The Correlation between Rock Pool Size and Species Diversity

Abstract

The relationship rock pool area holds; when compared with the species diversity of algae, was investigated on a rocky shore at Celmyn bay during mid-October 2014. Small experimental procedures were specifically designed to test whether the size of the rock pools recorded, made an impact on the total species diversity that occurred on the mid-shore at low tide, to test the hypothesis that seaweed diversity; in large mid-shore level rock pools, would be greater than that of smaller mid-shore level rock pools. Although during testing an apparent increase in diversity was noted in relation to increasing rock pool size, no significant difference was found between the two variables and the stated hypothesis of the investigation was shown by the results to be rejected in favour of the null hypothesis. Therefore emphasising that there may be outstanding factors which this study has not addressed, which may have an effect on the species diversity of rock pools on a rocky shore.