effect of sunlight exposure and crowding level on moss growth

The experiment was conducted in York university woodlot area. The experiment was divided into two weeks with a 100 replicates as the dataset. The group members, Ghamsayani, Mary, Shaneil and Prachi laid out transects at 25m starting from the edge of the woodlot for week 1. A 1m x1m quadrant was placed every 5 m on the transects. Within the quadrant, firstly, presence or absence of moss was determined by moving the leaf litter around, uncovering moss patches and recording thepercentage of abundance of moss cover in the 1mx1m quadrant. Presence of moss is categorical data while percentage of moss cover was recorded as continuous data. After recording the abundance of moss cover, the amount of leaf litter and other plants present around the moss were determined as the level of crowding which is categorical data. The scale for measuring the crowding level was from 1-3, where 1 was the lack or very little leaf litter and other plants around the moss patches and 3 was where the moss was covered with leaf litter and other plants in the surroundings. Another factor determined was the percentage of sunlight exposure which was continuous data. This was determined by making a square with the index finger and thumb of both hands and determining the amount of sunlight visible through the leaf canopy. The weather on the first week of the experiment was 15 degrees. The ground was cool to touch, the skies were clear and birds were chirping at a distance. There was presence of human activity in the woodlot. The experimental design was repeated the second week with firstly laying down the transact at 25m by each group member named above and using the 1mx1m quadrants to determine the presence or absence of moss, abundance of moss coverage in the 1mx1m quadrant and crowding level if leaf litter and other plants within the quadrant as well as the percentage of sun exposure using hand squares. The weather on the second week was 14 degrees and the ground was cool to touch. It was humid but with clear skies and birds chirping at a distance. Also human activity was present.

本实验于约克大学林地（York University Woodlot）区域内开展。实验周期划分为两周，共设置100组重复样本作为本次数据集。第一周实验中，小组成员Ghamsayani、Mary、Shaneil与Prachi以林地边缘为起点，以25米为间距布设样带（transect），并在每条样带上每间隔5米放置一个1米×1米的样方（quadrant）。在样方内部，首先通过翻动地表凋落物、暴露苔藓斑块的方式，判定样方内苔藓的有无，并记录该1米×1米样方内苔藓盖度的百分比。其中，苔藓有无属于分类数据（categorical data），而苔藓盖度百分比为连续型数据（continuous data）。完成苔藓盖度记录后，统计样方内环绕苔藓的凋落物与其他植物的覆盖量，以此作为拥挤程度指标，该指标为分类数据。拥挤程度的评级尺度为1至3级：1级代表苔藓斑块周边几乎无凋落物及其他植物，或仅存在极少量附着物；3级代表苔藓被周边凋落物与其他植物完全覆盖。另一项测定指标为光照暴露百分比，属于连续型数据，测定方式为：用双手的食指与拇指搭建正方形框架，统计透过林冠可见的光照占比。实验第一周的气温为15摄氏度，地表触感清凉，天空晴朗，远处传来鸟鸣声，林地内存在人类活动痕迹。第二周重复了前述实验设计：由前述小组成员以林地边缘为起点，以25米为间距布设样带，同样使用1米×1米样方测定苔藓有无、样方内苔藓盖度百分比、样方内凋落物与其他植物构成的拥挤程度，以及通过手搭正方形框架测定光照暴露百分比。实验第二周的气温为14摄氏度，地表触感清凉，空气湿润但天空晴朗，远处仍有鸟鸣声，林地内同样存在人类活动痕迹。