Question

xena wants to investigate how effective mangrove trees are at preventing beach erosion versus an empty beach. she researches and finds out that storms can cause erosion along the shoreline. xena decides she should continue to investigate by making observations before and after storms. what would be the best way for xena to investigate the effectiveness of mangroves in preventing erosion along the shoreline?

• photographing and comparing the beaches before and after storms.
• using a hose with different amounts of force to spray sand and observe the difference.
• creating a model shoreline, changing the wind speeds, and measuring changes in the landscape.
• collect shells and other debris that washes up along the shoreline after each storm and compare how much debris has washed up.

Explanation:

The goal is to compare mangrove vs. empty beaches for erosion prevention before/after storms. Photographing captures direct visual changes in shoreline erosion, allowing side-by-side comparison of the two beach types under real storm conditions. Other options (hose, model, debris collection) are less direct or don’t focus on actual shoreline erosion differences between the two beach types.

Answer:

Photographing and comparing the beaches before and after storms.