Students will understand how to:

• Measure a range of abiotic factors (climatic, edaphic and aquatic)
• Identify flora and fauna using dichotomous keys, online databases and apps, and correctly use binomial nomenclature
• Use appropriate quadrat sampling for the estimation of abundance, population density, percentage cover, percentage frequency of non-motile organisms
• Use capture-mark-release-recapture with the Lincoln index to estimate population size of motile organisms
• Use transects to measure changes along an abiotic gradient
• Carry out sampling to collect data for calculating species diversity
• (HL) Carry out sampling to collect data for calculating biotic index

Due to the overlap between this field trip and the Life and living systems excursion for Biology, IB students from both courses could attend on the same day.

Topic 2: Ecology

We’ll explore the dynamics of this complex ecosystem using modern field techniques and equipment to identify marine biota, conduct transect and quadrat surveys, and measure a variety of salient environmental parameters that characterise the ecological niches occupied by populations of organisms.

Topic 3: Biodiversity and conservation

We’ll use primary data to quantify biodiversity and make observations about the resilience of the rock platform ecosystem in the face of human influences.

Topic 4: Water

Plastic pollution is everywhere, and a microplastic survey will help us to pinpoint the sources of some of the most polluting kinds of plastics found in the ocean.

Location

• Long Reef rock platform (Collaroy)
• Bass Point (Shellharbour)

Program outline

• Morning session: Site briefing, background, identify and describe a marine alga
• Midday session: Abiotic testing on rock platform, transect and quadrat surveys
• Afternoon session: Animal catch on rock platform, microplastic survey on beach

The timing and location of activities will vary according to factors such as the school’s schedule, number of classes, and the environmental conditions on the day.

Sample worksheets are available which also contain details of field skills, equipment and secondary data provided by this program. Contact us to request.

This field trip can take place across two days in order to cover each topic in more depth. We would recommend combining Topics 2 & 3 and Topics 4 & 5, but programs from any topic can be tailored to suit your class.

Topic 2: Ecology

We’ll explore the dynamics of this complex ecosystem using modern field techniques and equipment to identify bushland biota, conduct transect and quadrat surveys, and measure a variety of salient environmental parameters that characterise the ecological niches occupied by populations of organisms.

Topic 3: Biodiversity and conservation

We’ll use primary data to quantify biodiversity and make observations about the resilience of the bushland ecosystem in the face of human influences.

Topic 4: Water

In a local creek, students will measure water quality parameters and use a macroinvertebrate survey to estimate the level of water pollution using an index of sensitive and tolerant species.

Topic 5: Land

We’ll study a local soil profile to learn about the conditions of formation of the soil from the local Hawkesbury Sandstone bedrock. Students will measure a variety of soil characteristics and relate these to the growing conditions for local vegetation.

Locations

• Bantry Bay (Frenchs Forest)
• Camp Coutts (Waterfall)

Program outline (single day)

• Morning session: Site briefing, background, soil testing and texture analysis
• Midday session: Abiotic testing in bushland, transect and quadrat surveys
• Afternoon session: Water pollution study

The timing and location of activities will vary according to factors such as the school’s schedule, number of classes, and the environmental conditions on the day.

Sample worksheets are available which also contain details of field skills, equipment and secondary data provided by this program. Contact us to request.

Due to the overlap between this field trip and the Life and living systems excursion for Biology, IB students from both courses could attend on the same day.

Topic 2: Ecology

We’ll explore the dynamics of the mangrove ecosystem using modern field techniques and equipment to identify wetland biota, conduct transect and quadrat surveys, and measure a variety of salient environmental parameters that characterise this ecosystem.

Topic 3: Biodiversity and conservation

We’ll use primary data to quantify biodiversity and make observations about the resilience of the mangrove and/or seagrass ecosystems in the face of human influences.

Topic 4: Water

Plastic pollution is everywhere, and it’s particularly bad in Botany Bay! We’ll conduct a litter-picking exercise and analysis which will help us to pinpoint the sources of some of the most polluting kinds of plastics found in the ocean.

Location

• Botany Bay (Kurnell)

Program outline

• Morning session: Site briefing, background, identify and describe wetland plants
• Midday session: Abiotic testing, transect and quadrat surveys in wetlands
• Afternoon session: Animal catch in seagrass/mangroves, plastic pollution study

The timing and location of activities will vary according to factors such as the school’s schedule, number of classes, and the environmental conditions on the day.

Sample worksheets are available which also contain details of field skills, equipment and secondary data provided by this program. Contact us to request.

Due to the overlap between this field trip and the Rock platform ecosystem excursion for Environmental Systems & Societies, IB students from both courses could attend on the same day.

Unity and Diversity: Diversity of organisms, Classification and cladistics, Evolution and speciation, Conservation of biodiversity

Students will use classification techniques to identify a marine organism by its external characteristics. Viewing fossil evidence, they will observe evolutionary traits of local species, propose selection pressures that may have driven such adaptations, and discuss the importance of biodiversity and its conservation.

Form and function: Adaptation to environment, Ecological niches

Students will measure biotic and abiotic selection pressures occurring in tidal zones in the rock platform ecosystem, and examine the adaptations that enable the survival of a variety of species that reside there.

Interaction and interdependence: Populations and communities, transfer of energy and matter

Food webs on the rock platform are complex and interspecific relationships of many kinds can be seen. Students will observe a variety of trophic interactions and mutualisms, and compile a food web to map the flow of energy through the ecosystem.

Location

• Long Reef rock platform (Collaroy)

Program outline

• Morning session: Site briefing, background, identify and describe a marine alga
• Midday session: Abiotic testing on rock platform, transect and quadrat surveys
• Afternoon session: Animal catch on rock platform, food web study

The timing and location of activities will vary according to factors such as the school’s schedule, number of classes, and the environmental conditions on the day.

Sample worksheets are available which also contain details of field skills, equipment and secondary data provided by this program. Contact us to request.

Due to the overlap between this field trip and the Bushland ecosystem excursion for Environmental Systems & Societies, IB students from both courses could attend on the same day.

Unity and Diversity: Diversity of organisms, Classification and cladistics, Evolution and speciation, Conservation of biodiversity

Students will use classification techniques to identify a bushland organism by its external characteristics. Viewing fossil evidence, they will observe evolutionary traits of local species, propose selection pressures that may have driven such adaptations, and discuss the importance of biodiversity and its conservation.

Form and function: Adaptation to environment, Ecological niches

Students will measure biotic and abiotic factors in the bushland and a lotic ecosystem (a local creek), and examine the adaptations that enable the survival of a variety of species that reside in these locations.

Interaction and interdependence: Populations and communities, transfer of energy and matter

Food webs in the bush are complex and interspecific relationships of many kinds can be seen. Students will observe a variety of trophic interactions and mutualisms, and compile a food web to map the flow of energy through the ecosystem.

Location

• Bantry Bay (Frenchs Forest)
• Camp Coutts (Waterfall)

Program outline

• Morning session: Site briefing, background, identify and describe bushland plants
• Midday session: Abiotic testing, transect and quadrat surveys in the bush
• Afternoon session: Creek animal catch, food web study

The timing and location of activities will vary according to factors such as the school’s schedule, number of classes, and the environmental conditions on the day.

Sample worksheets are available which also contain details of field skills, equipment and secondary data provided by this program. Contact us to request.

Due to the overlap between this field trip and the Wetland ecosystem excursion for Environmental Systems & Societies, IB students from both courses could attend on the same day.

Unity and Diversity: Diversity of organisms, Classification and cladistics, Evolution and speciation, Conservation of biodiversity

Students will use classification techniques to identify a wetland organism by its external characteristics. Viewing fossil evidence, they will observe evolutionary traits of local species, propose selection pressures that may have driven such adaptations, and discuss the importance of biodiversity and its conservation.

Form and function: Adaptation to environment, Ecological niches

Students will measure biotic and abiotic selection pressures occurring in the wetlands, and examine the adaptations that enable the survival of a variety of species that reside there.

Interaction and interdependence: Populations and communities, transfer of energy and matter

Food webs in the mangroves and seagrass ecosystems are complex and interspecific relationships of many kinds can be seen. Students will observe a variety of trophic interactions and mutualisms, and compile a food web to map the flow of energy through the ecosystem.

Location

• Botany Bay (Kurnell)
• Bass Point (Shellharbour)

Program outline

Morning session: Site briefing, background, identify and describe wetland plants

Midday session: Abiotic testing, transect and quadrat surveys in wetlands

Afternoon session: Animal catch in seagrass/mangroves, food web study

The timing and location of activities will vary according to factors such as the school’s schedule, number of classes, and the environmental conditions on the day.

Sample worksheets are available which also contain details of field skills, equipment and secondary data provided by this program. Contact us to request.

This student-led field study allows individuals or small groups to conduct their own fieldwork on the rock platform. We supply a list of equipment, instructions and suggestions for investigations within the scope of the field trip.

During their research project design phase, students research and propose an inquiry question that they will be investigating on the day, and prepare a list of equipment and survey methodology.

Prior to the field trip, we review each student’s proposal for suitability and scope.

On the day, our Field Guide will conduct a short tutorial covering the correct and safe use of each piece of equipment, then meet with each student to refine their planning and confirm their methodology and equipment.

Out on the rock platform, students are given a site induction and then work individually or in small groups to conduct their research.

Location

• Long Reef rock platform (Collaroy)

Methodology

Students conduct population sampling using transect or quadrat surveys, and test abiotic factors such as water pH, salinity, temperature or distance from wave impact. Their experimental design may test for a link between an independent variable (an abiotic factor) and a dependent variable (such as distribution, abundance or diversity) to investigate the impact of one on the other.