An urban ecologist is investigating the relationship between artificial light at night (ALAN), measured in lux, and the nocturnal foraging activity of common pipistrelle bats (measured by the average number of echolocation passes recorded per hour) across 28 urban green spaces.
The ecologist uses specialized acoustic detectors to record bat passes over a two-week period during the summer, while simultaneously measuring the average ambient illuminance at each site using a high-precision light meter.
Explain why it was appropriate for the ecologist to use a correlation study rather than a controlled experiment.
Practise AQA A Level Psychology Correlations with exam-style questions for A Level Psychology. 30 questions, matched to the AQA A Level Psychology (7182) specification and written in Paper 1, Paper 2 and Paper 3 style. Every question includes a full worked solution and mark scheme, so you can see where marks are awarded rather than just whether you got the answer right.