**QUESTION 1**

Dennstaedtia punctilobula is a fern that grows on the forest floor and often crowds out tree seedlings, blocking efforts to regrow trees after logging or other disturbances. To understand the fern better, scientists measured the number of viable fern spores per square centimeter of soil at various distances from a plot of existing fern plants. They counted spores in the soil in July, as the ferns were just beginning to grow, and in November, after they had released their spores.

\[
\begin{tabular}{|c|c|c|}
\hline
\multicolumn{3}{|c|}{Number of spores in soil} \\
\hline
\begin{tabular}{c}
Distance from plot of \\
ferns (m)
\end{tabular} & \text{Before dispersal (July)} & \begin{tabular}{c}
After dispersal \\
(November)
\end{tabular} \\
\hline
0 & 14 & 54 \\
\hline
2 & 16 & 18 \\
\hline
4 & 5 & 9 \\
\hline
10 & 10 & 17 \\
\hline
50 & 2 & 7 \\
\hline
\end{tabular}
\]

1.1 Formulate a hypothesis for this investigation.
(2 points)

1.2 Name the:
(i) Dependent variable.
(ii) Independent variable.
(1 point)

1.3 Mention TWO factors that must be kept constant in this investigation.
(2 points)

1.4 What percentage of spores after dispersal are found within 4 meters of the parent plants?
(2 points)

1.5 Are spore numbers higher before dispersal or after dispersal?
(1 point)

1.6 Motivate your answer in QUESTION 1.5 above.
(2 points)

1.7 State how the reliability of the results could be increased.
(2 points)

1.8 Place the data from the table on a line graph to show the results of this experiment.
(7 points)

[Total: 20 points]