Biology CourseworkTo determine if the distribution of flora across Ellerbeck is due to chance. The valley containing Eller beck possesses a huge variety of different species of plant life, particular species are often found in specific places

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S.McConville

Biology Coursework

To determine if the distribution of flora across Ellerbeck is due to chance.

   The valley containing Eller beck possesses a huge variety of different species of plant life, particular species are often found in specific places across the valley, to find out why these particular plants grow in the particular places I mean to investigate where different species of plants are located and what the conditions in those particular places are, investigating the effects of several factors on the distribution of these different species across a specific area of the valley. I believe that the varied distribution of the different species investigated is directly related to, and can be explained by the differences in the factors I will be measuring, that certain plants will grow in certain places in the area because they are more suitably adapted, in whatever way to the conditions in that specific place.

This is a rough diagram of Ellerbeck.

   I plan to perform my investigation using two information gathering techniques, after first establishing a straight line across the valley by taking a bearing using a compass from one point at the top of the South side of the valley and following that bearing down the valley, across the beck and up the other side whilst performing both a line transect and an interrupted belt transect.

   I also plan to perform an interrupted belt transect along the same bearing. Laying down a quadrat frame on the left side of my tape measure at regular intervals of 10 metres and recording in detail, the distribution of species within the frame.  This will give me a general view of the distribution of different species in many areas across the valley allowing me to sample the abundance and frequency of the different species, providing quantitative data and will allow me hopefully to speculate on the distribution of those species in the whole area.

   The line transect involves following my bearing with a tape measure, I will stop at specific intervals of 2 metres and record which species of plant is growing at that specific point, I will also measure the pH of the soil, using a pH probe, the Light Intensity at that point using a light meter and the moisture content and temperature of the soil using a moisture probe and a temperature probe respectively.  Through these results I will hopefully be able to establish a broad view of the conditions where a specific species grows and due to the many intervals will hopefully be able to come in contact with the same species more than once and see if the conditions were similar.  This investigation will provide me with qualitative data regarding the distribution of flora. I predict that this data will show that the distribution of flora is not down to chance but to outside physical and chemical factors.

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   The input variables in this investigation will be the levels of the different factors I will measure in my line transect, pH level of the soil, Light Intensity, Moisture content of the soil and temperature of the soil.  I will now explain how each factor should affect the growth of plants.

  The pH scale measures the acidity or alkalinity of a substance, in this case the soil of Eller beck, it ranges from 0 to 14 with 7 indicating pure water, values below 7 indicating acidity and values above indicating alkalinity.  I theorise that the ...

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***** Excellent experimental procedure. The theory supporting the prediction is accurate and relevant. The introduction needs some improvement: 1. Sentences are too long, often for whole paragraphs. They need to be shorter and more to the point. 2. Introduce the study and the area more clearly. It is not clear what Ellerbeck is, there is no mention of it being a village.