Overall, this field research project has been greatly beneficial to expanding my knowledge and providing me with tools to carry out scientific research, capture field research, analyze data, and present my findings. I found many hurdles along the way, for example, choosing a specific and realistic area to focus on, deciding on an appropriate experimental design and sampling method, as well as, incorporating materials learned in the ecology class and applying them to properly title and document my findings. Deciding on a research question was difficult. I had to weigh both what might be conceptually interesting but what could be practically executed in the field. Moreover, the research question also needed to be previously researched and the hypothesis testable. Other hurdles included physically taking samples and ensuring that bias was removed and data was accurately collected by closely following distance and directional measurements.
This course has broadened my understanding of ecology, as well as, supplied me with the tool kit to further my scientific research in other areas of biology. Engaging in this research gave me insights into how difficult it is to gather data with high validity and rigor and appreciation of the efforts, hard work, and time others exert for their research. In terms of ecological theory, this validity and rigor are critical to developing sound theory and a basis for our basic understanding of the world around us.
