Moonboom Island Feild Report; report on a field study of Moonboom Island in South-East Queensland, Australia

Essay by pink_sombreroHigh School, 11th gradeA+, August 2003

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BACKGROUND

Over three days, from the 19th to the 21st of July, we conducted a field study on Moonboom Island. Moonboom Is. is situated in the Great Sandy Straits between Maroom and Fraser Island and is privately owned. Moonboom is approximately a twenty to thirty minute boat trip form the Maroom boat ramp.

There is no in-ground plumbing on Moonboom. Moreover, the key source of drinking and cleaning water found on Moonboom is rainwater stored in a tank. A large portion of Moonboom Is. is made up of mangroves.

Part of the field study was undertaken at Gary's Anchorage, a popular spot on Fraser Island's west coast. The different types of organisms found during the study include mangroves, yabbies, crabs, sand flies, ants and a variety of fish. Most of these organisms were found using transects; a technique commonly used when looking at coastal ecosystems.

AIM

The main objective the field study conducted on Moonboom Island was to find out exactly what forms of life exist there.

And, later on establish why they live there as well as the relationships shared by the species of an ecosystem. It was a study of the biotic and abiotic factors of Moonboom Island. The study also served as a platform to demonstrate the practical skills of sampling and identifying species.

APPARATUS

Tape-measure

Meter ruler

Anemometer

Bait nets

Cast nets

Yabby pumps

Weather wall

METHOD

A sampling technique known as transect was employed to ascertain information about particular populations within the ecosystem of Moonboom. A transect is a line through an ecosystem along which sampling can take place. In groups, we carried out this technique, resulting in a number of different transects each 30m in length.

Our transect began just past the high tide mark at the edge of the trees and continued through...