Biology Fieldwork Report
Biology Fieldwork Report
Tioman Island
Kevin Kam 11W
Biology Fieldwork Survey 2013
Date: 15th April – 19th April 2013 (Monday – Friday)
Site location: Tioman Island, Malaysia
Type of habitat surveyed:
Located 32km away from the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, Tioman Island is a small island is surrounded by the South China Sea and has a sheer size of 20km long and 11km wide. Tioman Island bears constant humid conditions and hot temperatures due to its close proximity to the equator. The island consists of inhabited dense forests which total up to approximately 8 296 hectares and numerous coral reefs housing diverse marine life.
As a large group, we broke up into 4 sub-groups and conducted our individual coastal survey studies while following a pre-discussed plan of assessment. Our surveys involved the use of 50cm x 50cm quadrats with a 5x5 grid, measuring tape, thermometers, inclinometers and marking poles, and data loggers with pH and oxygen detecting electrodes. Our method involved the following:
1. Quadrats
a. Local frequency
a.i. This involved individually counting the abundance of sea cucumber and macro algae (Padina) besides turf algae within the boundaries of the quadrat.
a.ii. This also allowed us to assess the general distribution of particular species along the transect.
b. Percentage cover
b.i. The abundance of turf algae was measure using this method. This survey was conducted within the individual segments of the 25-square quadrat. It was instructed that if the species had occupied about 50% or more of a segment, it would count as the total coverage of that segment.
b.ii. Because this method was conducted by pure observation and estimation, human error was to be considered but not significantly.
b.iii. The number of segments occupied by the turf algae provides us with the abundance and distribution of the species in various parts of the shore.
c. pH and Oxygen Readings
c.i. Data loggers and electrodes were used to measure the
Tioman Island
Kevin Kam 11W
Biology Fieldwork Survey 2013
Date: 15th April – 19th April 2013 (Monday – Friday)
Site location: Tioman Island, Malaysia
Type of habitat surveyed:
Located 32km away from the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, Tioman Island is a small island is surrounded by the South China Sea and has a sheer size of 20km long and 11km wide. Tioman Island bears constant humid conditions and hot temperatures due to its close proximity to the equator. The island consists of inhabited dense forests which total up to approximately 8 296 hectares and numerous coral reefs housing diverse marine life.
As a large group, we broke up into 4 sub-groups and conducted our individual coastal survey studies while following a pre-discussed plan of assessment. Our surveys involved the use of 50cm x 50cm quadrats with a 5x5 grid, measuring tape, thermometers, inclinometers and marking poles, and data loggers with pH and oxygen detecting electrodes. Our method involved the following:
1. Quadrats
a. Local frequency
a.i. This involved individually counting the abundance of sea cucumber and macro algae (Padina) besides turf algae within the boundaries of the quadrat.
a.ii. This also allowed us to assess the general distribution of particular species along the transect.
b. Percentage cover
b.i. The abundance of turf algae was measure using this method. This survey was conducted within the individual segments of the 25-square quadrat. It was instructed that if the species had occupied about 50% or more of a segment, it would count as the total coverage of that segment.
b.ii. Because this method was conducted by pure observation and estimation, human error was to be considered but not significantly.
b.iii. The number of segments occupied by the turf algae provides us with the abundance and distribution of the species in various parts of the shore.
c. pH and Oxygen Readings
c.i. Data loggers and electrodes were used to measure the
Bibliography: Atlantic and Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment, 2006, AGRRA, viewed 1 May 2013, http://www.agrra.org/background/algaeback.html Keith Davey, 2000, MESA, viewed 2 May 2013, http://www.mesa.edu.au/friends/seashores/p_pavonea.html Stan & Debbie Hauter, 2013, About.com, viewed 3 May 2013, http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/seacucumbercare/p/prblackcucumber.htm WILD, 2012, Fact Sheets , viewed 3 May 2013, http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/crustacea/crab/eriphiidae/ferox.htm ‘Goby: Symbiosis’ n.d., Wikipedia, wiki article, viewed 3 May 2013, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goby#Symbiosis Zoe Mintz, 2013, International Business Times, viewed 4 May 2013, http://www.ibtimes.com/mantis-shrimp-gets-popular-thanks-new-web-comic-oatmeal-photos-1183353 ‘Mantis Shrimp’ n.d., Wikipedia, wiki article, viewed 4 May 2013, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mantis_shrimp Periwinkle, 2013, Encyclopædia Britannica Online, viewed 5 May, 2013, http://global.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/452111/periwinkle Deforestation, 2012, WWF, viewed 5 May 2013, http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/about_forests/deforestation/ Joshua Tan, 2012, ‘Biology Fieldwork Report’, SIngapore