Fieldwork Skills
Investigating Coastal Environments
Investigating beach profiles and sediment characteristics.
The best site for simply explaining fieldwork is the FSC site. The follwoing images take you to the relevant pages to explain the fieldwork we carried out at that environment
Before the trip shows a detailed recap.
A field investigation of a beach can involve a number of working hypotheses, such as
The best site for simply explaining fieldwork is the FSC site. The follwoing images take you to the relevant pages to explain the fieldwork we carried out at that environment
Before the trip shows a detailed recap.
A field investigation of a beach can involve a number of working hypotheses, such as
- Beach material will increase in the direction of longshore drift
- Pebbles will become smaller in the direction of longshore drift
- Pebbles will become rounder in the direction of longshore drift
- Pebble alignment will show the direction of prevailing wind
- Beach profiles may vary in profile with larger load found at the backshore
Measuring a beach profile
Use a tape meaure, two ranging poles and a clinometer
Use a tape meaure, two ranging poles and a clinometer
Measuring pebble size and orientation for longshore drift
Investigating River Environments
1. Investigating Channel Characteristics
2. Investigating Water Quality
1. Investigating Channel characteristics
Questions to investigate
There are many possible questions that you could investigate
2. Investigating Water Quality
1. Investigating Channel characteristics
Questions to investigate
There are many possible questions that you could investigate
- How and why does velocity / discharge / hydraulic radius change downstream in river x?
- To what extent does river x follow the Bradshaw model?
- How does does water quality change downstream
- How does the number and diversity of invertebrates indicate water quality changes downstream
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Investigating Urban Environments
Investigating Change in Urban Landuse
Questions to investigate
There are many possible questions that you could investigate
How does street quality change from the CBD to the rural urban fringe
How does environmental qaulity change from the CBD to the rural urban fringe
How are towns and cities zoned in terms of landuse
How does the quality of life vary from one place to another in towns
Questions to investigate
There are many possible questions that you could investigate
How does street quality change from the CBD to the rural urban fringe
How does environmental qaulity change from the CBD to the rural urban fringe
How are towns and cities zoned in terms of landuse
How does the quality of life vary from one place to another in towns
Investigating Weather and Climate
It's important for you to be aware of a number specialised weather instruments. You should be able to describe them, explain how they work and what they measure and unit. Describe where you would locate a weather station and how often you would collect and record data.
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See also Charlotte Lemaitre's Prezzi on fieldwork skills
The PDF below is very detailed on weather instruments
Designing a Questionnaire or Survey
There are a number of places in the syllabus where it is suggested that you investigate the views of people. These include:
Coastal Environments
1. Surveying peoples’ views on the management of pressured and/or retreating coastlines
Hazardous Environments
2. Surveying peoples’ views on the management of a hazard event
Economic Activity and Energy
3. Reasons for the location of factories or services
Investigating peoples’ views on the use of renewable and non-renewable energy
Urban Environments
4. Environmental Quality Survey
Coastal Environments
1. Surveying peoples’ views on the management of pressured and/or retreating coastlines
Hazardous Environments
2. Surveying peoples’ views on the management of a hazard event
Economic Activity and Energy
3. Reasons for the location of factories or services
Investigating peoples’ views on the use of renewable and non-renewable energy
Urban Environments
4. Environmental Quality Survey