Page 22 - THE MATHMATE November 2024

number of species within reptile groups
(5) Connect the end points with a vertical line (snakes, turtles, and lizards) and amphibian
and color in your kites. groups (salamanders and frogs/toads) were
counted along a South – North geographical
Figure 1 shows an example kite diagram with transect in the southeastern and middle United
numbers of individuals versus position along a States (Table 1). The kite makes it clear that
vertical transect over a rocky shoreline. With there are more species in each group in the
one square equal to 10 individuals, you can tell southern states versus the northern states.
by the size of the kite that the common limpet Hypotheses about the difference in number of
is far more abundant than any other organism, species over the South – North transect may
and that it prefers the lower and middle zones include the fact that reptiles and amphibians
on a rocky shore but is absent from the highest are cold-blooded and may not do well in the
reaches. You can also see a group of more northern areas where freezing
organisms (whelks, top snails, cnidaria temperatures are common seasonally. And
(anemones, in this case) and sponges salamanders, with the greatest species
(porifera)) that are only found in the lower, diversity in North Carolina and Virginia? The
wetter, zones, while some organisms mountain habitats there have led to many
(arthropods) that avoid those same areas. micro-habitats and speciation.

Figure 1. An example kite diagram for a rocky sea shore.
The x-axis is the distance along the transect, which starts at Figure 2. An example kite diagram of reptile and amphibian
sea level. The y-axis shows the groups found on the rocks. species in the southeast US. The geographical location,
The kites show the patterns of abundance and distribution south to north is on the x-axis and the reptile and amphibian
over elevation. Here, one square = 10 individuals. groups are on the y-axis. One square = 5 species.

Figure 2 shows a different example, one that is
included in the student handout and teacher’s
key that goes with this article (see on-line
supplemental resources). In this case, the

Scctm The MathMate 22 Volume 44/Number 1 October 2024