On Tuesday 2 May, our Year 11 Biology class ventured to Ricketts Point in Beaumaris to analyse the organisms found in the intertidal area. From a field guide of twenty seven creatures we distinguished the different types of adaptations to the area. On our excursion we came across swans, a blue ringed octopus, crabs, striped periwinkles, Neptune’s Necklaces and many more. “It was a great experience, we learnt a lot about how organisms adapt to survive in their environment,” said one student, as feedback on the trip.

To record the data we ran two transect lines from the upper beach (high water mark) to the low tide mark. Next, in our groups, we examined four quadrants along each transect line, naming and recording the abundance of the species that we observed. We also recorded the abiotic aspects of the environment including the PH of the water, salinity and the slope of the land to see if they would correlate with the changes in biological communities.

Lachlan Kimpton

Year 11 Biology.