NSWTR 2024 HR - Flipbook - Page 40
i
n
Sci
c Invest
tio
STAGE 3 –
SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION
f
ti
ga
en
YEAR 5-6 SECTION
EXAMINING THE EFFECT OF WATER
AVAILABILITY ON SPECIES DIVERSITY
AIM
WHAT YOU WILL NEED
To create a model wetland in order to
investigate whether access to water increases
the number of species living in an area.
One large or two smaller distinct undercover sites around
your school that have similar amounts of shade, soil type,
exposure to wind, temperature, leaf litter etc. Make sure
each site is not in a busy area, such as near a footpath.
BACKGROUND
Water is vital for survival and building wetlands
is just one way to help increase species
diversity. An example of a wetland can be
found at Gayini. Gayini is an environmentally
and culturally signi昀椀cant property on the
Murrumbidgee 昀氀oodplain, referred to as the
‘Kakadu of the south’. It was a privately owned
88,000 ha property in NSW that was handed
back to the Nari Nari Tribal Council to ensure
the protection of ecologically vital wetlands and
Aboriginal heritage sites. Watch the plan here:
Exploring Gayini, Nari Nari Country
Also look at an aerial view of the wetlands.
GAYINI AERIAL VISION
In this investigation, you will set up and
monitor two sites – one with access to water
(Site 1) and one without water (Site 2). The
site with water can include a pond (water in
a container), rain (hosing water on the site),
昀氀ooding (creation of a puddle), or any other
ideas you have that can model a wetland
and is suitable to carry out in your learning
environment. If you do not have access to a
suitable outdoor area and are able to set up a
few similar plants indoors then providing water
to some and not to others will also help observe
the need for water in order to support living
things. The following instructions assume
access to an outdoor area.
SAFETY FIRST – REMIND STUDENTS
TO WEAR A HAT AND PUT ON SOME
SUNSCREEN BEFORE HEADING OUTDOORS TO SELECT
AND PREPARE YOUR RESEARCH SITE(S) AND WHEN
GATHERING YOUR DATA. ALSO REMIND THEM NOT
TO TOUCH ANY ANIMALS AND TO FOLLOW TEACHER
INSTRUCTIONS AT ALL TIMES.
SPECIES SURVIVAL – MORE THAN JUST SUSTAINABILITY
Two waterproof containers that are the same shape, colour
and size, such as a couple of clean, recycled food containers.
Access to tap water with a hose or watering can to
deliver water.
WHAT TO DO
1. Decide on the site or sites you will use for the investigation.
2. Bury a container in the soil at each end of the chosen
site(s). The containers should be buried so that the rim is
just above the soil (so that it looks like a miniature pond).
3. Record the initial biodiversity around these arti昀椀cial
‘ponds’ – they should be similar at the beginning of the
investigation due to the sites themselves being similar.
Record your observations in Data Table 1 below.
4. Now 昀椀ll one of the containers with water.
Call this Site 1. Call the site without the water Site 2.
5. Spray water at Site 1 around the area near the water昀椀lled container. This will act as ‘rain’ and keep water in
the ‘pond’ container.
6. Each day, return to the two sites and continue to monitor
any changes in biodiversity. This can include actual
organisms at the site, or evidence of their presence, such
as droppings. Add the observation record to the data table.
Look at the plants around the ‘ponds’ and record any
observations. This could include scats (poo), tracks, fur or
feathers, or direct observations of plants, animals or fungi.
7. During the course of your data collection, keep the
container full of water at Site 1 and the area around it
regularly watered.
8. Continue to observe any species found at the sites by
recording the type of observation (and an identi昀椀cation,
if possible) in Data Table 1.
9. On completion of the investigation, remove the
containers from the soil and examine underneath for
evidence of organisms living there. Add any species and
the number found to Data Table 1.
10. At the end of your observation period, add up the
total number of species at each site and record in
Data Table 2.
40
