To investigate the vegetation on moor land, the differences in its location, its conservation and management.

3. Younger heather will have a higher % of green growth.

4. Managed burning of heather will counteract the detrimental effect of accidental firing.

Method

A cross section of path and surrounding moorland will be surveyed with data collected at regular intervals. Data will be collected on soil depth; vegetation cover and individual vegetation type cover as well as soil moisture and vegetation height.

Equipment used.

Pin Quadrant

Measuring tape

Metre rule

Soil Spike

Pin quadrant - will be used to identify % bare ground and % of vegetation type present at each sampling point.

Measuring tape - will be used to accurately measure our stratified sample points

Metre rule - will be used to measure vegetation height and soil depth on the soil spike

Soil spike - will be used to measure soil depth.

Samples will be taken every 30 cm for 3m across the path and into the vegetation at the side. After this, measurements will be taken at 20m intervals onto the moor.

Conclusion

The graph of heather green shoot production shows clearly that as the age of the heather increases so we see a decrease in the green growth. This is shown in the graph as a negative correleation seen as the older the area of heather the grater the figure on the x-axis. This low % grren growth explains why the management of the moor by burning to promote new growth effects the risk of accidental firing. If a larger % green growth is present then the heather will not burn as well and so by burning in bands the spread of an accidental firing is limited by these bands of green growth. The technique has an effect on the landscape because the result is a patchwork of areas each at a different stage in their burn cycle.

The prediction that the density of vegetation will increase with distance from he path has been proved correct because the graphs show that the species present near the path, such as narrow leaved grass although it is common does not add very much to density. The density increases with distance from the path as seen in the positive correlation of the graph.

The vegetation type has varied with distance from the path for example there is far more narrow leaved grass near the path and less heather. This is because grass is base growing and can therefore replenish itself when face with footpath erosion and trampling, whereas heather is top growing and therefore takes longer to replenish when damaged.

What more coud have been done?