BIO 111 Environmental Science  First Assignment

Application of the Scientific Method

For either of the following, set up the problem  to be solved using the Scientific Method. Include observations that you might make, your independent and your dependent variables, your hypothesis, an "If...then" Statement which tests the hypothesis and a description of a controlled experiment which corresponds to the "If...then" Statement.

1) It is noticed that the cottonwood bosque along the Rio Grande is not regenerating itself, that no young seedlings are surviving and that only old trees remain. It is predicted that if this does not change the bosque will be completely different, a collection of introduced exotic trees within another 20 to 25 years as all the old cottonwoods die.

Set up a way to determine the cause of the decline using the Scientific Method.

2) There is a controversy over drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as a way to supplement our energy supply and reduce our chance of an energy crisis and dependence on foreign oil.  Using the scientific method, show how you would determine whether drilling in ANWR would accomplish any of these goals and/or be worth the risk involved of damaging the refuge.  Hint: you must divide up the problem into different components in order to solve it. The assignment requires you to apply the scientific method to only one of these components.

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