The hypothesis tested was, "Organisms are less biodiverse in non-mulched areas than they are in mulched areas."
             After comparing richness (S) to the average temperature (°C) of the samples collected, it was found that species richness had a value of 8 morphotypes for both Group 1 and Group 2 (mulched regions and a value of 5 morphotypes for Groups 3 and 4 (non-mulched regions) (Figure 1). The average temperature for Group 1 was 18.2 °C, 18.4 °C for Group 2, 17.5 °C for Group 3, and 17.7 °C for Group 4 (Figure 1). The average moisture content for both of the mulched regions (Groups 1 and 2) was 2.7, while the average moisture content for the non-mulched regions (Groups 3 and 4) was 3.6 (Figure 2). Furthermore, Shannon's Diversity Index for the mulched regions (Groups 1 and 2) was 1.71 (Figure 2). The H' value for the non-mulched regions (Groups 3 and 4) was 1.45 (Figure 2). The next index calculated for this data set was Simpson's Index of Diversity. For the mulched regions, (Groups 1 and 2), this value was discovered to be .7695 (Figure 3). For the non-mulched regions, (Groups 3 and 4), Simpson's value was found to be .7361 (Figure 3). The last index calculated for the regions was Evenness. In the mulched regions (Groups 1 and 2), Evenness was calculated to be .822 (Figure 4). Evenness was found to be .901 in the non-mulched regions (Figure 4).
             After calculating several indices of biodiversity (Richness, Shannon's, Simpson's, Evenness), the hypothesis was supported. It stated that organisms are less biodiverse in non-mulched areas than in mulched areas. The Richness calculation supported the hypothesis because it visibly showed that the mulched region contained 8 different morphotypes compared to the non-mulched region, which only had 5 different morphotypes. Shannon's Index of Diversity supported the hypothesis as well. This is because it had a value of 1.71 for the mulched region and only 1.45 fo
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