Surveying beach populations using transects
This level 6-7 teaching activity describes how students work together to carry out a transect investigation on the rocky shore.
About this resource
Zonation is a concept used by biologists to systematically describe the distribution of living things across a specified abiotic (non-living) changing environment.
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 scientists can collaborate to enrich their understanding.
Surveying beach populations using transects
Levels: 6-7
Nature of Science achievement aims: Understanding about science, investigating in science
Contextual strands: Living world
Topic: Rocky shore
See Materials that come with this resource to download:
- Setting up a transect line (.pdf)
Learning activity
- 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.
See Materials that come with this resource to download supporting activity resources:
- Setting up a transect line (.pdf)
- 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?
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).
- 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 understanding of 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?