Environmental Effects of NPK Fertilizer and Herbicides: One Exemplary Network of Relationships
Task 2: Get together in your core group of 4-6 students.
- Present your findings from task 1 to each other (knowledge exchange between Group A and Group B).
- Fill in and complete the missing aspects in the two tables of each group.
- Take notes on points that are unclear to you which you would like to discuss in the next meeting with your student representative, lecturer or finn.matthiesen@uni-goettingen.de.
Task 3: Based on the tables, draw a network of relationships about the effects of NPK fertilizer and herbicides on the different dependent variables. Use the template on the next page.
- Draw your dependent variables into the template at a suitable place.
- Draw connections from the independent variables “Herbicides” and “NPK fertilizer” to your dependent variables. Based on what you learned from the literature, use orange lines or arrows to indicate evidence-based negative effects. Use blue lines or arrows to indicate evidence-based positive effects. When you assume effects (e.g., based on your experience) use dashed lines for hypothesized effects. You can find additional help on the next page.
Hint: Think about the effects of the dependent variables on other variables (e.g., herbicides have a negative effect on cover plants. In which way does the decrease of cover plants affect other variables?)
For task 3, there are multiple correct solutions of the network of relationships. Once you are finished or you need an impression, go to the next page to find one possible solution.
Your Network of Relationships
Steps to create a network of relationships:
- Select the text box that corresponds to the variable to be inserted into the template.
- Click on the template in the appropriate position for the variable.
- Label the text box according to the inserted variable.
- Select the type of line that corresponds to the relationship between variables.
- Click on the first box to be connected, then click on the second box to be connected.
- Repeat steps 4-5 to connect all variables in the template.
- Use the arrow button to return to neutral mode.
- Save and complete the network of relationships that has been created.
