Experiment 1: Data Management (Kruskall-Wallis Test)

Alyssa Gail De Vera, Maria Flor Lopez, Anna Celine Lesaca, and Tricia Andrea Magdurulan

Department of Biological Sciences

College of Science, University of Santo Tomas
Espaa, Manila Philippines

Abstract are statistically significant differences

In this experiment, the Kruskal-
Wallis test was used to determine the
relationship between the marine
reserve size and the overall number of
fish species. The test species,
Acanthurus olivaceous, were collected
from ten counting stations within each
of the four marine reserves A, B, C,
and D. The data were ranked in
ascending order. The Kruskal-Wallis
test statistic (H), total number of
observations in all samples (N), the
sum of the ranks assigned (Ti), and the
total number of observations per area
(ni) were assigned. The calculated
value of the Kruskal-Wallis test (15.36)
was greater than the critical value of
chi-square value (7.81473). This
signifies that the overall number of
fish species is dependent to marine
reserve size. Boxplot was used to
show the significance of the data.
Keywords: Kruskall-Wallis test,
nonparametric test, marine reserve
size, Acanthurus olivaceous, Boxplot
Introduction
Kruskal-Wallis Test is a
nonparametric test developed by
William Kruskal and Allen Wallis in
1952. It is used to determine if there
between two or more groups of an
independent variable on a continuous
or ordinal dependent variable (Su,
1967). It compares the medians of two
or more populations to see whether or
not they are statistically different. The
basic idea of Kruskal Wallis is to collect
a sample from each population, rank
all the combined data from lowest to
highest, and look for a pattern in how
those ranks are distributed among the
various samples (Rumsey, 2007). It is
referred to as the One-way ANOVA on
ranks used when the assumptions of
ANOVA are not met. Like ANOVA,
Kruskal-Wallis Test tests if there is a
significant difference between several
groups but do not specify -which ones
are actually statistically different. The
post hoc analysis used for Kruskal-
Wallis is Mann Whitney Test.
There are two kinds of
variables, independent variable and
dependent variable. Independent
variable is a variable whose variation
does not depend on that of another. It
is usually the one being tested and
affects the dependent variable. On the
other hand, dependent variable is a
variable whose value depends on that
of another (Rumsey, 2007).
 The box plot is a standardized
way of displaying the distribution of
data based on the five-number
summary: minimum, first quartile,
median, third quartile, and maximum
(Miller, 2010). It is also known as box
and whisker diagram. It shows the
shape of the distribution of the
samples, its central values, and its
variability. The minimum and
maximum are denoted by the upper
and lower quartiles. The box shows
the range of the values of the sample
and the horizontal line inside it
indicates the median. Box and
whiskers diagram also shows whether
a data set is symmetric or skewed. A
symmetric data, which is almost the
same on each side when cut down the
middle, shows the median roughly in
the middle of the box.
Ti=sum of the ranks assigned
Kruskal-Wallis test statistic is
approximately a chi-square
distribution, with k-1 degrees of
freedom where ni should be greater
than 5. In order to reject the null
hypothesis, the calculated value of the
Kruskal-Wallis test should be greater
than the critical value of the critical
chi-square value.
Boxplot or box and whiskers plot was
used in this experiment to show the
significance of the data.
Results and Discussions

Methodology Area A Ranking Area Ranking Area Ran

B C
Kruskal Wallis test was used in 78 16.5 76 10 73 3
this experiment. In order to perform 80 23.5 76 10 75 6.5
Kruskal Wallis, data should be ranked 80 23.5 78 16.5 77 12.5
first in ascending order. If there is a 81 27.5 78 16.5 78 16.5
repeated value, ranking should be 82 30.5 78 16.5 78 16.5
done by averaging their rank position. 83 33.5 81 27.5 79 20.5
In each area, sum up the rank. To 87 37 81 27.5 79 20.5
calculate for the value use the 88 38.5 81 27.5 80 23.5
88 38.5 82 30.5 83 33.5
formula:
89 40 83 33.5 84 36
Total 309 216 189
Rank

Ri2
Where,
H=
12
N ( N + 1)( )

n
3(N +1)

H=Kruskal-Wallis test statistic Where: N=40

N=total number of observations in all n = 10

samples
 3092 2162 1892 106 2
H=
12
40 ( 40+ 1 ) (

10
+
10
+
10
+
10 )
3( 40+1)

12
H= ( 9548.1+ 4665.6+3572.1+1123.6 )3( 41)
40 ( 41 )

12
H= ( 18909.4 ) 123
1640

H=0.007317073 ( 18909.4 ) 123 Figure 1 Summarizes the distribution of

the overall number of the fish species in
x2crit = 7.81473 different marine reserves.

H=138.36123 Discussion

Hstat > x2crit Since the calculated value of

the Kruskal-Wallis test (15.36) is
Hstat = 15.36 greater than the critical value of chi-
therefore, reject HO square value (7.81473), we can reject
Df = 4 1 = 3 our null hypothesis which is there is no
significant difference in the overall
number of fish species among areas A,
B, C, and D. In addition, looking at the
boxplot, we can infer that area A
which is larger compared to other
areas will have a larger range of
overall number of fish species. This
signifies that the overall number of
fish species is dependent to marine
reserve size.

Conclusion

Based on the results obtained, the

overall number of fish species does
increase as the marine reserve size
increase.
References empirically using the kruskal-
wallis h test. Ohio: Ohio State
Rumsey, D. (2007). Intermediate University.
statistics for
dummies. Canada: Wiley Miller, F., Vandome, A., and John, M.
Publishing Inc. (2010). Box plot. Germany: VDM
Publishing.
Su, W. (1967). Parametric versus
nonparametric tests: