Results Draft

Within New England, vegetation at higher elevations will resemble vegetation at higher latitudes. This can be shown by the abundance of Vaccinium vacillans at different elevations and latitudes in three sites in New England; Mt. Norwottuck, Amherst, Massachusetts (42o 18'N, elevation 400 m), Plum Creek, Amherst, Massachusetts (42o 19'N, elevation 60 m), and Deer Brook, Swanton, Vermont (44o 06'N, elevation 50 m). Descriptive statistics show that the number of individuals found at a higher elevation of 400 meters at 42o 18'N is not significantly different than that of the number of individuals found at a higher latitude of 44o 06'N but lower elevation of 50 meters. It is also shown that the number of individuals at a lower elevation of 60 meters and a latitude of 42o 19'N is significantly less than the number of individuals at the latitude of 42o 18'N which was at a higher elevation of 400 meters. Figure 1 shows the similarities of the mean number of individuals at the Mt. Norwottuck site as compared to the number of individuals at the Deer Brook site. The standard error, t-test, and P-value of these sites can also be seen in Table 2 to support the statement that vegetation patterns in higher elevations mirror the patterns of vegetation at higher latitudes in the same region.