Impact of snow on soil quality Life Sciences Research Paper

Make sure to do the correct statistical tests including ANOVA, t tests, and correlations. Read the attached pdf for instructions and the data we collected. Data was collected at three locations of York University, Brampton and Midland with the Rapitest soil testing kit. 3 sites with 2 samples at each location were done and distance to nearest tree was measured. Snow depth was also measured. Graphs should be made for the correlation, the ANOVA for the snow depth for every location, and for the pH at each location. The ANOVA will see if there is a difference in pH and snow depth between locations. For N, Mg, K simple bar graphs are sufficient. Hypothesis is that soil quality is affected by the snow cover.

BIOL/GEOG3500 – Independent Research Project (Final Report) Marking Scheme Title /2  Title should be a concise, accurate and descriptive summary of the project undertaken  If a single species was studied, the title should identify that species (both the common species name AND the scientific name) o There will be a 0.5 mark deduction if this isn’t done  Also include your name and student number, lab section, date of submission, and the names of your group members (if any) Abstract /5  Must be complete in and of itself without reference to rest of paper.  250 word maximum length, with same font and line spacing as the rest of the paper. o 1.0 mark deduction if you go over this word limit  Clear statement of what you studied and why you studied it (justification for study). If you studied a specific (single) species, mention it here AND include the scientific name  Brief mention of methods  Summary of what you found. If you identified any significant relationships, they should be mentioned in the abstract  Concluding sentence, mentioning reason(s) for your observed results, and/or significance of the results. Introduction /15  Objectives: Clear statement on what was done and why.  Any key terms should be defined.  Species should be identified specifically using their common and scientific names  Should explicitly outline your research questions, and/or hypothesis o You will be evaluated on the quality (e.g. insightfulness, specificity) of the question/hypotheses, not just a checked box on whether or not you have them in your introduction.  Incorporation of relevant background literature –consider the context of your study (i.e. bring the “big picture into view here. This is best done with reviewing the scientific literature). You will be evaluated on the appropriateness of the background literature that you include, as well as your demonstrated understanding of the literature. This section will be marked on content (/10), as described above, and style (/5). Style refers to how your paragraphs link together (does it flow well?), and how clearly you express your ideas (can your reader understand what it is you are saying?) Methods /10  Must outline: o the study design o where the samples were collected o the tools used to collect the samples o which statistical tests were conducted (if any) You will be marked on content, described above (/5), and the appropriateness of the study design for addressing your research questions/hypotheses, with consideration of the logistical constraints that you had (/5). Results /15 Presentation of the Data (/10)  Must include at least 3 tables and/or figures. You can have more, but be selective. More is not always better. (1 mark for each table/figure, up to 3 marks) o Don’t show the same information in figure or table form more than once. For example, if you show a bar graph of species counts, and then also present that information in a table, this will only count as 1, not 2, towards your total of 3  Quality and Formatting (up to 3 marks) o All figures and tables must include an informative caption. Figure captions go below, table captions go above.  0.5 marks will be deducted for each instance of incorrect formatting o Figures and tables should present information clearly. Axes should be clearly labeled, and where appropriate, symbols should be defined in a figure legend or in the figure caption o Graphs should be computer-generated  Appropriateness of your data presentation (up to 4 marks) o Are the figures and tables included suitable to the research questions/hypotheses and the type of data collected? *If you designed and completed your study as a group, it is ok to have the same figures/statistics in all of your individual papers, but the text should be written individually. Text (/5)  Text must outline main trends, not just a description of the figures/tables.  Figures and tables must be cited in the text and appear in order of citation.  Try not to refer directly to figs and tables [i.e. BAD: Fig. 1 shows tree density increased with moisture class; GOOD: Tree density increased with moisture class (Fig. 1)].  Statistical tests: Were statistical tests used appropriately? Note – not all study designs necessarily need statistical tests, but if your data clearly requires supporting statistical analysis and none are provided, marks will be deducted (up to 2 marks total). Similarly, marks will be deducted for the use of inappropriate statistical tests. Discussion /15  This is really the make or break section of the report  Discuss the reasons for your findings, backed up by primary literature (/6)  Make some conclusion regarding the initial hypothesis you were working under (/1)  Inclusion of strong significance statement (i.e. major implications, etc.) (/3) This section will be marked on content (/10), as described above, and style (/5). Style refers to how your paragraphs link together (does it flow well?), and how clearly you express your ideas (can your reader understand what it is you are saying?) Literature Cited /2  Follow the proper citation style (Journal of Biogeography)  Must only cite references that are cited in the text, and vice versa  You should have a minimum of 10 primary references, but more may be required properly introduce your topic and discuss your results. Formatting, Spelling & Grammar /3  Paper should be a maximum of 12 pages double-spaced, not including the references, figures/tables, and the title page.  A paper which is way too short will be clearly lacking in some of the other areas, so no marks off for short papers. For extra-long papers, your TA has the option to stop reading beyond 12 pages.  Correct grammar and spelling Raw Data  You were required to submit your raw data on March 9. Late penalties of 1 mark per day (including weekends) will be deducted from your Final Paper grade, up to a maximum of 7 marks. Total: /67