How do we calculate the

productivity of the grass ? Do

we need to calculate every
inch of this field?
Collecting & Recording Primary Data
BIOMASS
EXPERIMENT
ESS PRACTICAL SEMESTER 1
ROUTE TO INTERNAL ASSESSMENT
What is primary data
• Primary data is a type of data that is
collected by researchers directly from
main sources through interviews, surveys,
experiments, etc.

• Primary data are usually collected from

the source—where the data originally
originates from and are regarded as the
best kind of data in research.
Site Sampling
Biomass Experiment
(Measuring biomass of the grass in different site
of school compound)

Research Question?
 MATERIAL & APPARATUS
APPARATUS QUANTITY
Measuring Tape
Stake
String
Quadrate Frame
Oven
Weighing Scale
Please form 5 groups per class..
Purpose??
 CONTENT

• Introduction
• Procedure
• How to record primary data
 INTRODUCTION
• The primary productivity is the conversion of energy into biomass
of plant for a given period of time. Biomass can be easily measured
by using plant’s dry weight over day/week/month/year.
• There are several type of grass which are cow grass ( Axonopus
compressus),pearl grass which is a dwarf of Axonopus compressus,
Philippine carpet grass (Zoysia matrella) and Japanese carpet grass
(Zoysia japonica) but the most common in KMB is cow grass.
• The productivity of the grass will be varied depending on the
limiting factors that are abiotic one such as light intensity, soil
fertility and soil acidity.
• The level of human disturbance also contributes to the grass's
productivity.
PROCEDURE 1
KNOW THE Site 1

SITE!
Site 5

Justify
the Site 4
Site 2
selection
of
sampling
site.
Site 3
PROCEDURE 2
SAMPLING
PROCEDURE In
real sampling by
ecologist, the number
of quadrat that will
give the most reliable
and sufficient biomass
data is using the
following method;
PROCEDURE 2 SAMPLING 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

PROCEDURE in ESS IB !! 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

• The area of the sampling must 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

be measured and marked with 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

specific measurement (10m x 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50
10m by using measuring tape & 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60
string) 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70
• How to know your coordinate? 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80
RANDOM? STRATIFIED? SYSTEMATIC? 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90
• How many samples do you 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100
have to take for one site? 5
Why 5 groups?

Repeat 5th times

at the same
sampling site for
collection of
sufficient &
relevant data!!!

Then, proceed to
calculate the
average
 Step 1
PROCEDURE 3
HARVEST Place a suitably sized quadrat

Step 2

Harvest all the above-ground vegetation

Step 3

Wash it to remove any insects/excess soil.

 Step 4
PROCEDURE 4
RECORD DRY MASS Dry it (exposed to sunlight for a several days)
(USE WEIGHING
BALANCE)
IN LAB Step 5

Dry it using oven (60-70˚C), cool to room

temperature and weigh using balance.

Step 6

Repeat step 4 until constant mass is obtained (dry

mass) RECORD!!
 HOW TO RECORD NUMERICAL DATA??
1- Data tabulation (table)
• Contain description & measurement column.
• Each measurement (data) must have title, unit and its
uncertainty
• Consistency (uniform decimal place)
 HOW TO RECORD NUMERICAL DATA??

2- Quantitative measurement  accuracy (degree of

uncertainty)
• The smaller the degree of uncertainty, the more accurate the
measurement
• REMEMBER- No measured value can be determined exactly!!!
• Every measurement contains some degree of uncertainty.
EXAMPLE OF MEASURED INSTRUMENT
???
• Digital instrument – the smallest number
measured by
instrument
• Analog instrument – (smallest division of scale /2)
 DIGITAL
INSTRUMENT

The last digit is the uncertainty.

• Uncertainty = ±0.1 g
• Measured value = 30.0 g
• Recorded value = 30.0 ± 0.1 g
• Decimal place in measurement is same with decimal place in
uncertainty.
• So, in this case, the “actual” mass is known to be between 29.9
and 30.1 g.
UNCERTAINTY?
RECORD THIS VALUE AND IT’S
UNCERTAINTY!!!
Reliability Purposes
1- There must be at least 5 manipulated variables for
you be able to draw a graph and make a conclusion.
(eg: 5 different school sites )
2- Repeat at least 5 times for each manipulated
variable and calculate the average.
3- Record the measured value with its uncertainty.
4- Calculate standard deviation and it represent as
error bar in the graph

In your first practical, 5 groups with 5 recorded data represent 5

repetition at 1 school site.
Combine all and take the average!!!
TASK
1- Watch a video how to conduct the biomass experiment.
2- Submit to your ESS teacher individually:
• Formula and example of calculation
• 2 Complete tables
• 1 Raw data table (as in slide 21 & 22)
• 1 Processed data table
• A biomass graph with standard deviation.
 RAW DATA
(Site 1)

(Site 2)
 (Site 3)

(Site 5)
(Site 4)
Thank You