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This is a project seperated to two assignemnts first one I aready did and second part is cumulating assignment to revise what I did in the first part and combine the parts together in research proposal/essay formaty by fixing it and use the feedback i had from the first part. I will provide the requirments for the first part and what I did and the feedback and also i will provide the requirments of the second part which is this assignemnt.
Requirments for the part I did already:
Background information
On tall mountains, there is a biome boundary above which forest trees cannot grow. At higher elevations, temperatures are too cold for trees to grow and growing seasons too short. This boundary is called the treeline, and it is a boundary between biomes, as there is subalpine forest on the lower side and low-growing alpine tundra vegetation on the upper side. With global warming, treelines in mountains worldwide are moving upwards, creating challenges for the species in arctic tundra whose habitat is shrinking and for species of subalpine forests that are under pressure to migrate higher in elevation to stay within the band of climate that they are adapted to. Before you start, please read the review paper on tree line research by Holtmeier and Broll (2020, on the Canvas page before this assignment) to get some background information. Our textbook discusses treelines on pages 69-70 in Chapter 3.
For this assignment, you will develop a brief research proposal to conduct research on the effects of a warming climate on any organism of your choice that lives at the treeline anywhere in California, where treeline altitude varies between 2,700 and 3,500 m. Lower mountain ranges do not have treelines, so they are found mostly in the Sierra Nevada, the White Mountains, Mt Shasta, Mt Lassen, and just a few other places. Trees found growing at California treelines include limber pines (Pinus flexilis), whitebark pines (Pinus albicaulis), and bristlecone pines (Pinus longaeva), the oldest trees in the world. Your research proposal can be about the trees or any other plant, animal, or microbe species that lives at California treelines. You can find such species by doing a search of the scientific literature on “treeline” and “California” or more specifically “Sierra Nevada” or “White Mountains”.
Once you picked a species, design research to test how warming and an upward-moving treeline could affect it. Learn as much as you can about your organism before you propose the research. Be specific about the effect you propose to examine, for example effect of warming temperature on growth, reproduction, susceptibility to pathogens, food sources (in the case of animal), competition with other species, predation, or migration. Your research design must test a hypothesis, and you may propose lab or field measurements, or both. Be specific about experimental treatments and replicates, and follow the instructions below. Note: Global warming can be considered to create “natural experiments”, where treelines that have been fairly stable for centuries are now moving up. So it is possible to take advantage of that “natural experiment” and propose comparing current conditions under global warming as the “experimental treatment” to historical data, which serve as a historical “control treatment”.
What to do for this assignment:
This assignment is already structured into the sections needed for the proposal to ensure that you cover all required parts. Write your proposal in a word processor and then copy and paste each section into the text boxes below. The sections include: 1. Introduction, 2. Research questions and rationale for the hypothesis (or hypotheses), 3. Research hypothesis (or hypotheses), 4. Research Design and Methods, and 5. Literature Cited. The writing in all sections should be concise and the total proposal, including all sections, should be no longer than 1,000 words, with a minimum of 500 words.
1. Introduction:
In this section, a conceptual background for the proposed project must be built that prepares the reader for the need to conduct this research. This section of the proposal should be based on a review of relevant published literature. Include a minimum of two citations to published work and cite them as explained under step 5. below. Do not quote anything verbatim from the literature, even with attribution, and use your own words.
2. Research question and rationale
Here you must have a clear statement of the research question(s), and your rationale or reasons for the hypothesis or hypotheses that are stated in the next section.
For example, the research question could be something like: “Are bristlecone pines migrating upwards as temperatures increase in the White Mountains?” The rationale for your hypothesis could be something like: “Because temperatures are limiting tree growth at treeline, warming temperatures should allow trees to grow at higher elevation.”
3. Research hypothesis
Clearly state your research and null hypothesis (or hypotheses). These must be written in such a way that they can be tested with your proposed experiment or natural experiment.
For example: “Research hypothesis: Between 1990 and 2020, more bristlecone pine seedlings are found growing above the historic treeline in the White Mountains than in the years 1960 to 1990. Null hypothesis: Between 1990 and 2020, no more bristlecone pine seedlings are found growing above the historic treeline in the White Mountains than in the years 1960 to 1990.”
4. Research design and methods
Briefly describe the proposed methods, especially the key aspects of the experimental design. Include materials used, list number of replicates for all treatments, a description of field locations for field experiments, the common and Latin names of organisms studied, what variables will be measured, proposed sampling and measurement procedures, and, if possible, a statement of statistical tests to be used to test the hypothesis. Consider using diagrams to illustrate experimental set-ups and/or flow charts to summarize procedures, as appropriate. This section in a research proposal is always written in the future tense.
For example: The example mentioned above about studying bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva) seedlings must include where the study will be conducted (treeline of the White Mountains), how seedlings will be counted, over what range of elevations counts will be conducted, how many replicates there will be (separate sampling areas where seedlings will be counted), and how these data will be compared to historical data.
5. Literature cited:
For your research proposal, you will be required to cite at least 2 literature articles from the peer-reviewed scientific literature to provide background information for your study problem, and to compare your proposed research to what has been previously been published. These 2 articles cannot include the review by Holtmeier and Broll (2020) posted on Canvas, but you are encouraged to cite that as well. These articles must be directly relevant to your project. Also, you must read and understand the articles that you cite.
Conduct a literature search, e.g., on Google Scholar (https://scholar.google.com/Links to an external site.; not regular Google, which has mostly links to material that has not been peer-reviewed) or the Web of Science database, accessible through the library web page (http://www.library.fullerton.edu/Links to an external site.), and find 2 or more scientific articles that are relevant to your proposed project. Citations must be listed in alphabetical order, by first author’s last name, in the text and in the eventual Literature Cited section at the end of your proposal.
Citation style follows the journal Ecology:
In the text, cite a paper with one author as (Author Year), e.g. (Bensiston 2003), with two authors as (Author and Author Year), e.g., (Harsch and Bader 2011), and with three or more authors as (Author et al. Year), e.g. (Millar et al. 2020).
This is what I did and the feedback or fixiation needed after each section:
Introduction
Treeline ecosystems, which mark the transition between subalpine forests and alpine tundra, are uniquely sensitive to climate change. These regions are characterized by a biome boundary where temperatures are too cold for trees to grow, resulting in a distinct separation between tree-dominated areas and tundra vegetation (Holtmeier and Broll 2020). In California, treelines occur at elevations between 2,700 and 3,500 meters, primarily in the Sierra Nevada and the White Mountains. One notable species at these elevations is the whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis), which plays a crucial role in these ecosystems by providing habitat and stabilizing soil (Tomback et al. 2016).
Global warming is causing treelines to shift upward, impacting the distribution and health of species like the whitebark pine. Increased temperatures may enhance growth conditions for these trees at higher elevations but also raise the risk of pest infestations, such as those by the mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae), which thrives in warmer conditions (Logan et al. 2010). Understanding these dynamics is vital for developing conservation strategies to protect treeline ecosystems in a changing climate.
The whitebark pine is a keystone species in high-elevation ecosystems, influencing biodiversity and ecological processes. It provides critical habitat and food sources for various wildlife, including Clark’s nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana), which relies on whitebark pine seeds for nutrition and helps in seed dispersal (Tomback 1982). The decline of whitebark pine due to climate change and pest infestations could have cascading effects on the entire ecosystem. Hence, studying the impacts of climate change on this species is crucial for predicting future ecological shifts and implementing effective conservation strategies.
*This section was good no feedback*
Research question and rationale
Research Question: How does climate warming affect the distribution, growth, and susceptibility to pests of whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) at the treeline in the Sierra Nevada?
Rationale: Temperature is a key factor limiting tree growth at treelines. Warming temperatures are expected to allow whitebark pines to colonize higher elevations. However, this potential benefit might be offset by increased pest pressures, particularly from the mountain pine beetle. Investigating these interactions will provide insights into the future dynamics of treeline ecosystems under climate change and inform conservation efforts. Understanding how whitebark pine responds to these changes will help predict the species’ future distribution and health, informing conservation strategies that can mitigate adverse effects and promote ecosystem resilience.
*This section was good no feedback*
Research hypothesis
Research Hypothesis: Between 1990 and 2020, whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) has experienced an upward shift in its range, increased growth rates at higher elevations, and higher susceptibility to mountain pine beetle infestations.
Null Hypothesis: Between 1990 and 2020, there has been no significant change in the elevation range, growth rates, or susceptibility to mountain pine beetle infestations of whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis).
*This hypothesis addresses three different issues, so it is really three separate hypotheses. I suggest you focus on one issue. It is also not testable as written because it is not clear if all three of these predictions are proposed to be true or if they are separate predictions.*
Research design and methods
The study will be conducted at the treeline in the Sierra Nevada, California, focusing on elevations between 2,700 and 3,500 meters. This region encompasses diverse microclimates and habitats, providing an ideal setting to study the effects of climate change on treeline dynamics.
Experimental Design:
Historical Data Analysis: Collect historical data (1990-2020) on whitebark pine distribution, growth, and pest infestations from existing studies, forestry records, and remote sensing data. These data will serve as a baseline to compare with current observations.
Field Surveys: Conduct field surveys to record current whitebark pine distribution, growth rates, and signs of mountain pine beetle infestations across multiple elevation gradients (2,700 m, 3,000 m, 3,300 m, and 3,500 m). Surveys will be carried out in late summer when signs of beetle activity are most visible.
Sample Collection: Select 10 random plots (1 ha each) at each elevation. Within each plot, measure tree height, diameter, age (using tree cores), and record evidence of beetle infestation. Sampling will be done using standard forestry methods to ensure consistency and accuracy.
Climate Data Collection: Gather temperature and precipitation data from weather stations and remote sensing sources to correlate climatic variables with changes in whitebark pine distribution and health.
Variables Measured:
Elevation Range: Document the highest and lowest elevations where whitebark pines are found. Use GPS to accurately record locations.
Growth Rates: Measure tree height and diameter increments over the past 30 years using dendrochronology. Tree cores will be analyzed in the lab to determine annual growth rings.
Pest Infestation: Record the number of trees affected by mountain pine beetles and the extent of damage. Visual inspections and bark samples will be used to assess beetle presence and activity.
Statistical Analysis:
ANOVA: Use ANOVA to compare growth rates and beetle infestation levels across different elevations and time periods. This will help identify significant differences attributable to elevation and temporal changes.
Regression Analysis: Apply regression analysis to determine the relationship between temperature changes and shifts in whitebark pine distribution. This analysis will help quantify the impact of climatic variables on tree health and distribution.
Expected Outcomes: The study is expected to reveal an upward shift in the whitebark pine range, increased growth rates at higher elevations, and higher susceptibility to mountain pine beetle infestations. These findings will contribute to understanding the impacts of climate change on treeline ecosystems and inform conservation strategies.
*Please write this section in full sentences, not in bullet points. As said above, I suggest you focus on one aspect, either range shift, growth, or pathogens. The description of methods needs more detail, so focus on one aspect and describe the methods in more detail. Explain what you mean by general statements such as “standard forestry methods”, “evidence of beetle infestation”, “dendrochronology”, or “correlate climatic variables with changes…”. It is important for this assignment that you understand the methods you are proposing.*
Literature cited
Holtmeier, F. K., and G. Broll. 2020. Treeline research: From the last century to the future. Progress in Physical Geography: Earth and Environment 44:3-28.
Logan, J. A., W. W. Macfarlane, and L. Wilcox. 2010. Whitebark pine vulnerability to climate-driven mountain pine beetle disturbance in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Ecological Applications 20:895-902.
Smith, W. K., T. J. Germino, T. E. Hancock, and D. M. Johnson. 2003. Another perspective on altitudinal limits of alpine timberlines. Tree Physiology 23:1101-1112.
Tomback, D. F., S. F. Arno, and R. E. Keane, editors. 2016. Whitebark Pine Ecosystems: Ecology and Restoration. Island Press, Washington, D.C.
Tomback, D. F. 1982. Dispersal of whitebark pine seeds by Clark’s nutcracker: A mutualism hypothesis. Journal of Animal Ecology 51:451-467.
NOW: HERE IS THE REQUIRMENTS FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT THAT I NEED*
The culminating assignment for this course consists of revising and expanding your previous module assignment M1 on treeline organisms. This new version must incorporate all feedback you received on assignment M1, with the following new elements added:
Title: This must describe the content of the proposal (e.g., effects of climate change on whitebark pine populations)
Longer introduction: The introduction must address all major topics covered in modules M1-4 of this ecology course, including the physical environment and ecosystem processes (i.e., climate and climate change), some information on the populations of your study organisms (i.e., current or predicted changes in population sizes, survival, and reproduction), and species interaction (e.g., predator-prey, parasitism by pathogens, competition, mutualism or commensalism). At least eight peer-reviewed articles must be cited in the proposal; usually these would be cited in the introduction
Image of the study organism: Add an image or images of your study organisms to the introduction, such as pines and the animals or other organisms that you propose to study and provide the source for that image (e.g., a web link) to the caption of the image.
Research design and methods with experimental design diagram: In addition to the text detailing the research design and methods, add a diagram (e.g., flow chart or layout of sample plots and treatments) to this section with a caption to illustrate your experimental design. Note that an experimental design diagram is not a table and is not a graph of predicted results.
Literature: Follow the instructions for Ecology citation format. Expand your list of references further by conducting additional literature research on your study organisms and on the predicted climate change in the mountains of California. Your final proposal should cite at least eight scientific papers in the text, not counting the textbook or the Holtmeier and Broll (2020) paper.
Submission format: This proposal will be submitted in MS Word file or PDF (no other formats allowed) through Turnitin.com.
How to address feedback received
Some of the feedback was about writing. Please make sure that the final version is spell-checked and free of grammatical errors, including incomplete sentences. Use the “Spelling & Grammar” feature in MS Word (under the Review menu) and ideally ask somebody else to read your draft. It is often difficult for us to spot our own errors.
Here is advice on how to fix some common problems seen in the M1 assignments:
1. Question, rationale, hypotheses, and research designs do not match each other
The most common problem with the previous M1 proposals was that the research question, rationale, null hypothesis, alternative hypothesis, and research design did not match exactly. What do we mean by that? Here is an example where these parts do NOT match:
Note: This is a terrible example. Please do not emulate this!
Research question: How is survival of trees above the historic treeline affected by climate change?
Rationale: Photosynthesis could increase under warming conditions, thereby affecting growth.
Null hypothesis: Seedlings will not grow faster when subjected to warmer growing conditions.
Alternative hypothesis: Seedlings will grow faster under climate change.
Research design: Seedling survival above the historic treeline will be monitored over a 20-year period.
These parts are all vaguely related to each other, but nothing matches. The research question is about survival of trees, and no seedlings are mentioned. The rationale addresses photosynthesis and growth, not survival, which are related, but not the same. The null hypothesis is about growth of seedlings, which were not mentioned before. The alternative hypothesis does not match the null hypothesis in its wording and is untestable, because it is much too vague. The research design would not test the hypothesis, which is about growth, because the design proposes to measure seedling survival.
How can we fix this and make it match?
Make sure that all these parts address exactly the same concepts. If these items did not match completely in your M1 proposal then decide first if you want to keep your research design or change it. If you want to keep it largely as is, make sure that the question, rationale, and hypotheses match what you propose to do for the research. For example, if you propose to measure seedling survival under artificially raised temperatures then the question has to be about seedling survival in response to increased temperature, the rationale has to provide reasons for that particular question, and the null and alternative hypotheses must be tested exactly by your research design. On the other hand, if you really liked your question and want to stick with that, then start there and make sure that everything else matches the question.
This also means not to propose measurements that have nothing to do with the hypothesis. It is a common habit, even with experienced scientists, to propose many additional measurements, because those could be interesting, but you should never propose a measurement that does not answer a stated question or test a hypothesis. For example, if your research hypothesis is about seedling survival, do not propose to measure photosynthesis unless you also have a hypothesis about photosynthesis. For this assignment it is better to keep things simple and have only one alternative hypothesis and its matching null hypothesis. Research proposal submitted by scientists to funding agencies often have multiple hypotheses, but there is no need to do that for this assignment.
2. Research design lacks specific information
The research design must be able to test the hypotheses exactly as stated (e.g., measure seedling survival if the hypothesis is about seedling survival), is fully described with treatments and controls (e.g., including locations, sizes of sample plots; nature of the treatment, such as artificial heating of field plots), the study organisms, the variables measured (e.g., survival), and replicates. Some M1 assignments were much too vague, for example only saying that locations will have to be identified and plot sizes decided, as well as various variables will have to be measured. You must be specific about locations (e.g., above the historic treeline of the White Mountains, on the eastern and western side of the mountain range), sizes of sample plots (e.g., 10,000 square feet), what exactly will be measured (e.g., seedlings will be marked in 2024 and their survival followed annually for the next 20 years), and replicates (e.g., there will be five sample plots on the eastern side and five on the western side of the mountain range; 100 seedlings will be marked per plot).
You may object that you have never been to the White Mountains and have never conducted a field experiment before, so how can you be specific? The answer to that is that you have the luxury of not having to conduct this actual experiment. What you propose may not be entirely realistic, for example in reality there may not be 100 seedlings in 10,000 ft2 plots above the historic treeline. Fortunately that does not matter for this assignment. Of course it will matter for your research projects in other courses, such as BIOL 254L, but for this assignment you can boldly propose anything that will test your hypothesis.
For the revision of your M1 research proposal on the effects of climate change on treeline organisms, first check instructions for the M1 assignment again, then address all feedback you received on assignment M1, and add the additional elements required in the instructions below.
The culminating assignment for this course consists of revising and expanding your previous module assignment M1 on treeline organisms. For inspiration, here is a link to a really nice 40 min. video called Treeline, produced by the Patagonia company. Only the first part is actually about bristlecone pines growing at treeline, but that part is highly recommended.
What to do for this assignment
Format and submission: Differently from the M1 assignment, this culminating assignment will be submitted as a Word or PDF file (no other formats allowed) through Turnitin.com to check for plagiarism issues. Use section headings (introduction, research questions and hypotheses, research design and methods, literature) to structure the paper.
How to revise the M1 proposal: Revise your research proposal assignment M1 by responding to all comments posted on your M1 proposal and correcting any errors that caused you to lose points for the introduction, research question and rationale, research hypothesis, research design and methods, literature cited, or formatting issues. In many cases, revising your proposal will mean revising and correcting your research hypothesis and research hypothesis. Revise your experimental design as needed to make sure that it has experimental treatments and a control as well as replicates and that the design can be used to test your hypothesis. It is fine if your revised hypothesis and design are different from the previous proposal, as long as the changes are improvements.
Title: Add a descriptive title for the research proposal.
Introduction: The introduction to your final proposal should address all major topics covered in modules M1-4 of this ecology course, including the physical environment and ecosystem processes (i.e., climate and climate change), some information on the populations of your study organisms (i.e., current or predicted changes in population sizes, survival, and reproduction), and species interaction (e.g., predator-prey, parasitism by pathogens, competition, mutualism or commensalism). If your previous introduction already covered most of these subjects then you may not have to add much more text, but make sure to revise and improve the writing and add additional citations to cite at least eight peer-reviewed articles.
Image: Add an image or images of your study organisms to the introduction, such as pines and the animals or other organisms that you propose to study and provide the source for that image (e.g., a web link) to the caption of the image.
Research question and rationale: Update and respond to feedback received in your revision.
Research hypothesis: Update and respond to feedback received in your revision.
Research design and methods: Update and respond to feedback received in your revision. In addition to the text detailing the research design and methods, add a diagram (e.g., flow chart or layout of sample plots and treatments) to this section with a caption to illustrate your experimental design. This must be your own diagram and can be made in a drawing app, PowerPoint, or a photo of a hand-drawn diagram.
Here are examples of an experimental design diagram (left) and a flow chart (right): *I WILL ATTACH THE EXAMPLE IN FILES IT IS PICTURE*
Literature: Correct your citation format as needed by reading and following the instructions for Ecology citation format. Expand your list of references further by conducting additional literature research on your study organisms and on the predicted climate change in California mountain ranges. Your final proposal should cite at least five scientific papers in the text, not counting the textbook or the Holtmeier & Broll (2020) Download Holtmeier & Broll (2020)paper.
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