The Nerdy Tree - Results

Important Collected Data
Please note that these are not graphs, but simply diagrams demonstrating the range. Each line represents one tree's data.
Additional Information from Data Collection
Data Tables - Information Collected During Field Study 11 Pages - PDF Format (Adobe Acrobat Reader Required) - 2.10 MB [Right Click --> Save Target As...] Tree Height vs. Branch Length Graph 1 Page - PDF Format (Adobe Acrobat Reader Required) - 0.01 MB [Right Click --> Save Target As...] Number of Branches Diagram 4 Pages - PDF Format (Adobe Acrobat Reader Required) - 0.03 MB [Right Click --> Save Target As...]
Specific Angle Analysis
NW Quadrant - Specific Angle Analysis 1 Page - PDF Format (Adobe Acrobat Reader Required) - 0.02 MB [Right Click --> Save Target As...] NE Quadrant - Specific Angle Analysis 1 Page - PDF Format (Adobe Acrobat Reader Required) - 0.02 MB [Right Click --> Save Target As...] SW Quadrant - Specific Angle Analysis 1 Page - PDF Format (Adobe Acrobat Reader Required) - 0.02 MB [Right Click --> Save Target As...] SE Quadrant - Specific Angle Analysis 1 Page - PDF Format (Adobe Acrobat Reader Required) - 0.02 MB [Right Click --> Save Target As...]

Observations - General Trends and Patterns
The trees have been selected in their individual areas because they grew not too far away from other trees, but not too densely with others either. They have been selected because they have the ideal (full foliage) south side, which gets the most exposure to sunlight. Most branches are like a wave, growing down and then upwards to achieve more space. (See Fig. 1) Some lower branches near the base of the tree have split up into two, and sometimes three, different sub-branches, like Y’s. This is not done in upper branches, probably because of the weight that is required to support this. Some branches also crossed and overlapped each other, but this did not affect the branch length or angle of the trees. There are more branches in the middle and near the top of the tree, since that is the area with the most sunlight, than at the bottom of the tree. This allows for the optimal efficiency in solar energy collection. It has been noticed in the photographs that some of the lower branches are slightly under 90°, and the upper branches near the tops of each tree are over 100°. Branches at the bottom are also usually longer than they are at the top, for stability. In some of the older trees that are taller in height with longer branches, the centre of the tree is bare, because those needles have senesced due to old age and excessive shade from other needles on the outside. To make it so that the tree will not have to support useless needles, some of the older trees shed the inner needles so there is less weight to support, and less areas to photosynthesize to, conserving energy. The average length of a branch that is bare without needles was 30.6 inches across 20 trees. (See Fig. 2) The trees all have a good exposure to sunlight, and grow in an environment that is grassy and flat. There were often other trees of the same species growing nearby with branch angles that were quite variable, some growing at an upward angle, others drooping in a downward angle. Some areas even contain deciduous trees. The trees chosen, and their neighbours, are all usually around the same height growing in one area, since they all started growing at approximately the same time, based on the number of vertical branch whorls. There is usually a reasonable amount of fertile soil in the areas, with some more moist than others. Nonetheless, there is not a significant difference in moisture to affect the growth of the trees. Another factor that has remained constant is that the trees are all in areas where they would all experience similar amounts of annual sunlight, snowfall and other growth-determining factors. Some areas have little plants growing at the base of the tree, but there is not a dense amount to affect the health of the tree. (See Fig. 3) When it comes to branch angles, most of the range is from 80° to 120°, which is near the angle that is necessary to be perpendicular to the sun (90°). Most of the modal, median and mean angles range from 90° to 100°, since these are the most common angles. Data obtained from the branch angle measurements is fairly consistent and constant along the main stem of each tree, regardless of the different quadrants and environments in which these trees grow. Most of the branch angles on any one tree are very similar, even though they occur at different tree heights. This indicates that all trees of the Picea glauca family use the same basic rules for growth and solar energy collection. It can also be observed that there is somewhat of a consistent ratio for the tree height to average branch length of the entire tree. There are a few exceptions where the tree stops growing in terms of height, but continues to grow longer branches. The ratio, then, only applies when the tree is growing in the optimal manner for collecting sunlight at first. The ratio ranges from 0.25 to 0.71, which is very close when one is examining the very natural growth of trees that could easily be changed by some specific environmental factors. If one were to state a general ratio number, they could use the mean of all the data ratios that have been collected: 0.426118209. This is the standard ratio number that will be used later on in procedures for this project. Tree height was something that has been manipulated and measured, but only for the purpose of determining whether or not the basic ratio changes with height. Since it does not, the height of a tree would seem not to be relevant when its sole purpose is to collect the optimal amount of solar energy. This project is the intellectual property of Eden Full. Use of this information for one's own purposes is not permitted.

Observations - General Trends and Patterns

The trees have been selected in their individual areas because they grew not too far away from other trees, but not too densely with others either. They have been selected because they have the ideal (full foliage) south side, which gets the most exposure to sunlight. Most branches are like a wave, growing down and then upwards to achieve more space. (See Fig. 1) Some lower branches near the base of the tree have split up into two, and sometimes three, different sub-branches, like Y’s. This is not done in upper branches, probably because of the weight that is required to support this. Some branches also crossed and overlapped each other, but this did not affect the branch length or angle of the trees. There are more branches in the middle and near the top of the tree, since that is the area with the most sunlight, than at the bottom of the tree. This allows for the optimal efficiency in solar energy collection. It has been noticed in the photographs that some of the lower branches are slightly under 90°, and the upper branches near the tops of each tree are over 100°. Branches at the bottom are also usually longer than they are at the top, for stability.

In some of the older trees that are taller in height with longer branches, the centre of the tree is bare, because those needles have senesced due to old age and excessive shade from other needles on the outside. To make it so that the tree will not have to support useless needles, some of the older trees shed the inner needles so there is less weight to support, and less areas to photosynthesize to, conserving energy. The average length of a branch that is bare without needles was 30.6 inches across 20 trees. (See Fig. 2)

The trees all have a good exposure to sunlight, and grow in an environment that is grassy and flat. There were often other trees of the same species growing nearby with branch angles that were quite variable, some growing at an upward angle, others drooping in a downward angle. Some areas even contain deciduous trees. The trees chosen, and their neighbours, are all usually around the same height growing in one area, since they all started growing at approximately the same time, based on the number of vertical branch whorls. There is usually a reasonable amount of fertile soil in the areas, with some more moist than others. Nonetheless, there is not a significant difference in moisture to affect the growth of the trees. Another factor that has remained constant is that the trees are all in areas where they would all experience similar amounts of annual sunlight, snowfall and other growth-determining factors. Some areas have little plants growing at the base of the tree, but there is not a dense amount to affect the health of the tree. (See Fig. 3)

When it comes to branch angles, most of the range is from 80° to 120°, which is near the angle that is necessary to be perpendicular to the sun (90°). Most of the modal, median and mean angles range from 90° to 100°, since these are the most common angles. Data obtained from the branch angle measurements is fairly consistent and constant along the main stem of each tree, regardless of the different quadrants and environments in which these trees grow. Most of the branch angles on any one tree are very similar, even though they occur at different tree heights. This indicates that all trees of the Picea glauca family use the same basic rules for growth and solar energy collection.

It can also be observed that there is somewhat of a consistent ratio for the tree height to average branch length of the entire tree. There are a few exceptions where the tree stops growing in terms of height, but continues to grow longer branches. The ratio, then, only applies when the tree is growing in the optimal manner for collecting sunlight at first. The ratio ranges from 0.25 to 0.71, which is very close when one is examining the very natural growth of trees that could easily be changed by some specific environmental factors. If one were to state a general ratio number, they could use the mean of all the data ratios that have been collected: 0.426118209. This is the standard ratio number that will be used later on in procedures for this project. Tree height was something that has been manipulated and measured, but only for the purpose of determining whether or not the basic ratio changes with height. Since it does not, the height of a tree would seem not to be relevant when its sole purpose is to collect the optimal amount of solar energy.

This project is the intellectual property of Eden Full. Use of this information for one's own purposes is not permitted.