Virtual Field Course - On the Rocks Exercise

Table of Contents

1. Instructions
   1. Aims
   2. Method
2. Analysis
3. Cross-references to relevant sections of the book
4. Data
   1. Example kite diagram
5. Video

Method

The starting point of the 100m transect was established at the base of the sea wall. A 1m² quadrat was used in a continuous transect (referred to as a 'belt transect'), collecting data for the animals attached to the rocks.

There were three species of periwinkle:

• Common periwinkle (Littorina littorea). See the Marine Life Information Network (MarLIN) Littorina littorea web page.
• Rough periwinkle (Littorina saxatilis). See the MarLIN Littorina saxatilis web page
• Small periwinkle (Melarhaphe neritoides) formerly Littorina neritoides - a group of marine gastropods: snail-like creatures of the intertidal zone. See the MarLIN Melarhape neritoides web page

Two other species were surveyed:

• Mussel (Mytilusedulis) - another marine mollusc. See Mytilus edulis on MarLIN
• Barnacle (Semibalanus balanoides), a sessile crustacean. See MarLIN Semibalanus balanoides.

Other data collected included the presence of rock pools and the temperature of the water within them.

The data for this exercise were collected in August 2006.