Sampling Plants using Quadrats in Grasslands

The data was collected at York University campus in the Danby Woods, on Tuesday, September 22, 2015 around 2:45-5:15pm. It was collected to determine the sample populations of grassland plants in that area. This dataset collected data using quadrats that are one meter by one meter in length. The quadrat was placed randomly on the ground 25 times in order to get a sample of the plant population of the entire grassland area. In order to get random areas of the entire grassland, a random number was chosen and the quadrat was placed down after that many steps were taken. The data that was recorded from each quadrat was the total abundances of plants, the total number of different species, the total cover of all vegetation, and total cover of grass. The total abundance and total number of species was determined by counting the individual plants. The total cover of vegetation and grass was determined by estimating the amount of area it covered relative to the area of the whole quadrat. The entire process of this dataset took around a 1 and ½ hour or so. The temperature was around 21-22°C. Group members include Katie, Katherine, Adam, Ava and I.

本数据集采集于2015年9月22日周二下午约14:45至17:15，采集地点为约克大学（York University）丹比森林（Danby Woods）校园区域。本次采集的目的为测定该区域草本植物的种群样本量。本数据集采用边长为1米的样方（quadrat）进行数据采集：为获取整片草原区域的植物种群样本，研究人员在地面随机布设25次样方，具体布设方式为选取随机数，按该数值对应的步数移动后放置样方，以确保采样区域的随机性。本次采集记录的内容包括：各样方内植物总个体数、不同物种总数、所有植被总盖度以及草本植物总盖度。其中，植物总个体数与物种总数通过计数单株植物得出；植被与草本植物总盖度通过估算其覆盖样方总面积的比例确定。本次数据集的完整采集流程耗时约1.5小时，当日现场气温约21至22摄氏度。参与本次采集的团队成员包括Katie、Katherine、Adam、Ava以及笔者本人。