| Explore | Some interesting findings we found regarding the observation of trees in our neighborhood are that the placement and locations of the trees heavily contribute to their ability to gather nutrients. Trees that were located where there was often human interaction resulted in shifts in their appearance while trees that were more secluded (ie. in a backyard) tended to be more well kept. Trends we found while we were observing were that the trunks of the trees were often dry and cracked. Sidewalk/park trees often presented dry leaves, sprouts, and peeling bark. Along with occasional human carvings and insect damage. Sidewalk trees, presumably due to the lack of space, seemed more likely to have roots disrupting the concrete sidewalks. The trees we observed were of varying location and species; possible research ideas based on these observations would revolve around the different environment’s impact on the tree’s appearance. |
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| Research Question | How does the diameter of California Palm trees in varying locations directly affect the tree's overall monetary benefits? |
| Predictions | Given that larger trees seem to provide more overall benefits, such as an increase in property value and energy conservation, we believe that the California Palm tree with the larger diameter will produce an overall greater monetary value in benefits. |
| Experimental Design | Essentially, we are looking at how the diameter of trees in a given area (same zip code but with varying surroundings) affects the monetary value of said tree. Our plan is to repeat the procedure with 5 California Palm trees in different land-use types. The independent variable of this experiment is the location of the tree, as each tree recorded is within the same zip code. The dependent variable of this experiment is the monetary value. Within this experiment we will measure the average diameter of each tree by measuring the circumference at 4.5 ft above the base of the tree (ground level). In addition, we will record the surrounding environments. We will then input the gathered information into the National Tree Benefit Calculator in order to obtain an understanding of the monetary value of each tree’s benefits. When the experiment has concluded, we will observe each tree comparing the overall monetary value of each tree within an Excel spreadsheet. |
| Investigation Theme | TREE |
| Grade Level | High School Students (Grades 9,10,11,12) |
| Teacher Name | Crystal Davis |
| School Name | California Academy of Mathematics and Science |
| Session | Spring 2021 |