Field Technical and
Sampling
Research
Measuring biotic components of a system
• The amount of different species is found in
different areas. The more biodiversity, the more
differences in species found.
• The most biodiverse area of the world are
ecosystems on and near the equator.
• Biodiversity is key to having life continue under
many different circumstances.
Sampling technique
• What is a sample?
– “A portion, piece, or segment that is
representative of a whole”
• Why do we sample?
– it is usually impossible to measure the whole
When carrying out sampling, square frames
called quadrats can be used to mark off the area
being sampled
•Quadrats are square frames made of wood or
wire
•They can be a variety of sizes eg. 0.25m2 or
1m2
•They are placed on the ground and the
organisms within them are recorded
•They can be used to measure the distribution
and abundance of plants or slow-moving animals
Quadrats of different sizes can be used
depending on what is being measured and what
is most suitable in the space the samples are
being made in
Quadrats must be laid randomly in the area to
avoid sampling bias
This random sampling can be done by
converting the sampling area into a grid format
and labelling each square on the grid with a
number
Then a random number generator is used to
pick the sample points
Once the quadrat has been laid on the chosen
sample point the abundance or percentage
cover of all the different species present can be
recorded
Size of Quadrats:
The size of quadrats to be used in a given community is
determined by constructing a species area curve. This is
done by sampling the vegetation with nested quadrat
method.
Nested quadrat
Nested quadrats
are a series of
• Requirements:
quadrats, laid one • (i) Long thread,
over the other with • (ii) Surveyor’s hooks or long
gradually
increasing size and
nails,
can be practiced in • (iii) Measuring tape;
the following way: • (iv) Graph paper.
Put two nails ‘O’ and
‘ Y’ 5 m apart. Place
the nail ‘X’ 5 m away
from ‘O’ nail at right
angle with the OY
arm. Connect YO and
OX by a long thread.
Place the nails A and
B on OX and OY,
respectively, 50 cm
away from ‘O’. Using
another nail make a
50 cm x 50 cm
square (Quadrat No.
1). Record all species
growing in this
quadrat
Draw a number of vertical or
horizontal lines and number them
separately. The numbers of vertical
and horizontal lines are to be
written separately on small pieces
of paper and keep these two sets of
paper squares in two separate
beakers.
Transect Method
When the vegetation is to be studied along an environmental
gradient or eco-tone (e.g. tropical to temperate, high or low
rainfall areas or precipitation gradient, adjacent areas with
different types of soil, etc.) a line is laid down across a stand
or several stands at right angles. This method of linear
sampling of the vegetation is called transect.
Depending upon the object of study,
two types of transect can be drawn:
(1) Line Transect or Line Intercept; and
(2) Belt Transect.
The extent of area determines the number and size of
transects. When transects are used to sample the
vertical distribution of vegetation (i.e. stratification)
they are called ‘bisects’.
Line Transect:
In this type of transect the vegetation is sampled
only over a line (without any width). A line is laid
over the vegetation with a metric steel tape or
steel chain or long rope and kept fixed with the
help of pegs or hooks. This line will touch some
plants on its way from one point to the other. The
observer will start recording these plants from
one end and will gradually move towards the
other end.
Exercise
Determine the Ground Cover Flora of an Area by Quadrat
or Transect Sampling:
Principle:
To determine the flora of a piece of
vegetation the area should be sampled
with a number of quadrats so that all the
species growing there can get a chance to
be recorded to give a total floristic
picture.
•Quadrats are suitable for sampling plants or slow-
moving animals
•For many animal species, however, it is not
possible to use quadrats to measure their
distribution and abundance
•In these cases, other techniques involving other
items of equipment are necessary, including:
•Sweeping nets: these are
large, strong nets with a
fine material (very small
holes) that are used to
catch flying insects and
insects that live in long
grass by sweeping the net
back and forth through the
grass
•Pitfall traps: these are
cans or jars that are buried
in the ground that are used
to catch ground-dwelling
(often nocturnal) insects
and other invertebrates as
they fall into the trap
•Pooters: these are small plastic or
glass containers with two tubes
sticking out that are used to suck up
small insects and other small
invertebrates. The first tube is placed
over the insect and the second tube is
used by the scientist to create suction
•Tullgren funnel: these are
funnels with a light bulb
above and a container
below that are used to
collect invertebrates that
live in leaf litter or soil. The
leaf litter or soil is placed in
the funnel and the light and
heat forces the
invertebrates to move down
until they drop into the
container
• Kick-sampling: this
technique is used to catch
freshwater invertebrates
living in streams or rivers. A
net in placed on the stream-
bed so that the water is
flowing into it and the
stream-bed just above the net
is churned up by the scientist
(using their foot) for a set
period of time. The
invertebrates are carried by
the stream into the net
Catena method
A catena in soil science (pedology) is a series of distinct but co-
evolving soils arrayed down a slope. Each soil type differs somewhat
from its neighbours, but all occur in the same climate and on the same
underlying parent material. A mature catena is in equilibrium as the
processes of deposition and erosion are in balance.
The term soil catena is used to describe the lateral variation in soils
over a hillslope. A slope can be broken into sections known as a ridge,
crest, midslope, and toeslope. The ridge or hilltop tends to accumulate
organic matter that allows formation of an adequate thickness of soil.
Steeper slope or crest sections tend to be freely drained, while at the
bottom of slopes or toeslopes there is usually higher in moisture
content due to poor drainage. Toeslope soils are not only higher in
moisture content, but are also known to be richer in clay and organic
matter.
Each type of soil also characterised with specific composition of
plant species.
The importance of a catena is the variation of soils across a small area
such as a slope. Understanding the soils that make up a catena could
facilitate the mapping of soils across a given region.
Many fields of study are taken into consideration when studying catenas,
studying catenas could help to understand the influence of soil hydrology
on soil formation.
Thanks you for your attention