Geese Hypothesis questions

Question

Are there any quick ecology experiments with geese?

There are four different species of geese around here.

I only have 2-4 weeks to collect data, and I am a high school student. (so general supplies only)

What hypothesis questions are these with regards to geese that can be tested?

Thank you!

Answer 1

Responding to:

Geese Hypothesis questions by Vivian C.

“Are there any quick ecology experiments with geese?

There are four different species of geese around here. I only have 2-4 weeks to collect data, and I am a high school student. (so general supplies only)

What hypothesis questions are these with regards to geese that can be tested?”

Hello Vivian C.

I’m Ron and I am a tutor here on Wyzant.

I specialize in Elementary Science, Ecology, and Biology and I am an Environmental Scientist.

I am not clear as to what the question is that you are asking, but I will try to help you.

Briefly, are you asking how to write a thesis statement? Is this for a research paper assignment or perhaps a field experiment design?

Either case begins, as all scientific inquiry does, with a question.

You said something about the geese population in your area. What, exactly, do you want to learn about these geese?

If you are wondering something about a particular “population” of geese, you might ask about their population demography, reproductive strategy, is their population growth regulation density-dependent or density-independent, are they K-selected or R-selected species, etc?

If you are wondering about the community in which the geese live you might ask how do they interact with other waterfowl, predators (including humans), etc? What impact do they have on the local environment? If they congregate near airports or highways, are there any interactions with aircraft, trucks, cars, etc?

If you live in a city with skyscrapers or other tall buildings, is there a problem with geese flying into these buildings? What about wind power generators? Do they fly into the windmills?

If this is a seasonal event, as in they congregate only during certain seasons, it may be that you live along their migratory path. If so, then you might wonder why the geese pick certain fields or ponds to congregate in while ignoring other nearby places?

Get the picture?

Every thesis starts with a “Question.”

You just have to decide what it is that you want to ask.

I can not write a thesis for you, nor can I decide what question to ask. That is prohibited by our Academic Honesty policy. Besides, this is your assignment. Your task. I would not take this opportunity to learn, away from you.

While I can not do your work for you, I may be able to help you understand the process of research, paper writing, and experimental design a little better. I may be able to guide you in the right direction.

If you should decide that you want further assistance, you can always schedule tutoring sessions

with me on Wyzant.

Have a great day.

And remember: “You can do this.”

Sincerely

Ron P.

Answer 2

Geese! Because you have four different species, I think that something cool to observe would be how the species interact with each other.

Here is a tool called an "ethogram" that measures behavior over time: You would choose from a behavior bank (staying still, flying, interacting with x species bird.)

Bird 1 (from species 1) Bird 2 (from species 2) Bird 3 ( from species 3) Bird 4 ( ")

Behavior at

0 minutes

5 minutes

10 minutes

15 minutes

20 minutes

You could maybe make a hypothesis that if birds are of different species, they will not interact with each other. Then, you can try to disprove your hypothesis by collecting evidence with an ethogram.

I hope this helps!

Best,

Ethan Jones