BIO 330-INTRODUCTION TO ECOLOGY

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA

FACULTY OF APPLIED SCIENCE

LABORATORY MANUAL
BIO 330
Diploma in Science
 Determination of the density of plant species in a habitat

Experiment 2 : Determination of the density of plant species in a habitat

Objective 2.1 : Quadrat sampling technique

Material

Quadrats measuring 1 m2

Procedure
1. Systematic sampling procedure-quadrats are placed at the same intervals along
transects which runs across the investigated area at the same intervals.

2. Random sampling procedure-using random number table.

Systematic distribution Random distribution

of quadrats of quadrats

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 Determination of the density of plant species in a habitat

Results: Students must write their reports as follows:Student's

Name....................................Date................................................
Habitat................................................
Location/Place....................................
Type of plant.......................................
Quadrat size .......................................

Table 5.1 Tabulation of data for the measurement of each species cover in
quadrat sampling

Species cover (base/air) in quadrat Total Percentage

species cover
No. cover for (%)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 10 quadrats

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Using table 5.1, Determine the percentage of relative species cover, relative density,
and relative frequency of each plant species.

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 Determination of the density of plant species in a habitat

Objective 2.2 : Sampling technique using line transect

Material

Rope (15.30 meters)

Procedure
1. Determine a base line along the border of the area under investigation.

2. Choose a series of points along this base line either randomly or systematically.
These points are used as the starting points for the transects to run across the
area being investigated.

3. Record only the plants which touch the line as seen vertically above or below
the transect line.

4. 10—20 lines are placed randomly in the area to provide enough samples to
investigate the community.

Results: Students must write their reports as follows:

Student's name .............................................. Date ...............................

Habitat............................................................
Location/Place ................................................
Type of plant...................................................
Distance of each interval .................................
Total number of intervals................................
Total length of line transect.............................

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 Determination of the density of plant species in a habitat

Number of interval
No. Name of
species
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

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(a) Calculate the frequency of a species using the following formula:

Total cross sectional length of a species

% species cover = X 100%
Total length of transect

b) Calculate % surface cover of each species.

Total number of intervals where the species are found

Frequency = X 100%
Total number of intervals of transect

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 Determination of the density of plant species in a habitat

(c) Calculate the relative species cover.

Total cross sectional length of species

Relative species cover = X 100%
Total cross sectional length of all species

Summary of the measurements obtained by the line transect technique

Number of intervals
No. Name of where species are Percentage Relative Frequency
species cover cover
recorded

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