Unit 4 – 1.
2 – Populations and Ecosystems
Measuring abundance
 Random sampling w/ quadrats & transects used
obtain measures abundance
 Abundance no individuals of species w/in given space
 Can measured several ways, depending on size species
being counted & the habitat, e.g.:
o Frequency: likelihood of particular species
occurring in quadrat, e.g. a species occurs
15/30 quadrats frequency is 50%. Method
useful where species is hard count, gives quick
idea species present & general distribution.
Does not provide info on density & detailed
distribution species
o Percentage cover: an estimate area w/in
quadrat that particular plant species covers.
Useful where species is particularly abundant
or diff count. Advantage is data collected
rapidly & individual plants not need counted,
less useful where organisms occur several
overlapping layers.
 Obtain results, necessary ensure sample size is large,
many quadrats used & mean all samples obtained.
Larger the no samples, more representative
community as whole will be results
Systematic sampling along transects
 Sometimes more informative measure abundance &
distribution of species in systematic rather random
manner
 Particularly important where some form transition
in communities plants & animals take place
 Line transect comprise string or tape stretched
across ground in straight line, any organism over
which line passes is recorded
 Belt transect is strip, usually meter wide, marked
putting second line parallel to first, species
occurring w/in belt between lines recorded
 To study habitat often necessary
count no individuals of species in
given space
 This known as abundance
 Virtually impossible identify &
count every organism
 Do so would time consuming &
cause damage habitat being
studied
Investigating
populations
Random Sampling
 Important sampling random avoid any
bias in collecting data, avoiding bias
ensures data obtained valid
 A good method of random sampling is
to:
1. Lay out two long tape measures
@ right angles, along 2 sides of
study area
2. Obtain series of coordinates by
using random no taken from
table or grated by computer or
calculator
3. Place quadrat at intersection of
each pair coordinates & record
species w/in it
 SO small samples usually studied in detail
 As long as samples representative of habitats as
whole any conclusion drawn from findings will
be valid
 No sampling techniques used in study of habitat,
these include:
o Random sampling using frame or point
quadrats
o Systematic sampling along transects
Quadrats
 Three factors to consider when using quadrats:
 Size quadrat use: depend upon size plants or
animals being counted & how they distributed
within area. Large species = larger quadrat
o Where species occurs in series group
rather being evenly distributed
throughout area, a large no small
quadrats will give more representative
results than small no large ones
 No of sample quadrats to record within the
study area: larger no of sample quadrats the
more reliable results will be.
o Recording species w/in quadrat is time-
consuming task, needs balance between
validity results & time available.
o Greater no different species present in
area studied = greater no quadrats
required valid results
 Position each quadrat w/in study area: produce
statistically significant results technique random
sampling must used.
AQA Biology (A-level Pg 6-9)