Describe how you would determine the mean percentage cover for beach grass on a sand dune - AQA - A-Level Biology - Question 4 - 2018 - Paper 2
Question 4
Describe how you would determine the mean percentage cover for beach grass on a sand dune.
[3 marks]
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Describe how you would determine the mean percentage cover for beach grass on a sand dune - AQA - A-Level Biology - Question 4 - 2018 - Paper 2
Step 1
Method of randomly determining position (of quadrats)
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Answer
To determine the mean percentage cover for beach grass on a sand dune, I would use a method of randomly selecting locations for quadrats. This could involve using a random numbers table or a generator to choose specific coordinates on the dune.
Step 2
Large number/sample of quadrats
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Answer
It is crucial to use a large sample size of quadrats to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the results. Ideally, a minimum of 20 quadrats should be used to capture variability in beach grass coverage.
Step 3
Divide total percentage by number of quadrats
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Answer
After counting the percentage cover of beach grass in each quadrat, I would calculate the total percentage cover across all quadrats combined. Finally, I would divide this total by the number of quadrats sampled to derive the mean percentage cover for beach grass.