FERNANDO D.

MERA

Module 1: Hypothesis Testing

Title of Experiment: The effect of shade level on the rate of birdhouse occupation by birds
Author: Fernando Daniel Mera

What is your research question regarding the birdhouses?

Does shade level affect the rate of birdhouse occupation by birds?

What are your hypotheses (null and alternative)?

Hypothesis: The shade level of the birdhouse does increase the rate of birdhouse occupation by
birds.

Null Hypothesis: The shade level of the birdhouse does NOT increase the rate of birdhouse
occupation by birds.

Alternative hypothesis: Increasing the height of the birdhouse will increase the rate of birdhouse
occupation by birds.

What are your experimental variables?

The independent variable is the shade level of the birdhouse, and it is qualitative because the shade
level will be observed by watching the area's natural light source for a fixed number of days. The
dependent variable is the rate of birdhouse occupation by birds, and it is quantitative because the
birds will be recorded numerically.

Describe your experimental set-up:

I will set up 30 wooden birdhouses each identical in dimensions, shape and design, material, and
arrangement to draw wrens. In a South Carolinian forest, I will place 10 birdhouses in an open
field with access to direct sunlight. The second set of 10 birdhouses will be placed in a dense
forested area with very low sunlight levels. The third set of 10 birdhouses will be placed in an area
of the forest that is partially shaded, but this area will not be as dense as the dense forested area.
As a result, the second set of birdhouses will be exposed to the sunlight that is not blocked by the
canopy trees. All of the 30 birdhouses will be packed with an equal quantity of suet, and a water
supply will also be available in the form of a hanging birdbath. The birdhouses will be placed at
the same height from the ground, and all the birdhouses will have identical entrance holes suitable
for a small bird such as the wren.

Where will your experiment be conducted?

The experiment will be performed in a South Carolina forest because the Carolina wren is the state
bird of South Carolina. Furthermore, the state bird lives year-round in South Carolina, and hence
the likelihood of the wrens visiting and nesting the birdhouses will not be very low.

What are your treatment groups (you should have at least three, but can have as many as you need
to adequately address your question)? Are any of these groups a control group, and if so, which
one?
 FERNANDO D. MERA

Module 1: Hypothesis Testing

In this experiment there are a total of three treatment groups. The control group are the birdhouses
in direct sunlight. The other two groups are divided by sunlight level, and one group will have a
very low sunlight level, that is to say, one treatment group will be placed in a completely shaded
area with a very low sunlight level.

In the control group, a wooden small-sized birdhouse should be placed 1 meter above the ground,
in an open area of the forest, where the birdhouse will receive direct sunlight. The birdhouses will
also have an equal quantity of suet and water supply found on the two experimental groups. In
other words, all three treatment groups have an equal quantity of suet and water supply.

Next, in experimental group 1, a wooden small-sized birdhouse should be placed 1 meter above
the ground, in a completely shaded area with a very low sunlight level. Finally, in experimental
group 2, a wooden small-sized birdhouse should be placed 1 meter above the ground, in a partially
shaded area with a few local trees. The experimental group 2 birdhouses will be placed in an area
of the forest where direct sunlight is not completely blocked by the canopy trees. The idea is to get
as close as possible to the average between the birdhouse in a completely shaded area and the
birdhouse in an open field exposed to direct sunlight.

What factors will you hold constant?

Constant factors will include height from soil, materials of birdhouse, the time of day data is
gathered, substances used for bedding inside the birdhouse, the dimensions of the birdhouses, and
the size of the birdhouses' entrance hole.