1. What is the question that this study aimed to answer? State the hypothesis that you tested.
I completed the lab but I don't understand what it is that I am testing. The lab had me test fragmentation at 0,25,50 and 75%.Included Spiny Grass, Blue bunch wheat flower, deer elk, and wolf.
objective:
Investigate the effects of habitat fragmentation associated with deforestation and urban sprawl on forest food webs and ecosystem processes. Learn how to use the scientific method to address questions in environmental science and apply scientific findings to recommend management solutions. Determine the percent of intact forest that must be maintained in order to protect the Pinchot Forest Reserve’s biodiversity and ecosystem services.
Based on the objective of the lab, it seems that the study aimed to answer the question: How does habitat fragmentation, specifically associated with deforestation and urban sprawl, affect forest food webs and ecosystem processes?
To test this hypothesis, the lab had you examine the effects of different levels of fragmentation (0%, 25%, 50%, and 75%) on various elements of the forest ecosystem. This included observing and measuring the responses of the Spiny Grass, Blue bunch wheat flower, deer elk, and wolf populations to different levels of habitat fragmentation.
The goal of this experiment was to determine the percent of intact forest that must be maintained in the Pinchot Forest Reserve in order to protect its biodiversity and ecosystem services. This information can then be used to recommend management solutions to mitigate the negative effects of habitat fragmentation.