AQA Measuring Distribution

Quadrats - a square of metal, wood, or plastic used in Ecology to isolate a sample. It is suitable for sampling plants or slow moving animals such as millipedes and other insects.

Transect lines - a tape measure or rope is laid down in a straight line. Quadrat samples are then taken every metre along the line. This allows you to measure the distibution of something along that line.

Estimation the Distribution of a Species:

• Count all the organisms in a 1m^2 quadrat or estimate the number of squares filled.
• Multiply the number of organisms or the amount of squares filled by the total area of the habitat.

Using a Transect Line

• Quadrats are places along the line at regular intervals using a tape measure.
• Used to observe how to distibution of a species changes along the line.