Onwards - July 2012 - South Wilts Grammar School for Girls

ONWARDS
The Biology Field Trip Kimmeridge
On 2nd and 3rd July Biology students visited the beach at Kimmeridge. Standing in the rain,
we were briefed on the following procedure. We were going to be using an interrupted transect
method using a quadrat to look for periwinkles, a type of mollusc.
We grabbed our buckets full of equipment and ventured down to the rocky shore. Each group
chose a different section of the beach and pulled out the tape measure. Placing down our
quadrat (a large empty square), we started looking for periwinkles. We all came across more
than just periwinkles: sea anemones, a brittle star and many crabs were also found.
After a good few hours, we packed up our buckets: made sure we had everything and headed
back to the coach. Along the way we had one person slip, though very gracefully. We took out
our clip boards with results, put them in a dry place to keep safe and disembarked from our
wellies. Sitting on the coach we started on a very welcome lunch.
After lunch we headed off to the river Piddle. At the river we were again briefed on the
procedure to follow. Our buckets now had been upgraded to equipment worth over £400. Also
next to each bucket was a pair or rather large, rather fetching, green waders. This time we
were going to be sampling freshwater life to see how polluted the river was. Each creature had
a ranking, 10 would mean the river was very clean, 8 would mean slight pollution and so on.
Depending on the number of each creature you found, this would tell you how polluted the
river was. We were going to use the ‘kick’ sampling method: you would stand in the river, and
run on the spot, disturbing the floor. This caused your sample to flow downstream and into
your net, which would be placed in front of your feet.
My group didn’t particularly want to go in the fetching green waders, leaving the job to me. I’d
like to take a moment to set the scene. I’m only 5’2 and the water was at an all time high due
to the rain and our group chose the river to start and not the pond, the river being faster
flowing .I got into my waders - it did not look good. None-the-less I entered the fast flowing
water. We all had a good laugh at all the people jogging in the water in their waders. We
brought our samples back to shore and turned them out into the tray. We identified each
species and counted the quantity. We took a second sample and counted once more. We then
changed to the millpond and took another two samples, comparing the difference between
species and whether one area was more polluted than the other. Each group also had an
abiotic factor to measure. These were non-living factors such as temperature, pH, flow rate,
light intensity and oxygen concentration. Our group was measuring pH and interestingly the
orange, murky pond was more neutral than the clear, fast flowing river. With our results written
down we packed up our kit, quickly departed from the waders and headed back to the coach.
After saying thank you and giving a round of
applause to our guide we walked back to the coach.
As we all filed on, we discussed our favourite parts,
and of course complained to each member of staff
individually how bad the British “summer” was. As we
took off our wellies we all laughed at each other’s
curly hair (which had taken much time to straighten)
and rosy cheeks, and got ready for our journey
home.
Now considering we fell over pebbles and in the
mud, were soaked through to the bone, had to wear
large green pants, and we almost got swept away,
and everyone was looking very wind swept. It was an
excellent day outside the classroom. (Sophie Sibley
12AAD)
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