Echinoderm Conservation Analysis Plan

Watcharit Polsen (Wade) #5961154

Phatsakorn Rodphol (Field) #5961175

Witchayut Ngarmpornchai (Beam) #5961183

This study plan was a part of Advance Biology-B subject

supervised by Mr. Andrew Flipzack James

Table 1: Edible Sea urchins population in European countries
Table 2: The average of Edible Sea Urchins population in Europe

Table 3: Scandinavian Peninsula regional trend of Sea Urchin population

Table 4: Western Europe regional trend of Sea Urchin population

Figure 1: European population since 1985 to 2018

Part 2: The European Edible Sea Urchin

The European Edible Sea Urchin, Echinus esculentus, is a member of Phylum

Echinodermata, Class Echinoidea. It is found along the European coastline up to depths of

1,200meters. At present, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has
listed this organism on its Red List of Threatened Species.

Below are hypothetical data gathered on the population size of the European Edible Sea Urchin
at multiple locations over time. Using your skills, analyze the data and determine any trends.

1. Analyze the data over time. Be sure to change the level of data aggregation. For example,
look for trends at the country and continental level.

● Is there an overall continental trend over time?

Despite the increasing number of sea urchin population in Norway and Sweden according
to Table 1, Regions like France, Portugal, Denmark, and Spain are regions suffered a massive
decrease in numbers of population. In Table 2, the continental trend of the country is decreasing
from 35 to 17 in a range of 30 years since 1985 and appears to keep decreasing over time in the
future as well due to the fact of numerous countries have a downward trend of Sea Urchin
population which affected the continental trend to push downward over the course of 30 years
since 1985.

● Are there any national trends over time?

From Table 1, the national trend in many countries is dropping over the course of 30
years since 1985. Countries with a huge decrease in sea urchins population are France, Portugal
and Spain with a population size reach to one individual per hectare as accorded in Table 4.
However, in Table 3, countries in Scandinavian Peninsula like Norway and Sweden, excluding
Denmark, have a gradually increasing trend of Sea Urchin population unlike other countries in
Europe from around 20 to 40 individuals per hectare which is around 100% increase over 30
years from 1985.

2. Add a spatial component to the data.

● Are there any regional trends?

Based from Table 3 and 4, the trend can be separated into two main regional trends. The
downhill regional trend are countries in the boundary of Western Europe (Table 3) which
includes Spain, Portugal, France, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. Another regional trend that
is, however, moving upward over-time is at the Scandinavian Peninsula (Table 4) with Sweden
and Norway as an example countries with a progressing increase in Sea Urchin population
(excluding Denmark whose trend is dropping).

Part 3: Summary
Create a separate document and provide your name, date, class, and period. Create a title for your
work. In this document, provide a summary of your analysis and make reference to your data
when appropriate. Describe the trends that you observe and include all figures and data tables
you created that support those observations. For example: “Overall, there has been negative trend
in the number of fires occurring across the country. As shown in Figure 1, the average number of
fires per year has decreased from 1 million to 500,000. However, the intensity of fire has grown
leading to structural collapse faster as shown in figure 2 and table 1”.

Based from the information we gathered, we had concluded our observation that there has
been a downfall trend in the continental trend of European Sea Urchin population over the course
of 30 years since 1985. Countries close to the Northern Atlantic Ocean are industrialized
countries with overpopulated population of over 50 million people (exclude Portugal with 10
million people). These countries are contributed in the downfall of continental trend from 35% to
17% as illustrated in Table 2 with Spain contributes highest percentage of decrease in Sea Urchin
of all the countries recorded. The only two countries in our record with a upward trend of their
national Sea Urchin population are Norway and Sweden. Despite their increase in population
over 30 years, their population had yet to be over 10 million people and the sea urchin population
is increasing by a 100% since 1985 as illustrated in Table 3. However, overall Sea Urchin trend
in Europe is still down and allow the total population of the continent to increase since 1985 as
shown in Figure 1.

Part 4: Manipulation
“Figures don’t lie but liars can figure”. The researcher, analyst, presenter, etc. has
discretion in how they choose to present their data and results. This is a vital aspect of scientific
research since data do not always fit easily into a particular category or method of analysis. This
person must carefully choose how to convey their findings so that the audience can understand
what they have discovered. Unfortunately, there are those who will take advantage of data
manipulation in order to espouse a personal belief or bias. They will make the data support their
predetermined bias. This is one of the many reasons why it is critical to evaluate sources of
information and to determine their credibility.

In the previous sections, you entered data and conducted a basic analysis. You created tables,
figures, and maps to show relationships and trends in your data. For this part, you will now use
that data to argue a subjective bias. Each student/group will be assigned a particular position and
you will create any representation you deem appropriate to advance your belief. Feel free to use
any of the figures, tables, etc. that you made previously. The possible biases are:

1. The loss of the European Edible Sea Urchin is not an urgent problem at present.

2. The loss of the European Edible Sea Urchin is an urgent problem that requires immediate
attention.

Consider doing the following to help your case:

1. Analyze percent changes over time.

2. Compare select regions or countries to each other.

3. Aggregate data into a single statistic.

4. Disaggregate the data into as small units as possible.

 5. Change the scale of the figures and graphs.

We would like to say that from the current situation, the losses of European Edible Sea
Urchin is an urgent problem that requires immediate attention. Considering about Figure 1, as the
population rises every year, resources for the newborns to live is vital not only for Europe but for
the every countries in this world too. And by investing in collecting these sea urchins without
concern about its reproduction and life cycle can be an issue on term of lack in seafood supply. If
without any attention to this event, the trend of Edible Sea Urchins in Europe will continue to
dropped and will go down even further as shown in Table 2. This attention, however, is not
necessarily means to remove lives in Europe to preserve numbers of Sea Urchin for as food
supply, but to encourage people in Europe to concern about fishing Sea Urchins. If look back to
Table 3, Norway and Sweden have lower population than countries in Western Europe, yet they
have a rising trend in Sea Urchin population over 30 years since 1985. It is a correct statement
that these countries have a better environment in their sea than Western Europe for they are less
populated and not as industrialized which can be a reason for an increased in national Sea Urchin
population in both of these countries. And from this point, we suggests countries with large
population like UK, Spain, and France to consider about lower the massive Sea Urchin fishing
activity in Atlantic Ocean to prevent a disappearance of European edible sea urchins and, in the
future, lack of food supply. The disappearance of Sea urchin can also affect the marine
ecosystem surrounding European coast greatly too. We have yet to include other incidents like
oil spill in the sea and littering in the ocean which affect marine ecosystem as well. To conclude,
we would like to ask the European nations to concern about their Sea Urchin fishing in the
Northern Atlantic and nearby sea to prevent shorten food supply, preserve European Sea Urchin
population, and preserve marine ecosystem for our better future.