An ecologist recorded the mean soil salinity and the mean number of meadow buttercups (Ranunculus acris) per m2\text{m}^2m2 across six distinct zones in a coastal nature reserve.
Table 1
| Zone | Mean soil salinity (g⋅dm−3\text{g}\cdot\text{dm}^{-3}g⋅dm−3) | Mean number of meadow buttercups per m2\text{m}^2m2 |
|---|---|---|
| α\alphaα | 0.5 | 12.4 |
| β\betaβ | 1.2 | 8.6 |
| γ\gammaγ | 2.0 | 5.1 |
| δ\deltaδ | 2.8 | 2.9 |
| ϵ\epsilonϵ | 3.5 | 1.2 |
| ζ\zetaζ | 4.2 | 0.2 |
Explain the effect of soil salinity on the number of meadow buttercups per m2\text{m}^2m2.
