B7- Ecology

• what equipment do you need for the field investigations practical?

  • A 1 m2 quadrat.
  • A 30 m tape measure, to make a transect line.
  • A light meter, to measure light intensity.
  • A clipboard, paper and pencil, to record your results in the field.
• what is the method for the quadrat field investigation practical?

  • Step 1: Work out the total area of the habitat (e.g. a 400 m2 school field).
  • Step 2: Use a random number generator to get coordinates that match up to a random point in the habitat.
  • Step 3: Carefully place the 1 m2 quadrat at that random point.
  • Step 4: Count the number of your chosen species (e.g. daisies) that you can see inside the quadrat.
  • Step 5: Record this number in a results table.
  • Step 6: Repeat the steps above using at least 10 other randomly generated coordinates.
• how do you calculate total population size?

  total population = total area/area of quadrat x mean number of organisms counted
• what is the method of the transact line practical?

  • Step 1: Find a large tree surrounded by open ground.
  • Step 2: Place the 0 m mark of a 30 m measuring tape at the base of the large tree.
  • Step 3: Unwind the rest of the measuring tape in a straight line this is the transect line.
  • Step 4: Place your quadrat at 0 m and count the number of your chosen species (e.g. daisies) that you can see inside the quadrat.
  • Step 5: Use a light meter to record the light intensity at 0 m.
  • Step 6: Repeat steps 3 and 4 moving along the transect line 2 m each time.