Students carried out an investigation into plant succession across a sand dune system. Figure 4 shows the data collected at three sites at increasing distances from the strandline.
Figure 4
| Site | Distance from strandline | Soil pH & organic matter (%) | Marram grass (%) | Sea couch (%) | Red fescue (%) | Gorse (%) | Heather (%) | Mosses & Lichens (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20m | pH 8.2, 0.5% | 70 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 2 | 100m | pH 7.1, 4.2% | 35 | 5 | 45 | 5 | 0 | 10 |
| 3 | 250m | pH 5.8, 12.8% | 0 | 0 | 15 | 30 | 45 | 10 |
What conclusions about plant distribution and diversity across this sand dune system can be reached from an analysis of the data in Figure 4?
