Kirsty Prendergrast

1

The distribution of Common
Limpets (Patella vulgata) depending
on tidal ranges.


Kirsty Prendergrast, Maria Carbin and Nick
Greenhalgh.
Figure 1. Patella vulgata at Gyllyngvase beach
Kirsty Prendergrast
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Falmouth Marine School

1. Abstract
The many objectives of this investigation, was to understand the distribution of
Patella vulgata along the rocky shore on Gyllyngvase beach. This investigation was
to undertake the use of a tape and quadrat, which was laid down on the rocky shore.
Patella vulgata were counted at each of the interval along the tape, with the quadrat.
The result from this investigation has shown that there is changes in the distribution
between the littoral fringe to the sublittoral fringe.
2. Introduction
2.1. Location
Gyllyngvase rocky shore is a fitting
location, to undertake a research
investigation, due to the extensive rocky
shore area located on the west side of
the beach. Gyllyngvase beach located in
the Falmouth bay region, on the south
coast of Cornwall. The rocky shore is a
great place to begin to under the stand of
marine environment, due to it being semidiurnal, which mean there are usually two
high and low tides a day (Fish and Fish, 2011). Due to the daily rise of the tides
along the rocky shore, different sections of the rocky shore are submersed and
emerged, at different time of the day. The rocky shore spilt in the zones, which was
developed by Lewis (1964), he stated that the zonation of the rocky shore should be
based on the distribution of marine species rather than the tidal level (Fish and Fish,
2011). The highest section of the rocky shore is the littoral fringe, which leads into
the eulittoral zone. Together, the littoral fringe and the eulittoral zone form the littoral
zone. The lowest zone of the rock shore is known as the sublittoral zone, which is
only exposed ay low water (Fish and Fish, 2011).
Figure 2. Satellite view of the rocky shore at
Gyllyngvase beach.
Kirsty Prendergrast
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2.2. Common Limpets (Patella vulgata)
The Common Limpets (Patella vulgata) is part of the phylum Mollusca. Patella
vulgata, are widely distributed throughout the rocky shore in the North-West Europe,
which has lead it to be one of the best known organism, found in the intertidal zone.
Patella vulgata can be found on all types of rocky shore which are exposure to
different rates of wave action. The shape of the shell of the Patella vulgata, can
change depending on where about it is found on the rocky shore ecosystem, Patella
vulgata which are found high up on the shore, have got much taller shell and are
smaller in width, than that of the Patella vulgata which are found lower down on the
shore, which have shorter shell and are wider, this because the Patella vulgata that
are found high up on the shore emered for a longer period of time (Fish and Fish,
2011). Patella vulgata are protandrous hermaphrodite, this means that the during the
life time, the species will change from sex from male to female. Spawning occurs
between autumn to late winter, spawning is believed to happen due to the stormy
seas and strong wind, and the fertilization happens externally. The larva of the
Patella vulgata, has both a pelagic and benthic stage, the pelagic stage of the larva
life cycle lasts for 2 weeks, and after these 2 weeks the larva will settle on the sub-
straight where it will begin to grow (Hill, 2008). Female Patella vulgata are genially
much large then the males, this is due to them being protandrous hermaphrodite.
Patella vulgata which are found on rocky shore where the there is little or no algae
species, which the Patella vulgata feed upon grow much lowly which means that
they can live for much longer, than species that are found in areas with large
amounts of algae species, grow much faster and die off early on in live (Hill, 2008).
2.3. Hypothesis and Null hypothesis
H0: There are more Patella vulgata located in the sublittoral zone, than that in the
littoral zone on the rocky shore.
H1: There is no differences in the number of Patella vulgata located, in the sublittoral
zone and Littoral zone on the rocky shore.
2.4. Aims and objectives of this experiment
The aim of this research investigation, is to understand if there are differences in the
distribution of the Patella vulgata, between the sublittoral zone and the littoral fringe
Kirsty Prendergrast
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of the rocky shore. This experiment is consist of a fieldwork, which will be taken
place at Gyllyngvase beach, then the results which had been collected, will be
statically tested. As well as this a literal review of the finding will be written and what
the result have shown about the distribution of Patella vulgata.
3. Method
Patella vulgata can be located all around the coast and Britain and Ireland, Patella
vulgata are found on coastline where there is a hard substratum from north Norway
down to the Mediterranean (Hill, 2008). To test the hypothesis, there are more
Patella vulgata located in the sublttoral zone than the littoral fringe, a line transect
was done down the section of the rocky shore at Gyllyngvase beach, when the tide
was on its way out, so that it would be easier to count the numbers of Patella vulgata
on the rocks. The fieldwork took place on Monday 28
th
April 2014, at 10 in the
morning, due to low tide being at 12:05, when the tidal level would be at 0.3 meters
(Mylor Yacht Harbour, 2014). Once arriving at the location, the decision was made to
pick where to do the line transect. The decision was made to start on a newly
uncovered area, which was due to the storms in the winter of 2013, and there being
a dense growth of gut-weed (Ulva intestinalis). A 20 metres long tape was laid out
from the up of the rocky shore, made sure that the tape was in straight line as
possible. A 25 cm
2
quadrat was placed at 5 metres intervals long the tape. When
counting the Limpets took place, it is to recheck quadrat twice to make sure that no
Patella vulgata had been missed, by checking under seaweed and rocks. Seashore
guide books were used, to make sure the limpets being counted that were Patella
vulgata. After the data was gathered from the rocky shore, the decision was made as
a group that the data which had been collected by doing that one line transect down
the beach, was enough information to work with.
4. Results

Position on the shore Mean distribution
Littoral fringe 9.5
Eulittoral zone 21.6
Sublittoral zone 23
Table 1. Showing the mean distribution of Patella
vulgata at each zone along the rocky shore.
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Figure 3 shows the mean distribution of Patella vulgata cross the littoral fringe,
eulittiral zone and the sublittoral zone. The reason that this style graph was chosen
because it was the best to show the change in the distribution between the three
zones. It shows that there are raises in the numbers of Patella vulgata distributed,
down on the rocky shore. The graph was the best way to show that there was a large
mean difference between the numbers of the Patella vulgata between the three
zones, especially between the eulittoral zone and littoral fringe.
5. Analysis
The mean distribution increase, the further down the shore as shown in Table 2 and
Figure 3. Working out the mean littoral fringe, eulittorral zone and sublittoral, was the
best way to show that there was a change in the distribution across these zones.
The raw data from the results collected from the field work, did not show any
correlation. Due to there being no correlation, from the raw data collected, it showed
that there need to be statistical test to be done with the data. Due to the hypothesis
which was, to see if there was a change in the distribution of Patella vulgata,
between the littoral fringe and sublittoral zone. This showed the data need to be
grouped into the zones. It is to understand the mean distribution between the zones.
The reason was that mean was chosen to do further test on the data, was because it
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Postiton along the shore
A graph showing the mean distribution of Patella
vulgata across the Littoral fringe, Eulittoral zone and
Sublittoral zone
Figure 3. Graph show mean distribution of Patella vulgata at the 3 different zones.
Kirsty Prendergrast
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was the best statistical test to run of the data. It is to show the different distribution
between the different rocky shore zones, and the results could have been showing
on line graph to enforce the change in distribution along the rocky shore.
The result shown in Figure 3, showed that there was steady rise in the numbers of
Patella vulgata between the littoral fringe and the eulittoral zone. Whereas the low
rise in the numbers of Patella vulgata between the eulittoral zone and the sublittoral
zone. The results from the statistical testing, has shown that the null hypothesis can
be rejected and the hypothesis can be accepted. The data shown in Table 2, shows
that the first 15 metres of the line transect that the numbers are very similar and it
varies between 0 and 1 over the 4 sample points. This shows that not many Patella
vulgata are found that far up the rocky shore. At the 45 and 50 metres the number of
Patella vulgata spotted are the same amount. When a quadrat was taken on 55
metres, there are not much change of the numbers documented. This means that
the average was worked out for each of the zones along the rocky shore, the data for
the eulittoral zone and sublittoral zone, showed that there was not big differences in
the number of Patella vulgata spotted between the two zones.
6. Discussion
The statistical tests (see Figure 3 and Table 2) have shown that there are changes in
the distribution, between each littoral fringe and sublittoral zone. The differences of
13.5 between the two zones that the results have shown that further down the rocky
shore the distribution of Patella vulgata increase. The results shows that the section
of the rocky shore which was newly uncovered during the storms during the winter
2013, has not yet been colonised by the gastropods such as Patella vulgata, newly
uncovered rocks are first colonised by gut-weed (Ulva intestinalis). The storms which
happened over the winter 2013, could have affected the number of limpets found on
the shore, as research was found by another scientist noticed due to the mad
weather in 1981, the population of Patella vulgata declined due to the strong wave
action on the rocky shore (Little and Kitching, 1996). When collecting the results,
notes were taken where there were large amounts of seaweed, within the same area
as the Patella vulgata were found. After the notes were taken, further research of the
Patella vulgata was needed. The research showed that the Patella vulgata are less
Kirsty Prendergrast
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likely to be found on the area, there are large amounts of dense seaweed growth
(Fish and Fish, 2011).
The trend which have been shown in the graph and results from this experiment,
shows that Patella vulgata are more found in the eulittoral and the subeulittoral
zones on the rocky shore.
7. Evaluation
During this assignment assumptions were taken, that the tide times would be
checked by the member of staff, it is to make sure what the school had all of the
investigation needed to undertake the beach surveys. When undertaking the line
transect down the shore, there were problems with the tape in straight line as it was
not accurately straight. Due to the line not being straight, the line transect did not
flow a line from the bottom of the shore. The other problem was occurred whist
undertaken this investigation was sometimes that it is hard to find and to count
Patella vulgata. However due to this problem, the overcome were taken by time
when looking the quadrat, and to make sure that it had been checked especially
under the seaweed and under the rocks. There were a few limits which caused to
stop this experiment from being done, is to be better quality. These limits were only a
limited amount of time where the sublittoral zone of the rocky shore could be
examined, also there was a limited amount of time, which this experiment could be
over.
If this investigation was to be undertaken again, it would be better if the question for
this investigation, was planned out at least a week before the investigation take
place, so that if there was any problems with the research. It would be sorted and to
make sure that the whole group were happy with the ideas of the investigations.
There are further research which could be done towards this investigation, such as
comparing the result taken at Gyllyngvase beach to another beach further round the
coast, for example Castle Beach or Swan Pool Beach, this will be undertake the
results would help to understand which beach is the more exposed.


Kirsty Prendergrast
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8. References
Figure 1.
Prendergrast, K. (2014). Patella
vulgata on the rocky shore at
Gyllyngvase beach. [Photograph].
Figure 2.
Getmapping plc, (2014). A Satellite
view of the west side rocky shore at
Gyllyngvase beach. [image] Available
at:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.1
421366,-
5.069196,509m/data=!3m1!1e3
[Accessed 8 May. 2014].
Figure 4
Prendergrast, K. (2014). Patella
vulgata. [Photography].
Figure 5
Prendergrast, K. (2014). talled shelled
Patella vulgata. [Photograph].
Figure 6
Prendergrast, K. (2014). Newly
uncovered rocky shore. [Photograph].
Fish and Fish, 2011

Fish, J. and Fish, S. (2011). A
student's guide to the seashore. 3rd
ed. New York: Cambridge University
Press, pp.1-2, 205.
Hill, 2008

Hill, J. (2008). Common limpet -
Patella vulgata - General biology.
[online] Marlin.ac.uk. Available at:
http://www.marlin.ac.uk/generalbiology
.php?speciesID=4050 [Accessed 13
May. 2014].
Hill, 2008

Hill, J. (2008). Common limpet -
Patella vulgata - Habitat preferences
and distribution. [online] Marlin.ac.uk.
Available at:
http://www.marlin.ac.uk/specieshabitat
s.php?speciesID=4050 [Accessed 13
May. 2014].
Hill, 2008

Hill, J. (2008). Common limpet -
Patella vulgata - Reproduction and
longevity. [online] Marlin.ac.uk.
Available at:
Kirsty Prendergrast
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http://www.marlin.ac.uk/reproduction.p
hp?speciesID=4050 [Accessed 13
May. 2014].
Lewis, 1964

Lewis, J. (1964). The ecology of the
rocky shore. 1st ed. London: English
Universities Press.

Little and Kitching, 1996
Little, C. and Kitching, J. (1996). The
biology of rocky shores. 1st ed.
Oxford: Oxford University Press, p.1.
Mylor Yacht Harbour, 2014
Mylor Yacht Harbour, (2014). Tide
table. 1st ed. Mylor Yacht Harbour.
9. Appendix
9.1. Raw data collected
Table 2. Show the raw date which was collected.
Zone of the
rocky shore
Transect
interval points
(Meters)
Number of
Patella vulgate
at each transect
point.
Littoral fringe 0 0
5 1
10 0
15 1
20 9
25 46
Eulittoral zone 30 17
35 49
40 22
45 11
50 11
55 20



Sublittoral zone
60 6
65 27
70 20
75 50
80 39
85 9
90 10

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9.2. Working out the mean, for the littoral fringe, eulittoral zone and
sublittoral zone
Formula: Add up all the data
Divid by the number of pieces of data

Littoral fringe: 0+1+0+9+46+1
6
= 9.5
Eulittoral zone: 17+49+22+11+11+20
6
= 21.6
r
Sublittoral zone: 6+27+20+50+39+9+10
7
= 23

9.3 Photography
0
10
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90
100
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
T
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Number of the Patella vulgate at each trabsect point
A scatter pot showing the distbution of Patella
vulgate
Figure 4. A graph show distribution of Patella vulgata, at the line transect
Kirsty Prendergrast
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Figure 4. Patella vulgata Figure 5. Tall shell of Patella vulgata
Figure 6. Dense growth of gut-weed (Ulva intestinalis), on Gyllyngvase