Mendoza, Paola Andrea G.

Methodology
2013-27689

ENG 10 B-5R

April 13, 2016

Habitat Assessment of Philippine mousedeer (Tragulus nigricans) in

Palawan, Philippines
Materials and Method
The study conducted was divided into two main parts, namely: (1) the
Line Transect Sample Count (LTSC) basing on line transect techniques. Data
that will be collected in this method will also be used in determining activity
patterns of Tragulus nigricans; and (2) for habitat analysis, the use of PointCentered Quarter Methods (PCQM) basing from point-intercept techniques
(Dans, 1988).
The two main parts of the study were conducted within a 7-day period
(May 26 to June 2) at Palawan.
Line Transect Sample Count
The area selected was surveyed with the use of a 1000-meter long
transect line and twenty-five meters maximum observable width for each
side of the transect line. After then, data were recorded upon sighting of the
subject specimen:
Z= number of mouse deers observed
D= sighting distance/radial distance (an estimation of the distance in
meters from the observer to the subject specimen)
= sighting angle (in degrees, measured with the direction of where
the subject specimen was sighted with respect to the transect line; 0 if
the subject specimen was sighted to be on the transect line itself

These observations were made two times per day: before dawn/dawn (AM)
and evening (PM) for seven days.

Point Centered Quarter Method

A line covering 150 meters was made within the selected study area.
For every 15 meters marked every sampling point and these were divided
into for quarters. Distance (denoted as D) of each distinct trees nearest to
the sampling point and within the quarters of the sub-division were
measured and recorded in meters (m). Also, the said distinct trees was
measured for its diameter (denoted as d) also in meters. For the entire study,
a total number (denoted as n) of fifty trees were sampled (Gonzales, et. Al).
It is also necessary to identify these distinct trees, therefore, herbarium
specimens were made for each trees and these were made identified by my
colleagues from the Plant Biology and Systematics Division at the Institute of
Biological Sciences at the University of the Philippines Los Banos, Laguna.
Several parameters were computed and as indicated below:
Mean Distance (D) = D/n
Mean Area per tree (A) = D2/n
Sample Area (SA) = D x length of transect
Basal Area (BA) = (d/2)2
Frequency (f) of each species= number of trees per each sample subject
Absolute density of all species (AS) = n/SA
Absolute density of each species (AE) = f/SA
Relative density of each species= AE/AS
Absolute dominance of all species (DS) = BA/BS
Absolute dominance of each species (DE) = total BA of each species/SA
Relative dominance of each species = DE/DS

References
Dans, A. T. (1988) Population Studies and Habitat Analysis of Palawan Tree
Shrew (Tupaia palawanensis) with notes on their feeding habit. Los
Banos, Laguna. IBS-CAS-UPLB
Gonzalez, J. T., Afuang, L. E., Alviola III, P. L., Dans, A. L., & De Guia, A. O.
(2003). A Laboratory Manual in Wildlife 101: Introduction to Philippine
Wildlife (2nd ed) Los Banos, Laguna. Animal Biology Division, Institute
of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the
Philippines Los Banos