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OCR A2 biology planning exercise

Is anyone else doing this planning exercise for the practical exam? The question is "Plan an investigation to determine the distribution and abundance of two named species of plant in a specific habitat using quadrats and determine if this is affected by the water content of the soil using dry mass calculations".
I plan to use a belt transect going from a pond to drier soil. I'm just confused on whether to use a point or frame quadrat, how many samples to take and how many soil samples to take!! Any help would be much appreciated! Thanks! :smile:

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ryanmullally is doing it :smile:

I feel sorry for people who have to do practical exams. :redface:
Reply 2
hi, im doing the same coursework and havent really got a clue. when it asked for two named species what would be the best two to pick?
Reply 3
dixies-girl
hi, im doing the same coursework and havent really got a clue. when it asked for two named species what would be the best two to pick?

I'm using two of the buttercup species that they used. Ranunculus repens and Ranunculus acris because I found them both in our school wildlife area. The one that prefers wet soil, Ranunculus repens, should be more abundant nearer to the pond as it prefers wet soil. Hope that helps!! :smile:
Reply 4
Lea_21
I'm using two of the buttercup species that they used. Ranunculus repens and Ranunculus acris because I found them both in our school wildlife area. The one that prefers wet soil, Ranunculus repens, should be more abundant nearer to the pond as it prefers wet soil. Hope that helps!! :smile:


is it ok to use the two they used in the example?
Reply 5
surely they have given these two as examples NoT to be copied as if that happens then every plan will be very similar. The fact they say NAMED species implies they want you to come up with your own. So i am going to do two new ones as it gives you more freedom, ocr will know everything about the buttercups but not much about the ones you pick
Reply 6
can any one help me with two species to pick cus i cnt think of any
Reply 7
some 1 please help me, havent got a clue where to start!
Reply 8
dixies-girl
some 1 please help me, havent got a clue where to start!

Hi!
I'm now as stuck as you are! I was going to use the buttercups they gave in the example but realised that I can't now! Any help would be much appreciated! Is it ok to use the example of sampling near to a river like they have do you think? :mad:
I was under the impression that it would be fine to use their examples. as long as you do a bit of research on them (include annotated pics etc.). Why else would they give you them?
do you think using interruped transect across sand dunes would be ok?
Reply 11
dixies-girl
do you think using interruped transect across sand dunes would be ok?

The question asks you to test the water content of the soil. If you use a sand dune there won't be any soil! That's why I thought testing the soil near a pond or stream would be better. :smile:
Reply 12
I was wondering how everyone is going to analyse their results...... What tests should you use??

Thanks xXx
Chazzz
I was wondering how everyone is going to analyse their results...... What tests should you use??

Thanks xXx


i havent even got a far as thinking about analysising the results. still deciding where to carry out the experiment to!
How is water content of soil calculated (dry mass calculation)?

I found this, http://www.soils.wisc.edu/~ss322/notes/bulkdensity.pdf
which I think I'll use if I can't find anything else.
of all the planning exercise combinations possible- why oh why were the two aspects of biology i hate the most chosen (stinking sampling, and plant biology in general).

i plan to use some kind of transect (from dry soil to wet soil), and work out and record the water content of at least 5 points along the transect, then linking the water content to the abundance of species. I am very confused, but it usually ends up OK in the end! :smile:
rainjan_4now
of all the planning exercise combinations possible- why oh why were the two aspects of biology i hate the most chosen (stinking sampling, and plant biology in general).

i plan to use some kind of transect (from dry soil to wet soil), and work out and record the water content of at least 5 points along the transect, then linking the water content to the abundance of species. I am very confused, but it usually ends up OK in the end! :smile:

Yes that sounds good (although you should use more than 5 points because you won't actually be carrying out the method). Are you using a belt transect perpendicular to the river?
It's the soil calculations I need to confirm how to do.
It's amazing how an a-level biology planning exercise can have so little to do with biology. If I wanted to write about fking soil samples, I would have taken geography.
Anyone feel the same way?
endeavour
Yes that sounds good (although you should use more than 5 points because you won't actually be carrying out the method). Are you using a belt transect perpendicular to the river?
It's the soil calculations I need to confirm how to do.


I havent yet reminded myself of the many stinking sampling techniques out there, but i will get onto it when i believe i should actually start the damn exercise, maybe tomorrow :biggrin:
trachea
The fact they say NAMED species implies they want you to come up with your own.


I don't think thats what they mean. The fact that they say "of two NAMED species" means that they want you to use two of the species mentioned, "why would thay have wasted all that ink for nothing"- says my bio teacher :rolleyes:

Of course everybody will have their own opinion, but thats the way im gonna swing :biggrin: