Junior Cert Science - Biology - Habitat Study

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Steps involved in a habitat study

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make a simple map of the habitat to illustrate the main features of the area e.g. pond, trees, paths, ditches etc; record the environmental factors affecting the habitat e.g. the weather and soil factors; make a list of all the types of plants and animals present; estimate the numbers of plants and animals in the habitat; analyse the information collected + draw graphs and diagrams to illustrate the data.

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soil factors = pH, mineral holding capacity, humus and moisture content. The type of soil present will determine the type of plant and animal life in the habitat. Weather factors = these include light intensity, rainfall, temperature, wind and humidity. Physical factors = topography i.e. whether the ground is flat or on a slope and whether it is sheltered or exposed; aspect i.e. whether the habitat faces north, south, east or west; altitude i.e. height above sea level. Biotic factors = living factors i.e. those caused by competition between plants and animals in the habitat

Image: Environmental factors that affect life in a habitat

Plankton net

used to collect plankton in streams, ponds and seashore habitats

Butterfly net

used to catch butterflies and moths on the wing

Sweep net

used to catch insects by sweeping through grasses and tall vegetation

Beating tray

used to collect insects and other small animals that live on the leaves and branches of trees. A tray/sheet is held under the leaves and the branches are beaten with sticks. This dislodges the animals and they fall onto the sheet from where they can be collected using a pooter

Pooter

used to collect insects and small animals from trees and bushes and also from the leaf litter in soil

Traps

a method of collecting animals

Pitfall trap

type of trap used to collect animals that walk along the surface of the ground. It consists of a jar sunk into the ground with its mouth level with the surface of the soil. Some bait such as meat, fruit or a preserving liquid can be placed in the bottom of the jar. A cover, supported by small stones, is placed on top of the jar. The trap is set up and left for 8-12 hours. The animals which fall into the jar are unable to escape and can be identified later.

Cryptozoic trap

used to collect animals that are usually active at night (nocturnal) e.g. worms, slugs and wood lice. It consists of a flat piece of wood laid on the ground. The nocturnal animals will hide under the piece of wood during the day. If the trap is turned over, the animals can be easily seen and identified.

Mammal trap

used to catch small mammals such as mice, shrews and voles. Great care must be taken when opening these assemblies as small animals become very frightened if trapped can give a nasty bite when being released.

Tullgren funnel

used to extract small animals, especially insects, from leaf litter or soil. The warmth and light from the bulb cause small organisms to move down through the layer of soil. They then pass through the gauze and down into the collecting fluid.

Terms used when estimating the numbers of plants in a habitat

D = dominant, A = abundant, F = frequent, O = occasional, R = rare

Quadrat

a square area (usually 1 m²) which shows all the plants growing in that area. It can be marked out with wood, rope or metal

How to use a quadrat

throw the quadrat at random (usually over the shoulder); record the names of the types of plants present in the quadrat. The actual numbers of plants does not matter; throw the quadrat again at random and record the plant types; the quadrat fram should be thrown about 20 times in all and the plants recorded each time; add up the number of times each plant has occurred and multiply the total by 5. This gives the percentage frequency (20 x 5 = 100) for the plant in the habitat. A bar chart of the frequency of plants can then be drawn. This makes your figures easier to understand. It also makes it simpler to compare with the vegetation from other habitats.

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Junior Cert Science - Biology - Habitat Study

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