map

Profile

gradient
• Study distribution of organisms
influenced by factors related
to height
• E.g. light intensity, wind exposure,
wave action
• Measured by 2 ranging poles, nylon
thread and a spirit level
• The poles held upright at Y’ and Y”
on a slope
• The thread attached at X’ and X”
• Use the spirit level to find whether
the stick is horizontal
• Gradient= vertical distance/
horizontal distance

gradient
between Y’ and Y”
= X”Y” - X’Y’
X’X”
Mangrove Plants
Aegiceras corniculatum
桐花樹
1.Short evergreen tree with
flowers
2.Widely distributed at the outer
fringe of mangroves
3.Veins of leaves are cleared than
Kandelia candel
4.The branches are little bit red
5.Leaves have salt glands so salt
secreted are often seen on the
surface of leaves
6.Cable roots spread horizontally
and laterally just below the soil
surface to anchor the plant firmly
7.Have knee joint and prop root
8.Flowers open like a umbrella
9.Have droppers to produce seeds
that germinate inside
Avicennia marina
白骨壤
1.Pioneers species of tree
2. In front of taller mangrove
plants in sub-littoral zone
3. Have aerial roots which can
grow even higher than the crown
so that thy can still breathe at
high tides
4. Cable root spread horizontally
and laterally just below the soil
surface to anchor the plant firmly
5. Leaves have salt glands so salt
secreted are often seen on the
surface of leaves
6. Back of the leaves can reflect
sunlight
7. Leaves are thick and waxy
8. Tree bark is pale grey in colour
Kandelia candel
秋茄 ( 水筆仔 )
1. at the inner fringe of
mangroves

2.prop roots → supply air to the

underlying roots→ provide
stability for the plant by
broadening the base

3. knee joints →grow above

the soil surface →gas
exchange

4. large lenticles →↑efficiency

of gas exchange
5.prevent salt from entering root
xylem by active pump mechanism

6.thick cuticle,epidermal hairs and

sunken stomata →reduce
transpiration

7. Have droppers to produce seeds

that germinate inside
Lumnitzera racemosa

欖李
1.locate near the coastal area
2.leaf facing upward
3. cleavage found in tip of the leaf

2.prevent salt from entering root

xylem by active pump mechanism

3.store large amount of salts the

leaves are shed when they are old ,
reducing the salt inside plants

4.prevent salt from entering root

xylem by active pump mechanism
Bruguiera gymnorrhiza
木欖
Large leaves
red stipe trunk branches flowers

1.develop branhed, looping

aerialroots arising from the trunk and
lower branches →trap mud during
tidal movement →help to increase
amount of soil

5.store large amount of salts the

leaves are shed when they are old ,
reducing the salt inside plants
2. Have droppers to produce

seeds that germinate inside

3.knee joints →grow above the

soil surface →gas exchange

4. large lenticles →↑efficiency of

gas exchange
Mangrove
Field Study
Quadrat
• - a regular shape,
usually a square
(1M x 1M)
• or rectangular, of
known size,
• inside where the no.
of animals and
plants are counted
and identified.
Physical factors (at the 5 quadrats)
• a. Use the thermometer to record the
temperature in the air and under the
canopy of plants.

• b. Record the relative humidity by the Dry

and wet bulb psychrometer.

• c. Record the speed of wind by holding the

hand-held wind meter against the wind.
Note also the direction of the wind with the
help of a compass.

• d. Record the light intensity by means of an

environmental comparator with light
probe.

• e. Record the soil pH by using the pH

paper.
 Method:
Animal
Sampling
1) Line Transect:

Place 5 quadrats along

the transect line at
regular intervals
Method: Animal Sampling
2) Search for animals on each plant
within the quadrat
- Identify, count, and note the location
of the animals on each plant
3) Record these in data sheet
4) Search for animals on surface of mud
and under stones
- Capture all the animals within the
quadrat and place them on a plastic
tray
- Identify the animals, count the number
per species
Method: Animal Sampling
5)Dig up the top 5 cm (hard soil)
or 10cm (soft soil) of mud
within quadrat by spade( 鏟子 )
6) Place portions of mud in a
plastic sieve. Put the sieve into
a plastic bucket ( full of water)
7) Stir mud in the sieve by using
trowel( 小鏟子 )
8)Transfer the animals into the
plastic tray. Identify, court and
record them.
9) Release the animals
10)Repeat steps 1-9 at each
quadrat
 Data
Treatment:

Kite Diagram
On the space below the
profile, draw a kite
diagram to show the
distribution and
abundance of animals.
-a line along which organism are counted and measured

-clearly visualize the changes taking place along the line

-to determine the distribution of organisms along a selected area

-across area with transition in population and abiotic gradients

-Line transect: selection of a straight line along the ground in the area of study

-Belt transect: selection of a strip of terrain with a fixed width along the habitat
- selection of a straight line along the ground in the
area of study to study the species touching the
line

Method to set up:

1. Use a nylon rope marked and numbered at 0.5m, or 1m
intervals, all the way along its length, lay across the area
you wish to study.

2. Unroll the transect line along the gradient identified.

3. The species touching the line may be recorded along the
whole length of the line.
The presence, or absence of species at each marked point is
recorded.

4. When the slope along the transect line is measured as well,

the results can then be inserted onto this profile.
-selection of a strip of terrain with a fixed width along the habitat

Method to set up:

-Set up 2 straight lines parallel to each other
(e.g. 0.5m/ 1m apart)
OR
-place quadrants continuously / in regular intervals along a transect line
result represents by kite diagram/ histogram

A Kite Diagram A Histogram

Mangrove
The End