What is the difference between a line transect and a belt transect

Use a key to identify each species. Record results in a table. Move the quadrat along the measuring tape. Quadrats are divided into smaller squares so that it is possible to estimate the percentage distribution of whatever feature is being measured.

Interrupted belt transects can save time but important variations in the data may be missed in the gaps between samples. Transects and quadrats are two ecological tools that allow us to quantify the relative abundance of organisms in an area. To track changes over time, it is important to be able to quantify changes in abundance.

A transect line is any line, marked at regular intervals, that is easy to use in the field. Scientists place their quadrats at regular intervals along the transect and often record other data like temperature, pH or water content.

In this way, they can link these factors to the distribution of organisms. A kite diagram as shown on the next page is used to show the number of organisms along the transect. Transect sampling is similar to the random sampling we did for dandelions, except that the sampling is confined to a single strip of land.

Another benefit to transect sampling is that you can come back and resample the same transect week after week or year after year. A quadrat is often used to sample plants. It marks off an exact area so that the plants in that area can be identified and counted. The quadrats sampler should be placed on one side or the other of the transect line at the meter marks —place the sampler on the same side of the line each time.

When quadrats are used to randomly sample an area, it is important to scale up the results to know the numbers of organisms in the whole of the habitat.

It is the best estimate that can be obtained, without spending hours and hours counting every single organism. A transect map, accomplished through a transect walk, is a tool used by a group undertaking observation-based community improvement , which should include informed community members and people with the technical skills to identify and propose solutions to issues that are visibly manifested on a walk through the A transect depicts a cross-section of the different agro- ecological zones and provides a comparative assessment of the Zones on different parameters topography, land type, land usage, ownership, access, soil-type, soil fertility, vegetation, crops, problems, opportunities and solutions.

Why use belt transect? Asked by: Estelle Quigley. Keys can be chosen to represent individual species. Vegetation height can be drawn in choosing an appropriate scale. The slope of the line can also be measured when carrying out the transect and incorporated into the transect diagram.

To show species ranges along the line. This will generally show only where the species occurs, not how much of it is present. A belt transect will supply more data than a line transect. It will give data on the abundance of individual species at different points along the line, as well as on their range. As well as showing species ranges along the line, a belt transect will also allow bar charts to be constructed showing how the abundance of each individual species changes within its range.

Belt transect data will allow the relative dominance of species along the line to be determined. What interval should be used? Transects can either be continuous with the whole length of the line being sampled, or samples can be taken at particular points along the line. For example, every metre, or every other metre. For both line and belt transects, the interval at which samples are taken will depend on the individual habitat, as well as on the time and effort which can be allocated to the survey.

Too great an interval may mean that many species actually present are not noted, as well as obscuring zonation patterns for lack of observations. More here. Too small an interval can make the sampling extraordinarily time consuming, as well as yielding more data than is needed. This can cause problems with presenting the data line transects as well as sometimes making it harder to see patterns of zonation because of too much 'clutter'.

It is important to make sure that the interval chosen does not happen to coincide with some regularly occurring feature of the habitat. It is a rectangular area centred on a line that is set across an area having a clear environmental gradient. In other words, a belt transect can be considered as a widening of the line transect to form a continuous belt or a series of quadrats. Hence, this method produces more data than a line transect.

This method uses a quadrat to collect data. Quadrats are placed over the line to collect the data. It also can be taken as a permanent sampling plot to gather data for a longer period of time.

Generally, belt transects provide a lot of data on individual species at different points along the line and their range. It allows the construction of bar charts to show how the abundance of each individual species changes within its range.

Moreover, the belt transect method is useful to determine the relative dominance of species along the line. Line transect is another systematic sampling method similar to the belt transect method. In the line transect, a line is drawn across a habitat. It can be simple as a string or rope placed on the ground across a habitat. The organisms that actually touch the line are considered in this method.

Therefore, sampling is restricted only to organisms that touch the line. Though this method is similar to the belt transect, it produces limited information. It only shows the changes taking place along the line. The presence and absence of species are recorded. It illustrates a particular gradient or linear pattern along the line. The data is displayed in the form of a diagram, using symbols for different species, which are drawn to scale.