Transcript Presenting Scientific Work

Getting the Word OutPresenting Scientific Work
Presenting Scientific Work
- Written-
THE PUBLICATION PROCESS
Write paper (more on this in a minute)
Make sure format of the paper agrees with journal style
Submit paper (usually
electronically)
PUBLISHED!!
Editor gives final
acceptance
Editor acknowledges
receipt
Paper is sent to 2
or 3 reviewers
About a year
Paper is reviewed
again
Re-submit paper
with changes
Reviews are mixed
Reviewers recommend
acceptance or rejection
Sent to a 3rd or 4th
reviewer
Revised for
comments you think
are reasonable: rebut
those you think are
unreasonable
Accept as is
Accept with revisions
Rewrite and submit
elsewhere
Reject
Editor decides to accept or
reject
Generally- two types of work
Essay
-less structured
Scientific Paper
Title
Abstract
Keywords
Introduction
Materials and Methods
Results
Discussion
Conclusions
Literature Cited
Types of Writing
Scientific writing is more structured and economical than non-scientific (e.g.
writing for Arts/Humanities courses)
e.g. this is from an essay in a Biology course at Mt. A.
When most people think of algae, they either think of the “slimy” green stuff in a
lake, or the masses of seaweed that float aimlessly in the sea. Chlorine companies
make millions a year producing products that would prevent the build up of algae
in a swimming pool. However algae, although it might seem as a nuisance to some,
undoubtedly is very important to the ecosystem. It is also of substantial economic
use to human society. We have learned to exploit algae’s natural properties and
use it for our own beneficial needs., Throughout this paper, several areas of algae
will be covered, which will include: physical characteristics, reproduction, types of
algae, and their economics uses in society.
Types of Writing
Scientific writing is more structured and economical than non-scientific (e.g.
writing for Arts/Humanities courses)
e.g. this is from an essay in a Biology course at Mt. A.
A gentle critique
When most people think of algae, they either think of the “slimy” green stuff in a
lake, or the masses of seaweed that float aimlessly in the sea. Chlorine companies
make millions a year producing products that would prevent the build up of algae
in a swimming pool. However algae, although it might seem as a nuisance to some,
undoubtedly is very important to the ecosystem. It is also of substantial economic
use to human society. We have learned to exploit algae’s natural properties and
use it for our own beneficial needs., Throughout this paper, several areas of algae
will be covered, which will include: physical characteristics, reproduction, types of
algae, and their economics uses in society.
Too diverse for one essay
Scientific Paper
Title: Titles should be informative but
not overly long OR overly cute.
Good title:
The effects of three levels of cadmium on the production of thyroid stimulating
hormone in Richardson’s ground squirrel, Spermophilus richardsoni,
Too long a title:
The effects of levels 13, 27 and 40 nmol of cadmium on the pre- and post-lactation
production of thyroid stimulating hormone in small fuzzy mammals as exemplified
by studies on captive populations of Richardson’s ground squirrel, Spermophilus
richardsoni.
Too cute a title:
Mate choice in hermaphrodites: you won’t score with a spermatophore
Scientific Paper
Abstract:
An abstract is a précis of the entire paper and should be about 5% of its
length.
This means that for a 3000 word paper the abstract is about 150 words (or 1015 typed lines)
Every section of the paper (Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results,
Discussion, Conclusions) should be represented by at least one sentence in the
Abstract.
Scientific Paper
Keywords:
Keywords are words that describe a paper. They serve as locators for topics
when researchers are searching for papers in a particular area.
For example, a recent paper with the title:
Mechanisms of reproductive isolation among sympatric broadcast spawning
corals of the Monastrea annularis species complex
Has the keywords:
Coral reef, fertilization, hybridization, mass-spawning, speciation
Scientific Paper
Introduction:
-one of the most difficult sections to write
Literature
review
-should present historical and/or theoretical precedents to the problem or subject
-should outline the main areas of the argument in the field
-should end with a statement of the objectives or hypothesis of the work to follow
Original thesis introduction
INTRODUCTION
The Earth is divided into two different planes. Longitude refers to the globe
on an ëeast to westí axis, whereas latitude refers to the Earthís division in a north to south
orientation. The effects of different latitude have long been of interest to biologists, as different
geographic position along a north to south axis is hypothesized to change abiotic factors, such as
food availability (Linse et.al., 2006), temperature and salinity (Bertness and Ewanchuk, 2002).
These abiotic factors, in turn, play a large role in determining specific biological interations, as well
as species responses to changing environmental conditions.
It is widely recognized in the biological sciences that differences in latitude
result in changes in environmental condition. Several studies regarding the influence of latitudinal
differences on biological systems have been completed. Bergmanís and Allenís rules, which states
that animals living closer to the North Pole have shorter appendages and larger body sizes than their
conspecifics at lower latitudes is an example of one of the many effects different latitudes may have
on development (Darlington, 1966). Bertness and Ewanchuck (2002) investigated the role that
latitudinal variation plays in the biological interactions of New England salt marshes. They found
that at higher latitudes, competition between neighbouring plants increased, and at lower latitudes
the relationship between neighbouring marsh plants became more facilitative (Bertness and
Ewanchuck, 2002). Leonard (2000) concluded that interactions between the common intertidal
algae, Ascophylum nodosum, and the Northern rock barnacle (Semibalanus balanoides) vary
according to geographic location. He reported that the reproductive fitness potential of barnacles at
southern sites was facilitated by the algal canopy, whereas at northern sites the reproductive fitness
potential of individuals was reduced by the algal canopy (Leonard, 2000).
Molecular analysis has also revealed that genetic differences in the Northern rock barnacle
(Semibalanus balanoides) exist between different sites along the Maine Coast (Rand et.al., 2002).
Differences in allozyme genotypes between barnacles sampled at sites along the Maine Coast have
been attributed to differences in microhabitat between the different sampling sites (Rand et.al.,
2002). Caldwell (2004), found that S. balanoides found at different regions within the rocky
intertidal are subject to differing abiotic environments. Due to the high energetic costs required to
survive high on the intertidal, such as dessication, low nutrient availability and oxygen stress,
barnacles found in this area show a slower rate of development (Caldwell, 2004). Barnacles were
sampled from low, middle and high tide levels at Cape Enrage, New Brunswick. Differences in
rates of development were found in individuals sampled from the high intertidal area, with these
individuals showing almost a monthís developmental delay when compared to their conspecifics
found within the mid to low intertidal areas (Caldwell, 2004). In addition to this delay in
development, almost half of the barnacles sampled at high tide were found to be lacking any
development ovary and oocyte development (Caldwell, 2004).
The northern rock barnacle (Semibalanus balanoides) is a common inhabitant of the north
Atlantic rocky intertidal (Bertness, 1999). As a dominant organism within the intertidal
area, it presents an ideal organism for the study of the effects of latitudinal variation within
the Bay of Fundy. S. balanoides are sessile, filter feeding invertebrates, and are commonly
found along the mid to high intertidal region of the rocky intertidal (Bertness, 1999).
Described as shrimp-like organisms encased in calcium carbonate shell (Bertness, 1999),
they feed by extending appendage-like cirri through an open operculum, and ìbeatingî their
cirri in order to allow for water current formation and nutrient uptake (Anderson, 1994).
S. balanoides are simultaneous hermaphrodites, meaning that they
are capable of acting as male and female at the same time (Charnov, 1982). As such, the
northern rock barnacle has both functional male and female gonads encased within its
body cavity. This makes S. balanoides an interesting organism for the study of the effects
of geographic variation on the rate of gonad development. In S. balanoides, the ovaries lie
in basal mantle tissue, near the attachment point of the barnacle to the substrate (Anderson,
1994) (Figure 1). The testes are subdivided into several follicles, located within the body
cavity in the prosoma, thorax and limb bases (Anderson, 1994)
(Figure 1).
S. balanoides exhibit internal fertilization (Bertness, 1999). Upon fertilization of the eggs,
brooding embryos are incubated within the mantle cavity, after which they are released as
naupliar larvae (Bertness, 1999). At this stage, the larvae act as passive particles in the
water column, and pass through four naupliar larvae stages (Bertness, 1999). After the
fourth naupliar larvae stage, the larvae metamorphoses to a cyprid larvae (Bertness, 1999).
It is at this stage that the developing barnacle will attach to the substrate via the use of
adhesive antennal glands, and will begin to secrete its calcerous external plates, leading to
its adult form (Bertness, 1999) (Figure 2).
Figure 1: Lateral section through body cavity of Semibalanus balanoides, showing the
location of the ovaries and testes.
Figure 2: Diagram of life cycle of Semibalanus balanoides.
Living organisms have a given amount of energy available for the purposes of growth,
maintenance and reproduction (Heath, 1977). Simultaneous hermaphrodites face the
added cost of having to invest in the production and maintenance of both male and female
reproductive structures (Heath, 1977). Thus, when compared to a similar gonochoristic
species, the simultaneous hermaphrodite is at an energetic disadvantage due its higher
investment in reproductive structures (Heath, 1977). Charnov (1982), notes that the
production of male and female gametes is directly proportional to the barnacleís access to
resources. Thus, if resources are low, this condition is expected to be identifiable by the
amount of energy allocated to reproduction.
The purpose of this study is to determine how changing latitude affects the timing of the
development of sperm, eggs and embryos. Furthermore, I will determine whether or not
the size of S. balanoides varies significantly with latitude.
I hypothesize that as latitude increases, a delay in development of Semibalanus balanoides
will be detected. I further hypothesize that the size of sampled barnacles will decrease as
latitude increases
Bouchard, 2007
INTRODUCTION
Studies on the correlation of latitudinal gradients with various aspects of any species ecology are well
known. Early studies resulted in the generation of several ecophysiological rules (e.g. Allen’s,
Bergmann’s, Gloger’s and Rapoport’s) (Hall and Hallgrimson, 2008). These very general rules hide
the fact that the response of several species to ecological and climatic changes associated with different
latitudes are not always consistent. Some studies show predictable changes with latitude (e.g. Barnes
and Barnes 1965, Crisp 1959, Hummel et al 1985, Jonsson and L’Abbé- Lund 1993, Nebel 2005).
Others show discontinuous latitudinal clines that can be ascribed to variation in local conditions such as
temperature (Barnes 1958, Rand et al 2002, Schmidt and Rand, 1999), primary productivity (Bertness et
al, 1991), restriction of gene flow (Brown et al, 2001, Dufresne et al, 2002, Holm and Bourget, 1994),
hydrodynamic conditions (Connoly et al 2001, Haase 2003, Hayden and Dolan 1976) shoreline exposure
(Kirby et al 1997) and behaviour (McClain 1985, Nebel 2005). Still other studies point to the
interactions between biotic and abiotic factors on a species (Leonard, 2000).
The acorn (or northern rock) barnacle (Semibalanus balanoides L.) is a common inhabitant of rocky
intertidal shorelines of the western Atlantic. Its distribution on the shore is confined to the ‘barnacle
band’ (Stephenson and Stephenson, 1972) whose lower limit within the tide range is thought to be
determined by biological interactions and the upper limit by abiotic factors (Bertness, 1999).
Studies on clinal variation in S. balanoides have pointed to temperature as a controlling factor. While
temperature may be involved, its influence is not simple. Barnes (1958) and Crisp (1959) showed that
temperature was a factor in egg development only above an 8 or 9C winter isotherm and the effects of
temperature lessened as development proceeded. Davenport et al (2005) concluded that temperature had
no effect on breeding phenology in S. balanoides . Responses to temperature and thermal stress can
depend on the genetic composition of local populations (Rand et al 2001, Schmidt and Rand 1999) and
restriction of gene flow (Brown et al, 2001). Finally, some authors (Barnes and Barnes 1958, Bertness et
al 1991) have shown that primary production and food availability is a more important factor than
temperature in growth and reproduction.
We examined changes in the reproductive phenology and size of S. balanoides across a latitudinal
gradient in the Bay of Fundy. At one location we have studied (Cape Enrage, N.B), S. balanoides
typically mates in October and November, broods embryos in January and February and releases nauplii
in February and March (Aiken, unpublished). In this study, we hypothesize that this cycle would start
earlier in the lower (southern) Bay of Fundy and become progressively later at higher latitudes.
Scientific Paper
Materials and Methods:
-should allow exact duplication of the experiment or field study
-can be tricky to decide this - how much detail is too much??
Scientific Paper
Results:
-Should be very well organized
-Should present data so that the relevance of the results to the
hypothesis is clear
-Present data once - either in a table or in some figure but NOT both
-Use the text to highlight important trends or results but not as a
written restatement of the results
Scientific Paper
Results: Some presentation hints
1. Use an appropriate graph
For continuous data
For discrete data
And generally - use a graph instead of a table
(more important in a talk)
??
Proportion of
infected birds
•
Vancouver
•
Toronto
•
Halifax
•
•
New York
Locality
Implication is that there is a point on the Xaxis for each one on the Y
Dallas
??
Proportion of
infected birds
•
•
Vancouver
Toronto
•
Halifax
•
New York
•
Dallas
Locality
For a publication – don’t use colour
This is a ‘bar graph’
2003
2005
2007
Proportion of
infected birds
Vancouver
Toronto
Halifax
New York
Locality
This is a ‘grouped bar graph’
Dallas
Histograms
-x-axis is continuous
Line graphs
•
•
Heart
rate
•
•
•
Exercise time
Interpolated (“join-the dots”)
•
•
Heart
rate
•
•
•
Exercise time
Fitted (regression)
Avoid too much information
Avoid too much information
Scientific Paper
Results: Some presentation hints
2. Write the results from a biological point of view not a statistical one
Bad:
An unpaired t-test with a t value of 4.56, 23 degrees of freedom and a p
of .001 of the number of days that nestlings spent in the nest showed that
offspring of older birds left their nest later than offspring of younger
birds
Better:
The number of days that nestling spent in the nest was significantly
lower for young parents (unpaired t-test, t = .456, df =24, p=.001)
Scientific Paper
Discussion:
-should analyse in words what you think your data mean
-should show the relevance of your findings to other literature in the field
-should show how your findings contribute to any controversies or ambiguities in
the field
-should BRIEFLY suggest avenues for further research
Scientific Paper
Literature cited:
Few people appreciate that there is a difference between a “Bibliography”
and “Literature (or References) Cited”
Bibliography is all the reference material you looked up on a subject
whether you cited it in the text of your paper or not
Literature (or References) Cited are ONLY those references that appear in
the text of your paper
Scientific Paper
Literature cited:
There are a great number of stylistic differences in how references are cited but
there are a few general rules that apply to most papers:
1.
All cited literature goes in alphabetical order of first author at the end of
the paper.
2.
All references used in the paper must be cited at the end.
3.
References from the non-professional literature (e.g. National
Geographic, newspapers, popular magazines) are generally frowned upon
4.
Websites are terrible reference material. Never use them!
5.
The only exception to (4) is electronic peer-reviewed journals
For a summary of ways to cite various kinds of articles:
http://www.mta.ca/~raiken/Courses/4401/citation.html
A final sneaky little trick:
My own preference when writing a scientific paper is to write the
sections in the following order:
Working title
Materials and Methods
Results
Discussion
Conclusions
Introduction
Literature Cited
Title
Abstract
Keywords
Essays
Essays are more difficult to assign rules (beyond style and grammar) but a few things
to keep in mind
1.
An essay should have a well-defined theme to it. Its not just an
arbitrary collection of facts on a topic.
2.
An essay should have a fairly narrow theme to it. If you wanted to do an
essay on “The behaviour of beavers”, you’re already in trouble. An
essay on “Maternal behaviour in beavers and its consequences for
offspring survival” would be much better because you have already
focussed the topic.
3.
Avoid extraneous, “off-the-topic” material. You would not put
information on how beavers build dams or the effect of beaver dams on
farmland in the essay above.
4.
Generally, follow the rules for writing introductions and discussions of
scientific papers. The only thing to keep in mind is that the “data” you
use in support of whatever arguments you are making comes from the
literature and not from your own experiments
Essays
Essays are more difficult to assign rules (beyond style and grammar) but a few things
to keep in mind
5.
Avoid dramatic, cute or flowery writing
e.g. In our maternal behaviour in beavers example:
A really bad introduction is:
Beaver mothers, like all other mothers in the animal kingdom, give
their babies a great deal of care and affection
A really bad conclusion is:
So we have seen how beaver mothers work hard to make sure their
babies will have a successful life. Perhaps we, as humans, can
learn from their example and build a better societies for all of
us to live in.
Aiken’s
Use-These-Words-Incorrectly-And-You’ll-Die
List
Effect and affect
- effect is a noun, affect is a verb
Impact
- it’s a noun - don’t use it as a verb (better still, don’t use it at all)
Amount and number
- amount refers to continuous quantities, number refers to discrete
quantities (i.e. “number of people” not an “amount of people”)
Varying
- it means changing or fluctuating - it does not mean “different”
Basically
- overused and drifting to being meaningless
Data
- it’s plural - “data are” not “data is”
Compare to
- the proper expression is “Compare between”
Between/among
- between refers to two objects, among to more than two
Which/that
- this is tricky but “that” is restrictive, which means it tells you a necessary piece
of information about its antecedent. “Which” is non-restrictive: it does not limit
the word to which it refers.
http://andromeda.rutgers.edu/~jlynch/Writing/index.html
Aiken’s
Use-These-Words-Incorrectly-And-You’ll-Die
List
AND JUST FOR BIOLOGY
Genus
- the plural is genera not genuses
Species
-singular and plural are the same word
Italics
- either underline or put in italics the genus and species name (= the
binomial) for any organism - e.g. Homo sapiens or H. sapiens
Methodology
Morphology
Etc.
-”-ology” on the end of a word means “study of”. For example, Biology is the
study of life. Methodology is the study of methods and morphology is the study of
structure. Use “methods” and “structure”.
Aiken’s
Use-These-Words-At-All-And-You’ll-Die
List
quite,
very,
extremely,
as it were,
moreover,
it can be seen that,
it has been indicated that,
basically,
essentially,
totally,
completely,
therefore,
it should be remembered that,
it should be noted that,
thus,
it is imperative that,
at the present moment in time.
Presenting Scientific Work
- Oral -
At some point in your career
you will have to present scientific information
before a crowd that can be large or small
A Seminar
How to put one together
Some general considerations
1.
You have a restricted amount of time
2.
No one is especially interested in what you are saying
You have to interest them!
3.
You have to get across
a. why you’re doing what you’re doing
b. what you got
c. what you think it means
4.
Tell a story.
Presentation Mistakes!!!
1. Overdoing the features of Powerpoint
Presentation Mistakes!!!
1. Overdoing the features of Powerpoint
Colour
Presentation Mistakes!!!
1. Overdoing the features of Powerpoint
Background Colour
Presentation Mistakes!!!
1. Overdoing the features of Powerpoint
Background Effects
Presentation Mistakes!!!
1. Overdoing the features of Powerpoint
Special Effects
Presentation Mistakes!!!
1. Overdoing the features of Powerpoint
Cute graphics
Number
of
calls/min
Frog density
Proportion of
infected birds
Vancouver
Toronto
Halifax
New York
Dallas
Locality
For a publication – don’t use colour
This is a ‘bar graph’
2003
2005
2007
Proportion of
infected birds
Vancouver
Toronto
Halifax
New York
Locality
This is a ‘grouped bar graph’
Dallas
Avoid too much information
Presentation Mistakes!!!
2. Too Much Information
Avoid tables that are more than about 3 x 3
Presentation Mistakes!!!
2. Too Much Information
Overly complex figures
!
Presentation Mistakes!!!
2. Too Much Information
Overly complex figures
Presentation Mistakes!!!
3. Slides as notes
Presentation Mistakes!!!
4. And specific to Mt. A. Biology Honours Presentations
Literature Cited
Aerts, L.A.M. 1994. Seasonal distribution of nudibranchs in the southern Delta area, S.W. Netherlands. Journal of Molluscan Studies 60: 129-139.
Baur, B. 1992. Random mating by size in the simultaneously hermaphroditic land snail Arianta arbustorum: experiments and an explanation. Animal Behaviour 43: 511 - 518
Bleakney, J.S. 1996. Sea slugs of Atlantic Canada and the Gulf of Maine. Nimbus Publishing/Nova Scotia Museum. Halifax. viii + 216 pp.
Braams, W.G. and H.F.M. Geelen. 1953. The preference of some nudibranchs for certain coelenterates. Archives Néerlandaises de Zoologie 10: 242-264.
Clark, K.B. 1975. Nudibranch life cycles in the northwest Atlantic and their relationship to the ecology of fouling communities. Helgoländer Wissenschaftliche Meeresuntersuchungen 27: 28-69.
Franz, D.R. 1970. Zoogeography of northwest Atlantic opisthobranch molluscs. Marine Biology 7: 171-180
Garlo, E. V. 1977. Opisthobranchs found off Little Egg Inlet, New Jersey, with notes on three species new to the state. The Nautilus 91:23-28.
Gionet, L., & R. B. Aiken. 1992. Freeze tolerance in the intertidal nudibranch, Dendronotus frondosus (Opisthobranchia: Dendronotidae). Journal of Molluscan Studies 58:341-343.
Logan, A., A.A. Mackay, and J.P.A. Noble. 1983. Sublittoral hard substrates. Pp 119-139 in M.L.H. Thomas (ed.), Marine and coastal systems of the Quoddy region, New Brunswick. Canadian
Special Publication of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 64: Ottawa x +306 pp
Loveland, R.E., G. Hendler and G. Newkirk. 1969. New records of nudibranchs from New Jersey. The Veliger 11: 418 - 420
MacFarland, F.M. 1966. Studies of opisthobranchiate mollusks of the Pacific coast of North America. Memoirs of the California Academy of Sciences 6: 1-544.
McDonald, G. R. and J. W. Nybakken. 1979. Additional notes on the food of some California nudibranchs with a summary of known food habits of California species. The Veliger 21:110-118.
Meyer, K.B. 1974. Distribution and zoogeography of fourteen species of nudibranchs of northern New England and Nova Scotia. The Veliger 14: 137 - 152
Miller, M.C. 1960. Distribution and food of the nudibranchiate Mollusca of the south of the Isle of Man. Journal of Animal Ecology 30: 95 -116.
Miller, M.C. 1962. Annual cycles of some Manx nudibranchs, with a discussion of the problem of migration. Journal of Animal Ecology 31: 545-569.
Nybakken, J. 1974. A phenology of the smaller dendronotacean, arminacean and aeolidacean nudibranchs at Asilomar State Beach over a twenty-seven month period. The Veliger 16: 370-373.
Robilliard, G.H. 1970. The systematics and some aspects of the ecology of the genus Dendronotus (Gastropoda: Nudibranchia). The Veliger 12: 433 - 479.
Sisson, C.G. 2002. Dichotomous life history patterns for the nudibranch Dendronotus frondosus (Ascanius 1774) in the Gulf of Maine. The Veliger (in press).
Swennen, C. 1961. Data on the distribution, reproduction and ecology of the nudibranchiate molluscs occurring in the Netherlands. Netherlands Journal of Sea Research 1/2: 191-240.
Thomas, M.L.H., D. C. Arnold and A.R.A. Taylor. 1983. Rocky intertidal communities. Pp 35 -73 in M.L.H. Thomas (ed.), Marine and coastal systems of the Quoddy region, New Brunswick.
Canadian Special Publication of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 64: Ottawa x +306 pp.
Thompson, T.E. 1964. Grazing and the life cycles of British nudibranchs. Symposia of the British Ecological Society 4: 275-297.
Presentation Mistakes!!!
2. Annoying Mannerisms
• Um’s or other fillers
• Pacing (some is OK)
• Trailing voice - sounds like you’re very unsure
• Uplifted voice - sounds like you’re always asking a
question
• Jargon - scientific or bureaucratic
• Jokes - they work so rarely that its not worth it
• Not maintaining eye contact
Presentation Mistakes!!!
2. Annoying Mannerisms
THE WORD ‘LIKE’ IS OFFICIALLY BANNED!!!!
Ending a seminar
End it!!
Thank the audience for their attention
Some slides from last year
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
Findings
Percent of plant coverage
Indian Point
Greens Point
120
100
Percentage of Plant
Cover
100
80
60
40
20
80
60
40
20
0
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
Quadrat Number
7
8
9
10
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Quadrate number
Quadrat
Number
120
Bar Road
100
Percantage of Plant
Cover
Percentage of Plant
Cover
120
80
Group 1
60
Group 2
40
20
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Quadrat Number
8
9
10
8
9
10
Results
100
Mean %Rock Cover
90
80
% sand
70
% barnacle
60
% bedrock
50
% boulder
40
% cobble
30
% pebble
20
10
0
Indian Point
Greens Point 1
Greens Point 2
Barr Road
• Figure 2: Mean Rock Composition and relative cover at all four
sample sites.
Background Information
• Sediment characteristics reflect the salinity, oxygen content,
pore-water content, temperature, food availability,
sedimentation rate, substrate consistency, turbidity, and
predation found in a particular environment
• sediment characteristics define what organisms can survive in the
environment
– Biodiversity: describes the sum total variation of life forms in
a specific environment.
Indian Point
• Transect placement
• Quadrate spacing
• Invertebrate and algal
species collection and
identification
Total Abundance
Littorina spp.
Barnacles
Mytilus edulis Gammarus spp
Limpets
Hydrozoans
At the Lab...
Identified Unknown
Species
S.D.I.= 1-D
Calculated
Simpson’s
Diversity
D= 0-1 (high to low diversity)
n= count of particular species
N= Total count of all species
Purpose and Hypotheses
• To relate wave exposure to diversity
• To measure range and abundance as
related to wave exposure
• Moderate exposure= Most diversity