An investigation in the different species of plant life through bare sand and grassland and what factors effects the growth of them.

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 An investigation in the different species of plant life through bare sand and grassland and what factors effects the growth of them.

General site description

Geographical location – Sheet NU04  

                                                  045470

Altitude – West, I started going up the dune 2m at a time and gradually went over and went up the next dune.

Aspect – I looked at the dunes on both sides and up the next one investigating the different types of plant life and on what part of the sand dune they occur.

Topographical – I started off at the point that I assumed the full tide will be up to (I assumed this by looking at where the wet sand ended). I climbed the sand dune every 2m and took measurements at each base. As I went over the dune I looked at the different species of plants that occurred.

Introduction

 The overall aim of this investigation is to investigate the different species of plants in a stretch of land stretching from where the sea comes up to on the beach then over the first dune and up to the peak of the second dune in from the sea. On the way I will have to investigate the area the different species thrive in to be able to conclude what factors affect the growth of them and prove that marram grass only grows on certain parts of the sand dunes and if it has a factor of keeping the embryo dune together.From doing past work in biology I have learned that marram grass is a xerophyte so this plant is basically keeping the dunes together but I will have to investigate if the levels are changing as I go over the dune or if its stays at a constant level.

  Throughout this investigation I will have to keep a fair test to make the results as accurate as possible. In a fair test only one factor is changed at a time whilst all other factors are kept the same at their best value. So I will vary one factor to keep it a fair test as possible and this factor is the site and this will be moving over the embryo dune (dune closest to the sea) and to the peak of the mobile dune (this is the second dune in from the sea). I controlled the way I recorded the air temperature, soil temperature, % coverage and the % of different species as well as moisture levels, Ph of the soil and the nutrient content; which I show how I controlled them in my planning.

  The area that I have chosen for my investigation is an example of an ecosystem; this is a relatively self-contained interacting community of organisms, and the environment in which they live and with which they interact. A community is a particular area where the different species of plants and animals interact with each other. In this community there are different populations of plants an animals but the actual specific part of the habitat decides where these different species live and I am going to investigate what factors in these parts of the habitat causes the growth of the different species.

Planning

  After carrying out my preliminary work the equipment I decided to use was

  • 2 ranging poles
  • Wind
  • String
  • Spirit level
  • Thermometer
  • Quadrant
  • Trowel
  • Sample bags
  • Tags
  • Identification cards (for plants)

 In the laboratory;

  • Oven
  • Bunsen burner
  • Crucibles
  • Electric balance
  • Nutrients test kit
  • Ph test kit

 Basically the preliminary work I carried out was just to organise the parameters of my actual investigation as after I carried out my preliminary work I was able to see factors that I should change for my investigation.

  When doing my preliminary work I was using a tape measure to measure the distance between the ranging poles but for the proper experiment I found out it would be much easier to measure a string of just over 2metres to tie to the ranging poles so I was moving 2metres up the dune without using a tape measure which I found to be much easier. Another thing I also changed by doing my preliminary work was the distance between sites. For my preliminary work I was doing each site every 4metres, but later found out that this was not enough results for by belt transaction and I also needed more information.

  The factors that I controlled or varied are as follows. Whilst carrying out my investigation I must remember to keep a fair test, which I stated in my introduction, which is to change one factor and keep all other factors the same. The factor that I will be changing will be the site and this is moving up the dune 2m at a time (this is the distance I choose after doing my preliminary work). The way I recorded the results was in the same way for each site. In this investigation the way recorded the results was in the same way but just moving up the dune 2m at a time for each site calculating steepness, air temperature, soil temperature, wind speed and % coverage recording the different species of plants that are there. When taking the steepness I hovered the spirit level above the string and moved the string till it was level and then measured the displacement of the string to see how much it has moved, I carried out this procedure at every site. When taking the air and soil temperature I took them next to the first ranging pole. For the air temperature I held it in the air for 15seconds and for the soil temperature I put it in the soil for 30seconds. When recording the % coverage and the % of different I placed a quadrant directly in front of the first ranging pole, there are 25 squares so I was able to calculate the percentage by looking at how many squares were occupied by plants. Then for the percentage of different species I identified the different species and estimated the % of that certain plant. The moisture test, nutrients and Ph tests were all carried out in a lab under constant conditions.

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 There are some risk factors in this investigation. For the practical care has to be taken when handling the ranging poles due to them having pointed ends and to take care on steep slopes in case of falling. The risk factors in the lab are that when using the oven for the soil samples and when burning off the samples care must be taken when handling the hot apparatus by using gloves. When carrying out the nutrients and Ph tests it has to be taken in that I am handling chemicals so contact with them have to be avoided.

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