Scientific Question: How does the amount of soil carbon change with decreasing mangrove height from the coast to inland wetlands?
What is the hypothesis Find the two hypotheses in the Research Background and
underline them. A hypothesis is a proposed explanation for an observation, which can
then be tested with experimentation or other types of studies. Having two alternative
hypotheses means that more than one mechanism may explain a given observation.
Experimentation can determine if one, both, or neither hypotheses are supported.
Scientific Data
Use the data below to answer the scientific question:
Distance Mangrove Sample along Proportion soil
Habitat type from coast tree height transect
organic carbon
coastal fringe closest tallest
1
0.258
coastal fringe closest tallest
2
0.354
coastal fringe closest tallest
3
0.333
coastal fringe closest tallest
4
0.298
coastal fringe closest tallest
5
0.337
intermediate intermediate intermediate 1
0.274
intermediate intermediate intermediate
2
0.369
intermediate intermediate intermediate
3
0.384
intermediate intermediate intermediate
4
0.379
intermediate intermediate intermediate 5
0.370
Jinland
furthest shortest
1
0.158
inland furthest shortest
2
0.185
inland furthest shortest
3
0.179
Jinland furthest shortest
4
0.212
Jinland furthest shortest
5
0.084
"Distance from the coast was measured in meters (m) and then broken up into 3 categones. These
categories are closest (10-20 m from coast), intermediate (100-120 m from coast), and furthest (275-300
m from coast).
**Mangrove tree height was measured in meters (m) and then broken up into 3 categories. These
categories are shortest (<1.5 m), intermediate (2-6 m), and tallest (10-20 m),
*** Proportion soil organic carbon is calculated after measuring the difference in soil sample weights
before and after combustion.
What data will you graph to answer the question?
Independent variables
Dependent variable: