Problem
Dr. Scott Nema has been studying Antarctic worms in the McMurdo Dry Valleys for the past 25 austral summers, collecting information on their abundance, spatial distribution, survival strategies, and trophic habits. In the same location his colleagues have been taking careful temperature measurements. With the help of his colleagues, Dr. Nema has noticed that soil temperatures became significantly cooler between 1986 and 2000 (Fig. 4.1), and nematode bundance decreased significantly over the same time period (Fig. 4.2). Dr. Nema suspects that in response to climate change, the rate and amount of carbon cycled in Antarctic soil ecosystems will decrease significantly.
i. This is an example of what kind of science?
ii. What are the dependent and independent variables in Figure 4.1?
iii. How can you determine if the decline in nematode abundance and the decrease in soil temperature are significant?
iv. What conclusions about climate can you draw from these observations?