The Vegetation Succession Of A Sand Dune System In Relation
What is the physical environment of a sand dune system? Soil pH, soil moisture, soil depth, wind exposure and precipitation levels are all physical factors likely to influence the nature of the vegetation and nature of succession, e.g. an area with a low soil pH would be expected to harbour plants that were able to tolerate such conditions, plants like azaleas and pin oaks. All of the above factors, bar average rainfall are relevant to this investigation and will be measured in this short term field based study. Plant succession can described by the model fig 1. Fig 1, Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History This shows that the distance from the shore is positively correlated with the height and percentage cover of the vegetation. It also shows that within a dune system species diversity varies massively. As this is a model it should be able to be applied to dune systems in practice. The purpose of this study is to prove that at location of study these success ional trends are correct. The physical characteristics have a massive bearing on the vegetation and its succession, for example; soil depth. The depth of a soil for plant growth is the vertical distance into the s
The height of vegetation in the area can be measured by selecting plants from 5 of the squares within the quadrat and simply measure them from ground to tip using a ruler of tape measure, these can then be averaged and a plant height for the area recorded. oil from the surface to a layer that essentially stops the downward growth of plant roots. Therefore soil depth would be expected to be deeper as you move further away from the shore to allow for larger plants to grow. (Southwood and Henderson 2000). Soil depth is directly related with the vegetation Soil depth is measured very effectively by using a Penetrometer Fig 2.1, this device simple gives an electronic reading of soil depth, I.e. where the soil becomes too dense for roots to penetrate it. At this location a meter square (5x5) quadrat should be placed so the area can be measured. This random method is chosen so a to make sure the is no opportunity for bias. This method can be used up until the heath and scrub fig 1.1 section of the dune system, after which plants become to large to place a quadrat over.
Some topics in this essay:
Southwood Henderson,
Penetrometer Fig,
Natural History,
,
Society Soil,
dune system,
soil depth,
wind exposure,
physical characteristics,
soil ph,
random method,
wind speed,
percentage cover,
 fig,
soil moisture,
recording wind speed,
soil ph soil,
measured random method,
depth wind exposure,
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Approximate Word count = 1741
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)
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