Purpose

Read the background information to determine the following...
What is the purpose of collecting Chlorophyll a (phytoplankton) data? What are you trying to study or determine as a scientist?

Hypothesis

As a scientist participating in the CCE LTER project, develop a testable hypothesis in regards to Chlorophyll a numbers that could be proven or disproved over time. For example, as ocean temperatures increase, do you think the numbers will go up down or remain unchanged?

Data

As data is collected, a story begins to unfold. The story may match the initial hypothesis, be contrary to the initial hypothesis or introduce a new aspect to the initial hypothesis.

A. First three months of the data collection...

• Looking at data set A collected from 1/09/06- 4/09/06 construct a graph of event (date) vs amt of chlorophyll a total and chlorophyll a <3um.(2 lines)
• Now construct a graph of water temperature vs amt of chlorophyll a and chlorophyll a <3 um (2 lines) using the same dates as above.

Analysis A

• In data set A, what happened to the amount of Chlorophyll a as time passed by? What about as temperature increased?
• What conclusion could you come to about the effect of temperature on Chlorophyll a?

We may need to expand our view to see if a clearer story unfolds...

B. 15 months of data collection...

• Construct a graph of time vs amount of Chlorophyll a total and Chlorophyll a <3um for the long term data 01/09/06 - 06/04/07 (2 lines)
• Using the same data construct a graph of temperature vs chlorophyll a and Chlorophyll a <3um (2 lines)

Analysis B

• In the second data set what happened to the amount of Chlorophyll a as time passed by? What about as temperature increased?
• Which data set seems to paint a more accurate picture for what is occurring in our oceans? Why?
• Could you have come to an incorrect conclusion if you had just used the first data set? (snap shot)
• What is the advantage of time series data (2^nd graph)vs snapshot data (1^st graph)?
• On your second graph, was there a difference in the numbers of plankton <3um and >3um? If so, explain.
• Does it seem that the temperature effects either of the different plankton size classes (<3um and >3um) more than the other?

Conclusion

Based on the data that has been analyzed; write a conclusion paragraph which contains the following parts...

• Restate your initial hypothesis
• Was your hypothesis incorrect or correct?
• Restate data clearly and concisely.
• What sources of error or other inaccuracies may exist in this data?
• What may this data teach you about what is happening to the plankton numbers and their relationship to ocean water temperatures?