Assignment #
For each of the following three experiments, analyze the data in R using regression (the lm function). Then, as I showed you in class, write a sentence describing your results as it might appear in a published scientific article. Be sure to include the estimate of the slope and p-value. Also, if the results are not 'statistically significant', be sure to state so. Put your sentences in a Microsoft Word document.
Experiment 1 - In this experiment, you are interested in the relationship
between tree 'mast' (acorns, hazelnuts, other nuts, etc.) and squirrel density.
In 50 forest plot, you collected data on the amount of mast available (kg/hectare; X) and
squirrel density (squirrels/hectare; Y) (Data#1)
Experiment 2 - In this experiment, you are interested in the relationship
between understory cover, measured as the % visibility, and bunny density. Using
a canvas painted with a checkerboard pattern ('Nudds board'), you held up the
board while another technician got down on their hands and counted the number of
the 100 squares on the board they could see. This number was divided by 100 to
get the 'percent visibility' of the understory (X; % visibility). Using
trapping, you also measured bunny density (bunnies/hectare; Y) (Data#2)
Experiment 3 - This is a study in which we are interested in the relationship
between % Protein in the diet (X; % protein) and body mass in cats (Y; lbs) (Data#3).
Note that you can see how the data was created here:
Truth