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Description
This programme looks at the ecology of plants in a limestone valley. It investigates some of the differences in vegetation at various points in the valley and examines some of the factors which cau...se their contrasting distributions. Research techniques shown include results of growth experiments and survey data of plant distribution.
This programme looks at the ecology of plants in a limestone valley. It investigates some of the differences in vegetation at various points in the valley and examines some of the factors which cau...se their contrasting distributions. Research techniques shown include results of growth experiments and survey data of plant distribution.
| Module code and title: | S323, Ecology |
|---|---|
| Item code: | S323; 09 |
| First transmission date: | 11-06-1974 |
| Published: | 1974 |
| Rights Statement: | |
| Restrictions on use: | |
| Duration: | 00:24:11 |
| + Show more... | |
| Producer: | Edward Milner |
| Contributors: | Philip Grime; Michael Morris; Ian Rorison |
| Publisher: | BBC Open University |
| Keyword(s): | Arrhenatherum elatius; Autecology of grassland plants; Carboniferous limestone plateau; Centaurea scabiosa; Classification of habitats; Deschampsia flexuosa; Festuca ovina; Helianthemum chamaecistus; Succisa pratensis; Vegetation |
| Footage description: | Several shots of Atholdale with an accompanying song 'The Derbyshire Dales' written and sung by Frank Sutton. (This tune is repeated at various places throughout the programme). Philip Grime examines a sample of the grass Arrhenatherum elatliis (oat grass). He points out its characteristics. Shots of large areas of this grass in the valley. He next examines the grass Festuca ovina (sheep's fescue). Shots of this grass in its various habitats in the valley. Shots of Succisa pratensis (devil's bit scabious), a small herbaceous plant. Grime examines the plant and points out its characteristics. Grime, on the plateau above the dale, examines the flora there. He points out and describes the predominant Deschampsia flexuosa (wavy hair grass) Shots of Deschampsia and Potentilla erecta (tormentil) in bloom. Shots of the flora on the south facing slope of the dale. Grime's points out the species found there and gives their characteristics (Festuca ovina, Helianthemum chamaecistus). Grime points out the evidence for droughting in the turf structure of the south facing slope. Grime on the north facing slope in August. He examines the flora there and points out its characteristics (meadow sweet, bellerion Angelica sylvestris). Shots of quadrats which take samples of the 4 different habitats in the dale. They are used in an experiment to determine the reasons why different species live in some habitats and not in other. Shots of Philip Grime examining the samples in the quadrats. Commentary explains how the experiment is conducted. Distribution over the dale of Festuca ovina, Deschampsia flexuosa and Arrhenatherum elatius shown. Shots of Ian Rorison examining the soil in several places in three different habitats to determine one of the possible causes for differences in distribution. He explains how he goes about it and what his findings are. The soil pH for the valley as a whole and for the 3 different habitats captioned. Further shots of Rorison digging into the soil. Shots of Philip Grime taking readings from a date logger which had been installed on one of the slopes of the dale. Shots of a solarimeter. Shots of a graph which plots air and soil temperature over 5 days in June on the south facing slope of the dale. Shots of a graph which compares soil temperatures for the south and north facing slopes of the dale. There is a consistent high difference which could be one factor responsible for the plant distribution in the dales. Shots of large trays of ceramic pots in the laboratory filled with dale soil. Dale conditions are simulated to help determine reasons for plant distribution in the valley. Philip Grime explains and shows how the experiment is performed. He works mainly with germinating seeds and young adult plants from a variety of species. Shots of a graph which shows observed frequencies of various fauna at sites of different pH throughout the dale. Shots of Arrhenatherum elatius and Deschampsia flexuosa growing in the valley. Shots of a railway line which runs through the valley. More shots of valley flora. |
| Master spool number: | 6HT/71311 |
| Production number: | 00525_1136 |
| Videofinder number: | 1033 |
| Available to public: | no |
