preparation for sampling a habitat
- suitable clothing
- suitable footwear
- apparatus required for sampling
- clipboard, pen & paper to record observations
- appropriate keys to identify plants
- camera/smartphone to record specimens/grid location
what should happen when your at the sampling site
- use range of techniques
- consider effect your presence will have on biodiversity
- cause little disturbance as possible
best way to sample small/numerous plants compared to big plants
- big plants (eg. trees in wood/field) = count them
- small/numerous plants = calculate value of % ground cover occupied by species
quadrat
square frame used to define size of sampling area
how are quadrats used for random sampling
- generate random numbers
- use numbers as coordinates to place quadrats within habitat
- tape measure helps placing quadrat correctly
how are quadrats & point frames used to identify plants found/calculate percentage cover (measure of abundance)
quadrats:
- some have grid of string which divides it into smaller squares (usually 100) = make estimates more accurate
point frame:
- lower frame into quadrat & record any plants touching the needles
- ensure you record bare land
- use at regular intervals across quadrat (to reduce bias)
point frame
frame holding number of long needles/pointers
transect
line taken across habitat
how is a transect set up
stretch long string/tape measure across habitats & take samples along line
what may you use in a large habitat
line transect
what may be used with a transect
use a quadrat at set intervals along line = interrupted belt transect
what does an interrupted belt transect provide
quantitative data at intervals across habitat
what’s a continuous belt transect
- place quadrat beside line & move along so study band/belt in detail
- provides quantitative data across belt/band of habitat
