I have a Data Analysis Lab that has a graph attached to it. It talks about how temperature affects the growth rates of the two species'. It says that researchers studied the effect and they hypothesized that increasing temperature would increase the growth rate. However, in the graph, one of the species has a DECREASE in the growth rate when the temperature increases. Then, the question asks to describe the difference in population when temperature increases and I did describe it. BUT!! the second question states "Evaluate- what would be the net probable steps in the researcher's investigation? And I need help with that question.
To evaluate the probable steps in the researcher's investigation, you would need to consider the findings from the graph and think about what the researchers could have done to understand the unexpected result.
Here are some possible steps the researchers might have taken:
1. Review the experimental design: The researchers may have assessed the methodology to ensure that the experiment was conducted accurately. They would check if the variables were controlled, if the sample size was sufficient, and if any confounding factors could have influenced the results.
2. Analyze the data: The researchers would carefully analyze the data collected from the experiment. They might look for any inconsistencies or errors in the measurements. Additionally, they would perform statistical analysis to quantify the significance of the observed decrease in growth rate for one species.
3. Verify the conditions: The researchers would double-check the environmental conditions during the experiment. They may have monitored the temperature, light level, nutrient availability, and other factors to ensure that the conditions were consistent and accurately recorded.
4. Explore other factors: The researchers might investigate if other factors could be influencing the growth rate of the species in addition to temperature. They would analyze any potential interactions between temperature and other variables such as pH levels, CO2 concentration, or the presence of other organisms.
5. Re-test the hypothesis: Given the unexpected results, the researchers might re-test the experiment to confirm the findings. They could repeat the experiment with a larger sample size or modify the experimental design to address any identified limitations.
6. Seek external input: The researchers might consult with colleagues or experts in the field to gain additional insight into their findings and possible explanations. They may share their data and seek feedback to better understand the decrease in growth rates for one species.
7. Formulate new hypotheses: Based on the data and analysis, the researchers would develop new hypotheses to explain the observed decrease in growth rate for one species. These hypotheses could consider alternative factors that might be influencing the growth rate apart from temperature.
8. Conduct further experiments: If the initial findings are inconclusive or contradictory to the hypothesis, the researchers would likely design additional experiments to further investigate the relationship between temperature and growth rate. This could involve manipulating other variables, using different species, or exploring different temperature ranges.
By following these steps, the researchers would aim to gain a comprehensive understanding of the unexpected result and refine their hypothesis to better explain the relationship between temperature and growth rate for the species under study.