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Teachers
Project ideas for students and teachers
General
Weather monitoring: Look up the weather information archive on Chimet or Cambermet (www.chimet.co.uk or www.cambermet.co.uk)
See if you can work out which month was the windiest this year? Or find out when the water temperature is at its warmest – then you will know when to go for a swim!!
Why do people visit the harbour? Where do they come from and how far have they travelled? What sort of people visit – are they young, or old? Do they have a dog or a fishing rod? Carry out a visitor survey, but don’t do it on your own! Get a teacher or a parent to help.
How does the harbour change with the seasons? Visit in autumn, winter, spring and summer and record the changes in one of your favourite spots.
For GCSE or ‘A’ level
For more information contact education@conservancy.co.uk
East Head Field Study Projects
Beach Study
How can the direction of longshore drift be demonstrated?
How do ‘swash’ waves and ‘backwash’ waves affect the distribution of different sizes of pebbles on a beach?
Investigate how a groyne field works.
Dune Study
Create a dune profile from your own measurements.
Collect data to show the ‘succession’ of vegetation from embryo to mature dunes.
Show the different sizes of particles at different intervals using soil sieve pots.
The education team can provide help and equipment for carrying out projects at East Head.
University projects
Some ideas of study themes are given below, these are just brief titles. If you are interested in finding out more about any of them please contact the Conservation Officer, Anne de Potier, who can provide further details. email anne@conservancy.co.uk
The list is amended regularly: please keep checking this page.Physical
• The properties and distribution of intertidal sediment types in Chichester Harbour (or selected areas)
• Assessment of rates of silt accretion in various sites in Chichester Harbour (open but sheltered, partially enclosed, vegetated etc.)
• Assessment of the rate of erosion of saltmarsh in exposed sites in Chichester Harbour.
• An investigation into flux rates in Chichester Harbour.
• Investigate the influence of the Lavant and the discharge from Apuldram Treatment works on the sedimentology of Fishbourne Channel
Vegetation
• Factors affecting the distribution and/or performance of Zostera in Chichester Harbour
• Factors affecting the vigour of Spartina anglica in Chichester Harbour or A comparison of the behaviour and performance of plants of Spartina anglica in intertidal conditions, impounded marsh and ditches, with suggested reasons for any differences found (i.e. In sites where it is doing well/badly, is there a particular feature of the site?)
• Factors governing the performance of Phragmites communis (Common Reed) at selected locations (a similar project to the preceding, but a different species)
Fauna
• The fate of juvenile fish of selected species in Chichester Harbour (or similar, addressing the need to obtain data on population structures and relationships with Solent/Channel stocks).
• An investigation into the ecology of a selected marine mollusc species in Chichester Harbour. (A choice between several, including exploring the impacts of the introduced Slipper Limpet (Crepidula fornicata) on native species, or looking at the factors affecting the distribution and abundance of a species.)
• An ecological investigation into the invertebrate fauna of selected sites. (i.e. biomass etc. not just a survey. There are several sites available, particularly intertidal mudflats, Spartina marsh, mixed saltmarsh or impounded grazing marshes, which can be done separately or contrasted.)
• An assessment of the effects of dogs and dog walkers on wintering shorebirds (any location, but primarily Fishbourne Channel)
• Investigations of the seal population in Chichester Harbour.
Historical ecology
• The Chichester Harbour shoreline prior to 1900: collation of maps and other sources to show changes in shoreline, and hence changes in vegetation etc. (This involves the use of GIS.)
• The 'pre-Spartina harbour': an investigation into previous vegetation using mud core, pollen sampling etc.
• What information can be gained on numbers of wintering waterfowl in the harbour before 1960 from sources such as wildfowling records?
Social/economic
• The economics of tourism in the Chichester Harbour area and its contribution to the economy of West Sussex and Hampshire.
• The environmental impacts of visitors on Chichester Harbour, and opportunities for 'green tourism'. (To involve a detailed visitor survey as part of the research.)
• The economics of marine-related industry or the fishing industry in the Chichester Harbour area and its contribution to the economy of West Sussex and Hampshire.
Social history
• Naming places: recording and interpreting field and other place names. Is there any evidence for a harbour dialect?
• Trees and woodland: changes in woodland cover, trees and hedgerows as indicators of boundaries, evolving parkscapes, veteran trees (etc.) Scope here for GIS work.
• Patterns of land ownership from medieval times. (Use of GIS?)
• Evidence of, and the impact on the harbour of, the two world wars.
Archaeology
Below is a draft list of some possible research projects and activities arising out of the Archaeological Research Framework.
Palaeoenvironment
• Investigation of raised beach deposits by coring, to supplement work already carried out
• Systematic coring of the AONB to build up a picture of environmental conditions for all periods
• Analysis of pollen and diatoms to indicate marine transgression and regression and landuse, leading to an better understanding of coastal changes.
• Investigation of sea level change for all periods using tree ring and close finds dating of foreshore structures such as dated wharves;
• Investigation of in situ prehistoric sites where environmental, faunal and botanical remains are likely to be preserved;
Military
• Survey to identify military remains in the AONB, building on the work carried out by the Defence of Britain project, but including military remains of all periods.
Settlement history
• Synthesise current knowledge of vernacular buildings into a cohesive unit, followed by further research and field survey of vernacular buildings
• Research into the deserted medieval villages at Warblington and near Birdham to understand how settlement patterns changed in the medieval period.
Industrial
• Survey to identify new industrial sites of all periods, especially those associated with the brick making industry, the salt industry, the fishing industry and the oyster industry. Investigate topics arising, for example why Roman salt production seems to cease in the 2nd century when such production should be increasing.
• Survey and recording of extant industrial remains such as the important tide mills and other mills, brick and tile kilns where they survive as well as associated structures, and structures associated with the oyster and fishing industries, for example fish traps.
• Archaeological and historical survey of historic boat yard and wharves.Various quays of the harbour were once important nodal points of the harbourscape, but are now invisible.
• Investigate identified maritime sites by diving to confirm whether they are wrecks or
• Geology or other features
• Geophysical survey and coring in the intertidal and subtidal zone to iinvestigate sites that continue below low water