Collection and recording of data
The data collection you planned in the previous stage needs to be accurate and reliable. What do the two underlined words mean?
Primary data
Can you work out which equipment that is needed to collect the primary fieldwork data below? The equipment is jumbled up?
| Species diversity |
Air thermometer |
| Vegetation cover |
pH meter |
| Soil pH |
Soil thermometer |
| Air temperature |
Kiln (for post-fieldwork analysis) |
| Soil temperature - surface and 10cm depth |
Plastic bags and labels |
| Soil moisture content |
Anemometer |
| Soil organic matter content |
Hygrometer |
| Infiltration rate |
Quadrat |
| Wind speed |
Plant identification booklet |
| Relative humidity |
Water bottles |
| Piping (approx 30cm in length) |
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Watch the videos and study some of the photographs.
Braunton Burrows Ground Video
Bruanton Burrows Microclimate Video
Complete a table like the one below.
| Data needed |
Equipment used |
Method |
How accurate might this method be? |
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At each site along the dune transect, each variable was measured twice. A mean figure was then calculated.
- How did this improve the reliability of the results?
- How could the reliability of the results have been improved?
Have a look at the data collection sheet. Evaluate how useful it is. Would you alter it at all?
Click Here to download a blank data collection sheet
You now have two alternative ways of collecting the data:
- Download the data from an Excel file, along with some selected photographs of each site;
Click here to download an Excel file containing the whole data set.
2. Click on the western area of Braunton Burrows on the interactive map at the top of the page. once you have finished with that area, you can navigate to the eastern side.
Print off the blank data collection sheet
Click on the hot spots on the map in order, starting at point 1 on the strandline and finishing at point 11 in the dune scrub. At each point, you can collect the relevant data and view the photographs; just like a real piece of fieldwork.
Have you wondered how the soil moisture and organic content figures were calculated? Two soil samples from each site were put into plastic bags. A kiln was then used to burn off the moisture and organic content.
Below are pictures of the soil samples taken - click on the thumbnails to open larger versions of the pictures
Click Here to open the results for the soil sampling.
Secondary data
If you remember, the investigation is using two sources of secondary data:
Tide Data
The Cimbers Club - Tide Times
Choose Appledore, which is the closest location to Braunton Burrows. The primary data was collected on 27th June 2007. Save the web page or write down tide times for the seven days before the fieldwork too place.
Weather Data
West Buckland School Weather Station
The closest available weather data to Braunton Burrows is at West Buckland School. You can click on ‘Map' to view the location of the school.
- Click on ‘Monthly data' and then choose June 2007.
- Widen the columns to see the units.
- Save the Excel file.
- Edit the file to keep the data for the seven days before the fieldwork took place.