Teacher’s notes
Surveying beach populations using transects
Integrated strands
Science concept
Zonation is a concept used by biologists to systematically describe the distribution of living things across a specified abiotic (non-living) changing environment.
Nature of Science Theme
- When scientists carry out investigations they aim to collect adequate data…
- To establish zonation patterns, scientists need a large pool of data to create a convincing case.
DSSA Investigation Focus
- Collaboration enables students to build a richer understanding…
- Students may need to work together to gather sufficient data.
Rationale
By carrying out a transect activity on the rocky shore, students can work collaboratively to gather enough information to enable them to determine a pattern. At the same time they can be encouraged to think of other ways students collaborate to enrich their understanding.
Activity
Curriculum level 6-7 Living world Topic
Rocky shore
Type of investigation
Pattern seeking
What you need
- A line transect (string or rope marked at regular intervals) for each group and quadrat.
- A rocky shore area for investigation.
- An example of how a transect and quadrat can be used.
Note: Supporting activity resources are provided below.
Focus
- How can the students in our class work together to collect data that will allow us to compare our results in a valid way?
- What do we need to know to specify and standardise our sampling protocols?
- How will we determine how much data is ‘adequate’?
- How do scientists determine how much data is ‘adequate’?
- How might ‘adequate’ results affect the conclusions we draw at the end of the investigation?
Exploration
The students work in groups to:
- lay out their line transect between the high and low tide marks
- at each interval, put down a quadrant
- within the quadrant, count the numbers of each species and/or the percentage coverage of rocks
- move to the next interval and repeat the procedure.
The students use their collected data to address the reflection questions (see below).
Extension
This activity can be repeated over time, for example:
- Are the zonation patterns affected by the time of year?
- How are the zonation patterns affected by physical factors such as pollution levels or extreme weather events?
- What might be the effect of global warming on zonation patterns?
Reflection
- Why is one transect not sufficient to establish a zonation pattern?
- How is what you did:
- the same as scientists would do to establish zonation in an area?
- different from what scientists would do to establish zonation in an area?
- What factors had to be kept the same for each group? Why?
- What knowledge did you need to have to collect the data?
- How did you make sure everyone had the same understandings about how to sample?
- What type(s) of environmental gradient contribute to zonation on the rocky shore?
- If you were looking to quickly establish zonation patterns in your local area, what five species would you choose to sample and why?
Activity resources
- Setting up a transect line (PDF 80KB)
- Diagram illustrating how to set up a transect line.