Title: Statistical experiment to determine the ratio of length and width of Castanea dentata

(American chestnut) leaves to determine the species of trees in different locations on school

campus.

Author: Matthew Lang

Honors Science Research I

Mod 1

September 24, 2018.

Abstract: This experiment evaluates two trees growing on the South Carroll campus to find if

they both are the same species, Castanea denetata. In the experiment, the length and width of

two tree leaves were evaluated to see if they fall under the same species. The wood from the

trees made very durable, rot-resistant, and beautiful wood that was widely used by residents in

the native region for all types of building and usage. Due to a pathogenic fungal infection know

as Chestnut Blight wiping out the species decades ago, efforts to revive the trees has gone mostly

unsuccessful without aid from genetic editing. In the lab, measurements of the length and width

were analyzed to find the standard deviation, and statistical similarities. The findings concluded

the species were probable to fall under the same type of tree. The calculations and analysis

concluded the two trees on campus in different locations are the same type of tree, still facing the

threat from the fungal infection.

Key Words: Castanea denetata, fungal, species, genetic editing

Introduction: The goal of this experiment is to measure the length and width of various leaves

on Castanea denetata growing on the South Carroll campus. With the measurements, the ratio

between length and width were calculated to evaluate whether the trees on school grounds are

the same chestnut species or not. The trees on school grounds should be the same species, due to

the nature the school has gone to preserve the trees. When collecting data, the deviation in the

ratio of length and width should reveal a similar grouping of numbers to find if the species are

the same. The C. denetata has historical importance on the American ecosystem and usage of

timber by the people living in the region. The trees once grew along the majority of the east

coast, which were harvested and utilized for their strong, rot-resistance, and attractive wood. Due

to a pathogenic fungal infection, Chestnut Blight slowly killed off all trees in their native

regions, bringing the timber industry for this tree to virtually none. Several attempts have gone

unsuccessful in bringing back the trees to their native region to develop immunity to the disease.

Recent attempts by the American Chestnut Foundation has found success in genetic engineering

to help the trees gain immunity from the disease, and repopulate in their native forests. However,

researches have yet to determine any unattended consequences of their actions so far. This

experiment should help determine the species of chestnut trees on the South Carroll campus from

studying the deviation of the length and width ratios of leaves on different trees. If length to

width ratio of American Chestnut leaves falling within one standard deviation are of the same

species, then the leaves with a length to width ratio greater than one standard deviation are of a

different species.
Materials and Methods: For the experiment, we used a ruler to measure thirty leaves from two

trees on different parts on the school grounds. Other than a ruler, we documented the numbers in

our lab notebooks in pen. Once the data was collected we used Excel on school laptops to

evaluate the recorded data.

To complete the experiment, first we picked two different locations on campus to measure leaves

of two different trees. First we walked to the front of the school to measure the last remaining C.

denetata in that area. Once there, we used a ruler to measure the length and width of tree leaves

in centimeters. After recording the data, we walked to the tree preserve in the back of the

campus, replicating the previous techniques. Once fifteen leaves from two different trees were

measured, we evaluated the data in Excel to find the deviation of the ratio between length and

width, showing the possible relationship of species of the two sample trees. In the experiment,

the dependent variable refers to the physical length and width of the leaves of the measured trees.

The independent variable, brings into account the individual location of the trees on the campus.

Results: After completing the experiment, we found that the two trees sampled are indeed the

same species, C. denetata. When recoding the data, the physical similarities of the trees were

noticeable, as the leaves and tree shape had an almost identical nature. Both trees also had the

iconic prickly nuts growing off the branches of each tree. The leaves were remarkably similar in

physical nature, helping us make an early conclusion the trees may be the same. Additionally,

after recording the data and calculating deviation in Excel, the front tree had a standard deviation

of 0.4 while the back tree had one of 0.3. The close number shows that the trees are incredibly

likely to both be classified as C. denetata.

Diagram:
 Tree 1

Funeral Home

School

Tree 2

Data Tables:

Figure 1, Length, width, and ratio of tree leaves from two individual locations.

Length Width Ratio L/W Length Width Ratio L/W

15.5 9.0 1.7 20.5 7.0 2.9
15.5 5.5 2.8 15.0 5.0 3.0
18.0 7.5 2.4 21.0 7.0 3.0
20.0 7.5 2.7 16.5 6.0 2.8
13.5 7.0 1.9 10.0 3.5 2.9
17.0 6.5 2.6 9.5 3.0 3.2
12.0 5.0 2.4 24.0 8.0 3.0
12.5 5.0 2.5 23.0 8.0 2.9
15.0 4.5 3.3 17.0 6.0 2.8
12.5 4.0 3.1 14.0 4.5 3.1
18.0 7.0 2.6 18.0 7.0 2.6
18.0 6.5 2.8 7.5 4.0 1.9
13.0 4.0 3.3 11.0 3.5 3.1
9.0 3.5 2.6 17.0 5.5 3.1
19.5 7.0 2.8 15.0 5.0 3.0

Mean 2.6 Mean 2.9

St Dev 0.4 St Dev 0.3

Calculations: As the data shows, the standard deviation of tree one is 0.4, and tree two is 0.3.

With such a small and similar deviation, the ratios of length and width between the trees leads to

believe the trees are the same species. When calculating the T-Test, we must first find our null

hypothesis. For this experiment, there is no statistical significance between the two data sets. For

the T-Test, the variance was 0.2 for the front tree and 0.1 for the orchard tree. Each tree had 15

samples, bring the total to 30, while the degrees of freedom was 28. The T-Test results was

0.084, which allows us to accept the null hypothesis.

Figure 2, Calculations from tree data analysis.
Mean 2.6 Mean 2.9
St Dev 0.4 St Dev 0.3
Variance 0.2 Variance 0.1
count 15 count 15
T-Test 0.084247177

Discussion: After collecting and analyzing the data, the two separate trees on campus both can

be classified as C. denetata. In the beginning, we expected the trees to be the same species, and

after collecting and evaluating the data, it is probable the trees are the same species. With the

history of the trees in the United States, the drive to bring back these trees has allowed our

campus to attempt to grow and revive this tree species. With such a similar deviation in the

ratios, 0.4 and 0.3 for the front and back trees, the ratio for the leaves leads the experiment to be

concluded that the trees are likely the same. With fifteen laves from both trees measured, a large

data set allowed us to be able to back up our conclusion with accurate and similar data. For the

experiment, we calculated the averages, deviation, and T-Test to help analyze and conclude that

the trees are the same based on the findings. The T-Test proves there is no statistical significance

between the data sets. In the experiment, several errors could have occurred, including

calculating errors. Additionally, when measuring the trees, the measurements may not be exact,

or the leaves measured may have been newly grown or almost dying out. To improve the

experiment, one might go off campus and measure laves of another tree further away to evaluate

growth and health.

Conclusion: Both of the trees on our campus fall into the C. denetata species. The data

evaluated shows the close relationship between the trees leading to the similar species

conclusion. Once the calculations began, the deviation of the tree leaves ratio lead us to conclude

the species of the tree must be similar. With this conclusion, we can see efforts to revive the trees
in nature are indeed growing, but several others have died from the fungal infection. The trees

may not be the healthiest, and the front tree seems to be dying, but efforts to bring the trees back

seem like a small success. For the future, scientists should try genetic editing to bring a cure to

the fungal issue and let the tree regrow in their native lands.

References:

Plaskowittz. In Class PowerPoint.

“Latest News.” Importance of American Chestnut, www.acf.org/our-community/news/new-

genetically-engineered-american-chestnut-will-help-restore-decimated-iconic-tree/.