Aims, Sampling, Equipment & Risk Assessment
Coastal Fieldwork Enquiry
- To undertake a coastal fieldwork enquiry there are a range of practical skills and methods that will be used
- These can be applied to any coastal fieldwork
- The fieldwork enquiry should be linked to geographical theory and/or example:
- In the coastal fieldwork enquiry the theories of how coastlines vary in terms of their processes, landforms and/or the effectiveness of management strategies
Aims and Hypothesis
- The aims and hypothesis come from general questions asked about the coast such as:
- Does geology affect the shape of a stretch of coastline and its landforms?
- How and why is hard engineering more effective along a particular stretch of coastline?
- How and why is soft engineering used along a stretch of coastline?
- Does beach morphology change because of wave energy?
- Does coastal protection along a stretch of beach consider stakeholder views?
- Aims are focused on a particular place as you cannot measure everywhere
- Examples of an aim would be:
- To explore the impact of coastal processes on Y beach
- To investigate how wave energy along X beach changes beach morphology
- To explore how geology affects the shape and landforms of W beach
- Hypotheses are statements that are tested through fieldwork
- Examples of a hypothesis would be:
- Coastal management strategies used at Y beach have taken conflicting views into account
- A null hypothesis is a statement that is opposite to a hypothesis
- This ensures there is no bias when collecting the evidence
- You are not ignoring evidence because it doesn't prove the statement
- If you cannot prove the statement then the opposite must be true
- Examples of a null hypothesis would be:
- Coastal management strategies used at Y beach have not taken conflicting views into account
- After the aims and hypothesis of the fieldwork have been established the next steps include:
- Select the sites - this will involve sampling
- Decide on equipment to be used
- Consider health and safety issues - complete a risk assessment
- Data collection methods to be used
Worked example
(i) Suggest one possible aim of a coastal environment investigation (2)
- Answer:
- This needs to be an aim, not a hypothesis, so you should outline what the enquiry/investigation is attempting to achieve:
- To investigate the influence of geology (1) on the shape of a coastline (1)
- To investigate the changes in beach profile (1) with increasing distance from the shoreline (1)
- An investigation into how erosion and deposition (1) have changed over time (1)
(ii) Identify three reasons why a coastal environment investigation may not achieve the aim given in (i) (3)
- Answers could include:
- Data inaccurate (1)
- Insufficient data collected (1)
- Inaccurate data analysis (1)
- Human errors in data recording (1)
- Aim not practical (1)
- Unsuitable sites selected (1)
Site Selection and Sampling
- It is not practical or feasible to collect data along all parts of the coast as there would be too much data
- To select coastal sites, getting a true sample reduces bias
- There may be situations where access to a stretch of the coast is limited due to a rock fall or unstable cliffs etc.
- Therefore, an opportunistic approach to sampling needs to be taken
- This needs to be as close as possible to the site selected using sampling
- The most commonly used sampling strategies for a coastal enquiry are:
- Systematic - sampling of sites at regular intervals means that all parts of the stretch of coast are covered
- Random - the use of random sampling means that all sites have an equal chance of being selected which eliminates bias
- Stratified - by dividing each sampling site into groups e.g. three sites from each sample section
- Site location can be recorded using GPS to give an accurate location using latitude and longitude
- Or through grid reference from an Ordnance Survey map
Worked example
Suggest which sampling method would be appropriate to use in a coastal environment investigation (3)
- Answer:
- Systematic because measuring in an ordered and regular interval (every 5 metres etc.) (1) ensures no area of the coastline is missed (1) and it reduces bias (1)
- Random because using a random number generator (1) means all sites have an equal chance of being selected (1) which means that there is no bias (1)
Equipment
- To complete the coast measurements a range of equipment is needed
- The equipment includes the following:
- Surveyor’s 25+ meter tape - measuring distances on a beach or between ranging poles when completing beach transects
- Compass to measure direction
- Ranging poles for beach transects
- Clinometer - calculate the angle of a beach
- Callipers - measuring pebble size
- Quadrat - used to select sediment for sampling
- Clipboard for holding recording sheets
- Recording sheets
- Roundness or angularity charts
- Pencil for writing in data, particularly useful if the paper becomes damp
- Camera to take photographs of sites and coastal features
Worked example
Identify a suitable piece of equipment to measure a beach gradient (1)
A Anemometer | |
B Quadrat | |
C Clinometer | |
D Stopwatch |
- Answer:
- C (1) a clinometer measures the slope angle of a beach
Risk Assessment
- Any fieldwork will involve consideration of health and safety using a risk assessment
- Risks associated specifically with coastal fieldwork may include:
- Tide times
- Weather conditions
- Slippery rocks
- Polluted water
- Working in an unfamiliar place
- Misuse of equipment
Worked example
A group of students has investigated the changes in beach morphology.
State one risk that the students might identify in their risk assessment (1)
- Answer: Any one of the following would be acceptable
- Slip or fall (1)
- Infection from dirty water (1)
- Rock fall (1)
- Unstable cliffs (1)
- Weather conditions (heavy rain/sun) (1)
- Times of high tide (1)
Suggest one way the risk stated could be managed (1)
- Answer: This should follow from the answer above
- Sturdy/suitable footwear e.g. walking boots (1)
- Wash hands/use antibacterial hand wash/cover cuts and wounds (1)
- Do not work near rock falls (1)
- Do not work under cliffs after heavy rainfall (1)
- Check the weather forecast before going out to collect fieldwork data (1)
- Check tide times (1)