BIOL 1462 (BL11G) GENERAL ECOLOGY AND BIOMETRY

Biometry Practical 1 (Monday)

Descriptive Statistics and Graphical Presentation of Data

OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this practical session students should be able to:

1. Calculate mean, median, range, variance, standard deviation, coefficient of variation, and standard
error of a data set using a calculator and appropriate computer software (Statistix)
2. For each of these statistics, explain the circumstances under which it may be used and its value in
summarising data
3. Draw a variety of graphs: whisker plots, line graphs, bar graphs, pie charts, scatter plots
4. For each type of graph, explain what type of data should be used and the relative advantages and
disadvantages of that type of graph
5. Interpret the results of statistical analyses in an ecological context

PROBLEMS:

1. Severe insect damage to forest trees occurs in some fragmented and isolated forests due to climate
change and fire suppression policies. Such severe damage results in death of the tree. An ecologist
investigating the effect of insect damage in the forest measured Diameter at Breast Height (DBH) of
live and dead stems in 10 plots each measuring 10 x 10m.
Table 1 shows the DBHs of live and dead stems from 10 plots.

Table 1: DBHs of live and dead stems

.
Stems DBH (cm)
Live 29.5 30.5 26.5 34.5 32.5 35.5 25.5 29.5 26.5 27.5
Dead 12.5 9.5 15.5 17.5 14.5 11.5 12.5 15.5 16.5 14.5

For each sample, use the data to calculate:

a) Mean

Live Mean = =29.8

Dead Mean = =14

b) Median

LIVE= 25.5, 26.5, 26.5, 27.5, 29.5, 29.5, 30.5, 32.5, 34.5, 35.5 = = 29.5
DEAD= 9.5, 11.5, 12.5, 12.5, 14.5, 14.5, 15.5, 15.5, 16.5, 17.5 = =14.5

c) Range

LIVE= 35.5 -25.5 = 10

DEAD= 17.5 -9.5= 8

d) Variance (calculate using (i) deviations from the mean, and (ii) the machine formula)

LIVE
n x x2 x- ( x- )2
1 29.5 870.25 -0.3 0.09
2 30.5 930.25 0.7 0.49
3 26.5 702.25 -3.3 10.89
4 34.5 1190.25 4.7 22.09
5 32.5 1056.25 2.7 7.29
6 35.5 1260.25 5.7 32.49
7 25.5 650.25 -4.3 18.49
8 29.5 870.25 -0.3 0.09
9 26.5 702.25 -3.3 10.89
10 27.5 756.25 -2.3 5.29
Total n=10 298 8988.5 108.1

(i) Deviations from the mean :-

=12.0
(ii) Machine Formula :
DEAD

n x x2 x- ( x- )2
1 12.5 156.25 -1.5 2.25
2 9.5 90.25 -4.5 20.25
3 15.5 240.25 1.5 2.25
4 17.5 306.25 3.5 12.25
5 14.5 210.25 0.5 0.25
6 11.5 132.25 -2.5 6.25
7 12.5 156.25 -1.5 2.25
8 15.5 240.25 1.5 2.25
9 16.5 272.25 2.5 6.25
10 14.5 210.25 0.5 0.25
Total n=10 140 2014.5 54.5

(i) Deviations from the mean :-

=6.0
(ii) Machine Formula :

e) standard deviation
LIVE = = = 3.48

DEAD = = =2.47

f) coefficient of variation:
LIVE = =

DEAD = =
g) standard error :

LIVE = = 1.10

DEAD = = 0.78

h) Construct a whisker plot comparing the mean, range and standard deviations of DBHs (y
axis) of live and dead stems (x axis). Comment on the results of your findings.
i) Determine the frequency of stems within a given DBH range (use DBH intervals of 5 cm.
Construct a clustered bar graph comparing the frequency of stems of a given DBH (y axis)
for live and dead stems (x axis). What can you deduce from this graph? What is the use of
frequency distribution plots?

Clustered bar graph of DBH frequency

40

35

30

25

20 Live
Dead
15

10

0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Deduced: diameter of Breast Height of live stems is higher

Why use Frequency Plots: Direct Comparison of the 2 variables, useful visual comparison of
limited data

j) Can you suggest any ecological consequences of severe insect damage to forest trees?
Tree Lost – habitats for certain animals may be lost, animal can become endangered/extinct
No forest floor cover – erosion etc.
2. An entomologist wanted to compare relative insect abundance in 2 savannahs in Trinidad. She took
several sweep net samples in each savannah and found the same 3 Orders of insects in both
savannahs. These were Orthoptera, Coleoptera and Lepidoptera. Table 2 shows the numbers of
insects in each Order found in each savannah.

Table 2: Numbers of insects in each savannah

Orthoptera Coleoptera Lepidoptera

Savannah A 45 35 20
Savannah B 110 50 20

a. Suggest possible graphical methods for presenting this data

-Clustered Bar Graphs
- Pie Charts

b. Graphically present the findings of this study using the most appropriate graphical method so as to
indicate the relative percentages of each Order of insect in each Savannah.

[Hint: Indicate the angle of each segment on your diagram. Use an approximation to each angle
when drawing.]

Othoptera Coleoptera Lepidoptera

A A
29% 41% 3 A
3 50% 50%
3 59%
B
71% 71%
B
59% B
50%

Angle Angle
A Size B Size
Orthoptera 45 104.5° 110 255.5°
Coleoptera 35 148.2° 50 211.8°
Lepidoptera 20 180° 20 180°
3. A plant pathologist hypothesized that a cheaper pesticide (Brand A) offered the same level of
protection against the white fly pest as a more expensive one (Brand B). He set out to test this
hypothesis by applying standardized concentrations of each pesticide using two separate plots of land.
The percentage of plants affected by white fly at each concentration was recorded for each pesticide
used and tabulated as follows.

Table 3: Percentage of plants affected by whitefly at different pesticide concentrations.

Plot 1 Plot 2
Brand A Percentage of Brand B Percentage of
conc. (%) plants affected conc. (%) plants affected
5 24 5 22
10 23 10 21
15 18 15 17
20 15 20 16
25 13 25 12
30 11 30 13
35 9 35 11
40 5 40 5
45 1 45 2
50 1 50 2

a) Present the raw data graphically as 2 scatterplots. Justify how you have defined the
independent and dependent variables.

Scatterplot Graph Showing the Percentage of

Plants Affected by the White Fly
30
Percentage of Plants Affected/%

25

20

15
PLOT A
10 PLOT B

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Brand Concentration/ %
 b) Using the scatterplots, do you think that there is any effect of pesticides A and/or B on white
fly infestation?

Yes there is a trend; the higher the concentration of the pesticide the lower the white fly
infestation. Also the higher the concentration of Pesticide A , it acts as the better pesticide.

4. An ecology student studying freshwater streams investigated the effect of temperature (degrees
Celsius) on dissolved oxygen (mg/l) came up with the following results (Table 4)

Table 4: Effect of temperature on dissolved oxygen

Temperature (deg C) Dissolved Oxygen (mg/l)

0 30
10 25
20 20
30 15
40 10
50 5

Note: Actual (freshwater) DO values are lower than given in this table

a) Assuming that a linear relationship between Temperature and Dissolved Oxygen occurs, plot a line
graph of the results.
35

30

25
Dissolved Oxygfen

20

15 Dissolved Oxygen
(mg/l)

10

0
0 10 20 30 40 50
Temperature / °C
b) Is a line graph an accurate method of analyzing these results? If not say why.

[Hint: The relationship between Temperature and Dissolved Oxygen is influenced by salinity and other
factors.]

Yes, because it shows the relationship of Temperature on dissolved oxygen.

RR