Biology Field Trip - from Phoenix 69 [undated - assumed post-October 1969]

During the month of May 1969, six pupils in the lower-sixth attended a course in ecology at the Leonard Wills Field Centre, Nettlecombe Court, Somerset We travelled there by train with Mrs. Cleary, whose presence on this course prevented her possible appearance in the staff play.

Along with slxth-formers from many other schools following courses in human geography and ecology, we stayed in an old but well-equipped building set in beautiful surroundings.

The first day was spent studying marine ecology at Porlock Wefr, a sheltered rocky shore, A total of fifteen species were studied and their distributions at three-foot vertical intervals above sea-level were estimated by reference to abundance scales The exercises were repeated the following day at Hurlstone Point, an exposed rocky shore, and the results compared with those obtained at Porlock in the form of a graph.

Probably the most exhausting and unsuccessful research was carried out on the third day. Having studied distribution in relation to space, we investigated distribution in time A net was placed in a nearby stream and its contents were emptied and examined every ninety minutes for a period of twenty four hours This required many people to stay up all night staring into plastic bowls looking for the species the numbers of which we were counting - flatworms, fresh-water shrimps, stonefly and mayfly larvae. After about four oclock in the morning, people imagined they could see tiny animals swimming about in the air, a sign of strain. When our results were tabulated, it was found that the numbers were high when they should be low, and vice versa. Mr. Litterick, who directed the course, consoled us with remarks to the effect that every so often completely unusual results (like ours) did occur for no apparent reason. Sunday was spent recovering from the previous night a ordeal.

On Monday morning we began a slow journey by coach (top speed 30 m.p.h.) to an upland stream in Exmoor Collections were made by placing nets in the water and kicking about the stones Just upstream from it, any dislodged organisms being swept into it. Dissections of some of the larger insect larvae and a study of their gut contents were made in the laboratory, to determine what each feeds upon in its natural environment.

The last day a work involved studying the relationship between the different forms of a snail common in the area (Cepea hortensis) and two chosen habitats. Our results indicated that natural selection was taking place and affecting the relative numbers of the types that survived best.

The course proved most interesting and enjoyable due mainly to the efforts of Mr. Litterick who directed it, and Mrs. Cleary, who arranged our attendance and encouraged our efforts.

Peter Durrans LVI (1)