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The Shore Thing Project
www.marlin.ac.uk/shore_thing
THE
PROJECT
Why take part in the Shore Thing?
Scientists need information
now on the distribution of
certain marine species,
from as many locations as
possible in order to track
patterns and changes
related to climate change.
Participation
• National project
• Began in April 2006
• Over 120 surveys
completed at 71 sites
around the UK
• 30 schools
• Over 2,000 participants
Survey Protocol
• Designed using standard field
techniques and MarClim
methodology
• Has to be followed so data
can be compared
• Surveys take place twice a
year, summer and autumn
• In two parts:
• Transect survey
• 20 minute timed species search
Arrival at the shore
• Check tide tables – time of low
water
• Health & Safety – risks on the
shore
• Seashore Code
• Find suitable site for survey or
locate start point of previous
survey from compass
bearings/GPS
reading/photographs
Finding the middle station
• From local tide tables determine the height of the middle
shore.
• Take largest tide of the year and divide the height of high
water by two.
• One person stands at upper station with ranging pole
• Second person walks down the shore with the other pole
• Upper shore person looks along their pole at a certain height
to a height on the second pole and then out to the horizon
• When all our level that is the middle station.
Levelling
Transect Survey
• Shore sampled at 3 stations;
upper, middle and lower.
• Four quadrats should be placed
randomly at each station.
• Do not sample rockpools as they
are a different habitat.
• Algae and animals such as
barnacles should be recorded as
percentage cover.
Canopy
• At the middle and lower stations you will need to record %
cover of the large seaweeds.
Undercover
• Gently move the canopy to
one side to reveal the
seaweed and animals below.
• Be careful to check for any
animals within the weed.
They need to be included in
the quadrat record.
Climate change and non-native species
Timed Species Search
• Search for 20 minutes in one of
three habitats: rockpools,
boulders/crevices/overhangs or
open rock
• Each student searches for one or
two species
• Use ‘Flash’ cards to help with ID
• Record abundance as:
Abundance Scale
• Abundant (A): Definitely found at certain
level on the shore.
• Frequent (F): Definitely found after a little
searching.
• Rare (R):
Intensive search for 1 or 2
individuals
• Not found (N): Not found after searching.
•
Based on SACFORN
Photographs
• Important to relocate survey site
• Permanent record of species within quadrat
• Can verify species ID
Data handling
www.marlin.ac.uk/shore_thing
MySQL Database
Retrieving Data
Google Maps
National Biodiversity Network