Line Analysis Method Essay

Line Intercept Method

Brendalyn Basilan, Camille Yvonne Cubar, Kristilynn Saavedra, Carmen Sophia Rubia

Introduction The simplest of all ecological sampling techniques, the line-intercept method is usually used by field researchers in determining vegetation composition, cover, and frequency of a study area. This is administered using a long transect line or tape measure starting from a determined fix point or at the visible boundary of a habitat and runs horizontally across the area. Line-intercept method is actually in line with statistics because it is a method of sampling elements in a region where particles or in this case the plants are sampled if a chosen line segment called the “transect”, transects the plant (Kaiser, 1983). Since

In this method, one takes a manageable area of known size and identifies, counts, and usually measures all individuals contained within it. This sampling procedure is then repeated (i.e., “replicated”) for a number of plots to obtain an adequate representation of the

The unknowns are assigned with proper labels and photographs. Plants that touches or within half an inch radius from the line are the only ones included. Overlying canopy and other plants above the forest floor that are directly above or still within the half an inch radius from the transect line is also included. We recorded in centimeters the exact start and end point of each plant species relative to the transect line. When the same plant species have several patches across the length of the transect line, the start and end point of each patch are noted and put it under the same plant species in the data sheet. When there are no vegetation containing in the area of the line, item/s or objects occupying that space are to be named (e.g. soil, rock, litter, etc.). After recording all the plant cover from starting point up to the end of the line and the number of patches per plant species, total cover of each plant species in each transect line are combined. Plant species are classified according to the plant-life form classification by the