Conclusions

• What was the aim of the investigation?

  To investigate changes in sand dune characteristics
• What were the three hypotheses of the study?

  1. Soil pH decreases with distance from the shoreline.
  2. Soil moisture content % increases with distance from the shoreline.
  3. Vegetation diversity increases with distance from the shoreline.
• What was the result for soil pH at site 1?

  7.8
• What was the soil pH at site 12?

  6.7
• At what level was the pH result proven?

  95% level
• What causes the decrease in soil pH further inland?

  Acid from leaching and humus addition
• What was the soil moisture content % at site 1?

  8.2%
• What was the soil moisture content % at site 12?

  55.2%
• Why does soil moisture content increase inland?

  More humus improves moisture retention
• What was the number of species at site 1?

  1 species
• How many species were present at site 12?

  5 species
• What generally happens to vegetation diversity from site 1 to site 11?

  It generally increases
• What allows a greater range of species to thrive inland?

  Improved soil quality and moisture
• What factors influenced the reliability of the data collected?

  • Group organization and rotation system
  • Stratified sampling method
  • Sample size of 12 sites
  • Weather conditions and time of year
• Why was the group organization considered reliable?

  Groups rotated for consistent data collection
• What was the sampling method used?

  Stratified sampling
• Why is a sample size of 12 sites sufficient?

  It allows viable statistical analysis
• What issue arose with species identification?

  Inconsistencies due to different researchers
• What was not included in the method that could affect results?

  Dune troughs
• What was a challenge in determining the dune crest?

  Older dunes merging into others
• How did weather conditions impact the study?

  Strong winds affected topsoil moisture
• What was the impact of the time of year on the study?

  Data may not represent year-round conditions
• What was the conclusion regarding vegetation diversity?

  It increases with distance from the shoreline
• What was the conclusion regarding soil moisture content?

  It increases with distance from the shoreline
• What was the conclusion regarding soil pH?

  It decreases with distance from the shoreline
• What are the factors that could improve the reliability of the data collected?

  • Consistent researcher for species identification
  • Include dune troughs in the study
  • Conduct multiple visits throughout the year
  • Improve data collection methods and training