Protocol for Collecting Data along Transects

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Protocol for Collecting Data along Transects

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• Plants are sessile and they sit still and wait
  to be counted (..in the Western Ghats)
• J.L. Harper

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Sampling Strategy

• To cover full range of floristic variation over a
  grid
• To scan along gradients gradient-directed
  sampling
• To maximize inclusion of variation along
  altitude, land use and geological clines

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Sampling Strategy

• To adopt uniform methodology through out the Hot
  Spot that allows to arrive at a quantitative
  estimation of the resource base
• The balance between precision cost

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Belt-Transect

• Linear strip
• Length could be varied
• Conveniently divided into smaller units
• More scope for stratification along any given
  gradient
• Useful while sampling heterogeneous habitat
• Easy to lay and record

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Belt-Transect

• Instead of 10 x 500 m 5 x 1000 m
• The total area remains same
• More scope for stratification
• Convenient to record and keep track of the plants
  by running a central rope

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Three Broad Steps

• Home Work Reconnaissance
• Running of the Transect
• The Follow-through

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Home Work

• Stratification of the habitat important issue
• DSS software
• Toposheets of the area
• Substantial understanding of the locality
• These would guide the allocation of the sampling
  efforts into different stratum

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Home Work

• Fliers for important species to identify using
  major traits
• Published list of species of your area

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Reaching the Starting Point

• Look for a major land marks
• Big tree,
• Culvert,
• Water falls
• Temple etc and take GPS co-ordinates for these
  also

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Reaching the Starting Point

• Make your own drawing of reaching the spot
• As you walk along the habitat, make the list of
  species you have seen necessary to prepare a
  near-total-check-list

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Running the Transect

• The starting point would be always about 10 m
  away from the road, foot path, or the general
  approach
• A metal plate depicting the transect number
  should be put onto a tree nearby the starting
  point

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Running the Transect..

• Set up a compass at the starting point and read
  the direction of the run of the transect. This is
  necessary to keep the transect straight
• Mark a tree with the paint in the starting point
  as well as along the center rope

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Running the Transect..

• Record the observations as per the data sheet on
  growing stock on both the sides of the rope

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Data Sheet
Measure DBH and record height all the individuals
that are over 30 cm GBH, record frequency of
individuals less than 30 cm. Regeneration classes
would be considered separately.
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Taking GBH
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Plot Description Format

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Plot Description Format.
Canopy cover 60-90
Canopy cover 30-60
Densiometer could also be used to assess canopy
cover
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Plot Description Format..
Cutting of Trees
Incidence of Fire
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Plot Description Format
Presence of track
Grazing
Soil collection /working
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Plot Description Format
NTFP collection
Animal scat
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Regeneration Plot
For every 100 m , put a 5 x 5 m nested plot to
observe the regeneration (at 50 meters of the
length). Within this regeneration plot put 1 x 1
m nested plot for herbs.
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Regeneration Plot..
Less regeneration
Profuse regeneration
Class-I (lt40 cm ht)
Class IV (10-30cm gbh lt 1.3 m)
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Follow-up

• File the hard copy of the data sheets
• Press and prepare the specimens for further study
• Identify the unknown specimens of the transect
  immediately after the days work using keys
• Down load the images from the digital camera (in
  case you have access to a PC, onsite) and label
  the images properly
• Data feeding

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Thank you..
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Western Ghats boundary
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The Western Ghats and Sri Lanka Hotspot CEPF
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