BIOE 108-Marine Ecology Rubric for Pattern Journal
To receive full credit you must follow this rubric exactly.
Each pattern must fill a full page.
Title of Pattern: Plant Zonation at Younger Lagoon (1pt)
Location: Younger Lagoon, California (1pt)
Date & Time: 1/9/2016 16:00 (1pt)
Statement: (1pts)
The plant species observed occur in distinct bands that shift with increasing vertical distance.
A pattern is recurring and has to be repeatedly observable. It is not just an observation of some phenomenon in nature.
• Think of the dependent vs. independent variable when formulating your pattern statement.
• When you state a pattern make sure you also include the negative (something is absent form an area or doesn’t happen at a
certain time). For example: Ice plant is found along the edge of the cliff but not further inland. To just say ice plant is found at the cliff
is not a pattern.
Written: (5pts)
Younger lagoon is a coastal lagoon located in Santa Cruz, CA. The observation was made from the
Younger Lagoon Overlook on a stormy, overcast day (1/9/2016 ~16:00). The observed pattern was
that as vertical distance (elevation) increased the percent cover of the dominant plant species
shifted. Nearest to the waters edge was a band of Salicornia pacifica, pickleweed that quickly
stopped at the ecotone. The two other species were not present where pickleweed was found.
Pickleweed is a halophyte, or salt-loving plant whereas Salix spp. are dependent on freshwater and
are salt-intolerant, though they often occur in brackish waters. The elevation difference between the
band of pickleweed and the bordering willow trees (Salix spp.) was notable. Slightly overlapping with
the vertical distance occupied by the willow trees, Baccharis pillularis (coyote brush) had a lower
percent cover but extended along a wider vertical distance than either of the other two species
(willow and pickleweed). The overall pattern can be summarized as follows: with increasing vertical
distance (elevation) the dominant species shift in distinct, somewhat non-overlapping bands.
The written description should be sufficient to convey the pattern to someone who is not familiar with the system or who might want
to go out and try to observe the same pattern themself. In light of this you should (1) begin by stating where and when you observed
the pattern. (1pt) Then (2) describe the pattern clearly and completely, making mention of the features which you found particularly
striking. You might want to make some notes about mechanistic factors that might affect the pattern, but try to keep this par t of the
assignment descriptive. Do not state hypotheses in this section. Emphasize the features of the pattern that are pertinent to the goals
of your future project and will help you formulate hypotheses about your observations. Describe in detail what you see, hear, feel,
tastes, or smell. Conclude with (3pts)(3) a separate sentence or two in which you state very succinctly the specific pattern you are
focusing on. Identify the specific parameters of interest (light intensity, temperature, plant size, height above water surface, etc) and
the observed relationship(s).(1pt) Reread your description and ask yourself “based on this information could a stranger go out and
duplicate my observation(s)?”
• Focus on the important features of the pattern.
• For every observation you are including in your description, ask yourself: does this convey information regarding the pattern I
stated?
• Do not include everything you see in front of you, but include enough information so that the pattern is understandable in the
context in which you observed it.
• Include species names if you know them otherwise describe the species
BIOE 108-Marine Ecology Rubric for Pattern Journal
Drawing: (2pts)
Draw the pattern you have
observed. Include as much relevant
information as possible (eg. labels,
scale bars, distances between
objects, colors etc.) to help orient
the reader. Although it can be
difficult with some patterns the goal
of this part of the exercise is to be
able to describe the pattern based
solely on the illustration. Look at the
drawing you have created and make
sure a person could describe the
focal pattern without reading your
verbal description.
Top of the hill
Coyote Brush
Willow
• Reader should be able to describe
the pattern from looking at the
drawing.
Pickleweed
Bottom of the hill
• Think about the way you draw your
pattern – your drawing should not be
a ‘photographic’ representation what
you see in front of you it should
Water
focus on the important features that define the pattern.
• Leave out anything that doesn’t inform the pattern.
• Think about the perspective you use: cross sections, aerial views, etc.
• Label your drawing. If there are zones identified in the illustration, label them. • Behavioral patterns are often tricky to draw - be
creative.
Graph: (4pts)
• Orientation of axes (high to low, small to
large, etc...)
• Label the axes and give the units (e.g.,
number of individuals, percent cover, bites
per minute)
• Include a title and/or figure legend.
Shifts in vegetative percent cover with Graph title: 0.5 pt
increasing vertical distance (elevation)
Y-axis labeled scale: 0.5 pt
100
Salicornia pacifica (pickleweed)
Baccharis pilularis (coyote brush)
Y-axis label: 0.5 pt
Percent Cover (%)
The graph should clearly and quantitatively
describe the pattern. There are three
fundamental components to every graph. A
figure legend describes the pattern (or
result) that the graph is trying to illustrate. It
also explains the units and Independent
variable on horizontal axis, dependent
variable on vertical axis.
Salix spp. (willow tree)
80
Note: 12m marks the top of the hill
where the pattern was observed
Graph legend: 0.5 pt
60
Graph reflects both what is written in
the statement and written portion of the
pattern entry: 2pt
40
20
0
2
• Draw theoretical curves, you don’t need to
draw curves that look like real data (don’t
make up statistical tests).
TOTAL POSSIBLE POINTS: 5
4
6
8
10
12
X-axis labeled scale: 0.5 pt
Vertical Distance (m)
X-axis label: 0.5 pt
• Remember that only continuous variables are plotted continuously (i.e. a line connecting observations over time or along a spatial
gradient), whereas categorical data (e.g., number of individuals or observations in different habitats) are plotted as bar graphs.
• Think about linear vs. non-linear relationships when you draw a curve
BIOE 108-Marine Ecology Rubric for Pattern Journal
General and Specific Hypotheses Point Breakdown: 10 pts
Pattern #1:
Pattern #2:
General Hypothesis #1a-1pts
General Hypothesis #1a-1pts
Specific Hypothesis #1a-2pts
Specific Hypothesis #1a-2pts
General Hypothesis #2a-1pts
General Hypothesis #2a-1pts
Specific Hypothesis #2a-2pts
Specific Hypothesis #2a-2pts
Example #1:
General Hypothesis: The upper limit of pickleweed (Salicornia pacifica) is set by competition
with upland plants.
Specific Hypothesis: Ten 1mx1m plots along the ecotone between pickleweed and coyote
bush (and upland grasses) will be cleared. All ten plots will be randomly distributed along the
ecotone where we see a shift in species composition from pickleweed to mainly coyote bush
(representing the upper limit of pickleweed). Five of the plots will have 3-walled fences that are
open on the side facing pickleweed, allowing for vegetative growth of pickleweed past its upper
limit, and will be excluding coyote bush and other upland grasses from re-colonizing the cleared
area. The other five plots will be cleared but no fence will be installed to allow for colonization
without the physical barrier limiting the migration of upland plants to their lower limit. After 6
months there will be a higher percent cover of pickleweed in fenced plots (treatment) versus unfenced plots (control).
General Hypothesis: The upper limit of pickleweed is set by desiccation
Specific Hypothesis: Twenty-four 50x50cm plots will be cleared of all vegetation just above the
upper limit of pickleweed. Eighteen will be randomly assigned to treatment plots and six will be
randomly assigned control plots. Our treatment plots will be irrigated with water from the site for
different time intervals (6 plots will be irrigated for 2 hours a day, 6 plots will be irrigated for 6
hours a day, 6 plots will be irrigated for 10 hours a day). After 3 months (May-June, peak
growing season for pickleweed) there will be more pickleweed colonization and growth in our
treatment plots than in control plots with the greatest difference in percent cover of pickleweed
(compared to control plots) seen in plots that are irrigated for 6 and 10 hours a day.