Question

A species of tree is declining in numbers in your neighborhood. You know that over the past few years an invasive insect has arrived and has been seen eating the leaves of the trees. You want to understand what might be happening. Develop a question, a hypothesis, and a one sentence description of an experiment you could do to test what might be causing the tree to decline in number.

Answer 1

Question: Does the decline in numbers of the tree species in the neighborhood correlate with the presence of the invasive insect?

Hypothesis: The decline in numbers of the tree species is due to the damage caused by the invasive insect, leading to reduced leaf production and overall tree health.

Experiment: To test this hypothesis, we could conduct a comparative study between areas where the invasive insect is present and areas where it is absent. We would measure tree population density, tree health indicators (such as leaf area, chlorophyll content, or growth rate), and the presence/absence of the invasive insect.

Answer 2

Step-by-step explanation:

Question: Is the invading insect responsible for the tree loss in numbers in my neighborhood?

Hypothesis: The invading bug is responsible for the fall in numbers of trees in my neighborhood.

Experiment: Compare the health and number of trees in regions where the invasive bug is present and absent in my neighborhood.