Prelab Information Purpose Time Question Hypothesis Variables Summary Safety  Wear appropriate clothing for working outside including long pants and closed-toe shoes. Use appropriate gloves for working in the soil and eyewear for the sun.  Ensure that behavior in the field is purposeful. Do not play with the soil or plants or eat any of the seeds.  Review compost contents, and follow any guidance and warnings provided on the packaging.  Wash hands thoroughly after handling all lab materials and making observations outside.  Treat living organisms, such as the plants and insects you find outside, with respect, and provide proper care. Explore the process of succession in a microhabitat using a controlled experiment. Virtual Lab: Approximately 45 minutes Hands-On Version: Approximately 3 weeks How does the presence of additional nutrients affect the process of succession? If nutrients are added to an ecosystem, then the composition of the plant community at different stages of succession will also change because different species take advantage of different soil conditions. Independent Variable: presence of compost Dependent Variable #1: average number of sprouts for each species Dependent Variable #2: average height of the sprouts for each species You will conduct a controlled experiment within a large plot of land. Half of the plot will receive nutrients, and the other half, as the control, will not. The plot will be divided into 1’ x 1’ sections, called quadrats. You will be examining a quadrat from both the nutrient portion and the control portion of the plot. You will measure both the number of new sprouts and their heights over a three-week period. At four different points, samples will be taken for comparison and analysis between the two different groups: areas with additional nutrients and areas without additional nutrients. Note: If you are completing the virtual lab, you will only be taking samples for comparison and analysis at two different points in time instead of four.  Report all accident