the lab day, sorted, counted, and analyzed.
4. Resources
a.Leaf Litter Production by Lianes and Trees in a Sub-Tropical Australian Rain Forest
Elwyn E. Hegarty
Journal of Tropical Ecology, Vol. 7, No. 2. (May, 1991), pp. 201-214.
b. Litter Fall in a New South Wales Conifer Forest: A Multivariate Comparison of Plant Nutrient Element Status and Return in Four Species
A. V. Spain
Journal of Applied Ecology, Vol. 10, No. 2. (Aug., 1973), pp. 527-556.
c. Vegetation Gradients in Relation to Environment and Phenology in a Southern Blue Ridge Gorge
Thomas B. Mowbray, Henry J. Oosting
Ecological Monographs, Vol. 38, No. 4. (Autumn, 1968), pp. 309-344.
d. Litterfall and Decomposition Processes in the Coastal Fynbos Vegetation, South-Western Cape, South Africa
D. T. Mitchell, P. G. F. Coley, S. Webb, N. Allsopp
Journal of Ecology, Vol. 74, No. 4. (Dec., 1986), pp. 977-993.
e. Why Do Temperate Deciduous Trees Leaf Out at Different Times? Adaptation and Ecology of Forest Communities
Martin J. Lechowicz
American Naturalist, Vol. 124, No. 6. (Dec., 1984), pp. 821-842.
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