Question

Make a line graph of the data from the greenhouse experiment. Decide which values constitute the dependent and independent variables, and use these values to set up the axes of your graph.

Short answer

Salinity is the experiment's dependent variable because the researchers studied its effect on the growth of species. On the other hand, the biomass percentage in both salt and freshwater marshes is a dependent variable because it is affected by the salinity.

Step-by-step solution

About the experiment

This field experiment concluded that in freshwater marshes, the dominant plant is Typha angustifolia (cattail), while Spartina patens (salt marsh hay) is a prominent plant in salt marshes.

In this study, we examined how competition and salinity, both biotic factors, affect the growth of two species.

About the line graph

A line graph tracks changes over time, both short and long-term. Also, line graphs may be used to compare changes for many groups over a given period.The above line graph shows that only S. patens would develop between 60 and 100 parts per thousand at salinities.

Dependent and independent variable in the experiment.

Salinity and competition are two variables examined in the experiment to determine the growth of two distinct Spartina patens and Typha angustifolia species and their distribution in salt and freshwater marshes.

As a result of the field experiment, only S. patens grow in salt marshes, but T. angustifolia dominates in freshwater due to lower salinity. Thus, biomass is the dependent variable.