Practical Skills - Sampling Using Quadrats

1. Match the terms in the table with their correct definitions.

Term Definition
plants that photosynthesise to
population
make their own food
living components of an
community ecosystem

all the organisms of one species in

ecosystem
an ecosystem at a certain time
organisms that break down dead
habitat
material
the place an organism lives
biotic factor
animals that eat plants or other
abiotic factor
animals
non-living components of an
producers
ecosystem
the populations of all species in an
consumers
ecosystem at a certain time
the community and physical
decomposers
environment that is present

2. A group of students decided to estimate the populations of two species of plant, plantain and
buttercup, in an area. They divided the area up into 100 1m squares and gave all of the squares
coordinates.

Squares were selected, and a metal frame placed on each.

The number of plantain and buttercup species in each of the squares was counted.

They tried to estimate the population using 5, 10 and 15 squares.

(a)(i) Give the name of the metal frame.

Quadrats
(ii) Explain how the students should have selected the squares.

The squares should be selected randomly to avoid bias. By placing the quadrats at randomly
generated coordinates on a numbered grid. The pair of numbers used for the coordinates is
generated using the random number function on a calculator or any online number generator.

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(b)

Number of square Coordinates of square Number of plantains Number of buttercups

1 A1
2 B2
3 B3
4 E5
5 E1
2 3
2 3
0 3
1 5
1 0

6 F5
7 H1
8 H5
9 J2
10 I8
0 3
1 0
1 0
0 1
1 1

11 A7 2 0
12 E4 1 1
13 D10 1 0
14 J9 1 0
15 B9 1 3
(i) Count the number of plantains and buttercups in each of the squares shown in the diagram.
Write your answers in table 1.

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(ii) Calculate the mean number of plantains and buttercups found per square for squares 1–5. Write
your answers in table 2.

Plantains: 1.2

Buttercups: 2.8

(iii) Calculate the mean number of plantains and buttercups found per square for squares 1–10 (all
of the squares). Write your answers in table 2.

Plantains: 0.9

Buttercups: 1.9

(iv) Calculate the mean number of plantains and buttercups found per square for squares 1–15.
Write your answers in table 2.

Number of squares Mean number of Mean number of Estimated total Estimated total
used plantain per square buttercups per number of number of
metre square metre plantain in area buttercups in
area

1–5 1.2 2.8 120 280

1–10 0.9 1.9 90 190
1–15 1 1.53 100 153
Table 2

(v) Use your mean number of plantains and buttercups per square metre and the formula below to
estimate the total number of plantains and buttercups in the area. Write your answers in table 2.

Plantains: 120, 90, 100

Buttercups: 280, 190, 153

(c) Count the actual total number of both plant species and compare them with your estimated
totals in table 2.

Actual no: Estimated no:

Plantains- 84 Plantains- 120 or 90 or 100

Buttercups- 77 Buttercups- 280 or 190 or 153

(i) State which number of squares gave the most accurate estimate for each species of plant.

For Plantains: The square 1-10 was very accurate

For Buttercups: The square 1-15 was the most accurate

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(ii) Discuss how accurate your estimated totals of plantain and buttercups are for the different
number of squares used. Suggest reasons for any inaccuracies.

The estimated numbers for plantains were very accurate (square 1-10). However, Buttercups
estimated wasn’t much accurate. The most accurate one was square 1-15.

The coordinates should be chosen on a random to avoid bias.

(iii) Suggest ways of improving the reliability and accuracy of the investigation.

The coordinates should be chosen on a random to avoid bias using a number generator.

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3. (a)(i) Explain what is meant by the term biodiversity.

The amount of variation shown by organisms in an ecosystem. It is a measure of both numbers of

species and abundance of each species.

(ii) Explain why conservationists aim to preserve biodiversity in ecosystems.

Conservation of biological diversity leads to conservation of essential ecological diversity to preserve

the continuity of food chains. Biodiversity is a good thing in an ecosystem. Ecosystems with high
biodiversity are more stable. For example, if a new disease arose that wiped out the dominant tree
species, this would impact on species that relied on tree for food and shelter. However, In a more
diverse ecosystem other tree species might supply the same services.

(iii) Suggest why it is important to consider both the range of species and populations of each
species rather than just the range of species.

Considering both the range of species and populations of each species gives a very good idea of the
diversity of the area.

(b) An area of countryside was used to build a housing estate. Patches of countryside were left as
‘green areas’ inside the housing estate. Devise an investigation to compare the biodiversity in the
green areas with the surrounding countryside.

We can use quadrats to compare the biodiversity in the green areas with the surrounding
countryside. We are going to generate some random number from a function on a calculator. These
numbers will be used as coordinates to position the quadrat in the large square. We will produce
around 10 coordinates in both areas. A quadrat will be placed on the coordinates and the range of
species and their population will be recorded. These recorded data will then be presented on a data
and there mean will be calculated to ensure reliability, by adding all their population and dividing it
by 10.

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not copyright free.