The use of quadrat and plotless methods in the analysis of the tree and shrub component of woodland vegetation.

Abstract

Few attempts have been made to test plotless methods of botanical analysis in the field. Therefore eight such methods and the quadrat method of estimating the density and species composition of trees and shrubs were tested on the vegetation in the semi-arid, south-eastern lowveld of Rhodesia. These methods are compared and evaluated in terms of accuracy and efficiency. Methods using distance to third nearest plant were found to be less biased than the other plotless methods, but the quadrat method was found to be superior in all respects for this type of vegetation.

Keywords: accuracy; analysis; botany; composition; density; efficiency; lowveld; method; quadrat; rhodesia; sampling; semi-arid; shrubs; species composition; technique; trees; vegetation; zimbabwe