Biologists investigate biodiversity
The A Level Biologists spent the first part of last week on a residential fieldtrip to the Margam Discovery Centre near Port Talbot in Wales, which is run by the Field Studies Council. The Centre is a state of the art, low carbon footprint building situated within Margam Park, an 850-acre country estate with approximately 600 deer, including the rare Pere David deer (photo below). It is also one of Wales’ richest bat locations and has easy access to the Gower National Landscape, a few miles to the west, the Heritage Coast to the east, and the Brecon Beacons to the north. The surrounding area offers a range of ecosystems from freshwater ponds and streams to mixed woodland and grassland.
Using kick sampling of a river bed, the students investigated the abundance of a species under varying abiotic factors such as water depth, light intensity, and water velocity. This was followed by setting up traps to catch small mammals local to the area, which they checked the following morning, before releasing the captured wildlife back into the environment.
On the second day, the Year 12 & 13 Biologists investigated the distribution and abundance of limpet and seaweed species across a rocky shore in Bracelet Bay. They used multiple sampling techniques to collect data to analyse and process using statistical tests back at the centre. They had a very efficient, successful day.
On Day 3, the students analysed succession along a sand dune (the ecological process by which plant communities gradually colonize and stabilize sand dunes, progressing from bare sand to a mature, stable ecosystem), using quadrats to collect data on samples present at the various stages of development along the dunes. Well done Year 12&13!
Miss Collins & Mrs Carter
