These are just some ideas for possible projects. You may think of some of your own.

Rocky Sea Shore

During Year 10 you may have done the classic rocky shore transect study. It may prove worthwhile to repeat this exercise in rather more detail. The animals and plants show a ZONATION up the shore. Many small projects are possible that investigate the factors that affect the distribution of animals and plants on a rocky shore.

1/ The association between barnacle and dogwelk distribution. The project involves the use of random quadrats. In each quadrat the number of live and dead (valveless) barnacles are counted. Also the number of dogwelks in each quadrat. Correlations can be attempted between:- (i) mortality frequency of Balanus and the number of Nucella. (ii) ratio of no. Balanus to no. Nucella. Is there a minimum number of barnacles needed to support one dogwelk.

2/ Does the shape of limpet shells change with exposure to wave action. Many organisms show a change in morphology according to environmental conditions. For example are limpets exposed to wave action more or less flatterned than those in more sheltered situations. This can be measured by working out the ratio between height and length. Samples can be taken from different areas of the shore and the ratios statistically compared. Think very carefully about how you would design your sampling programme.

3/ Can the zonation of seaweeds be related to survive desiccation. Samples of algae characteristic of different zones of the shore can be taken back to the laboratory. The rate at which they dry out can then be measured. Changes in the nature of the chlorophyll pigment can be investigated by paper chromatography.

4/ Changes in the morphology of Fucus vesiculosus (a brown sea weed) in relation to exposure. Does the number of bladder, diameter of the holdfast, circumferance of the stalk, amount of branching or length of thalli change with exposure to wave action. Two contrasting sites need to be chosen.