Vegetation sampling is conducted to monitor vegetation inventory. Aspects such as species diversity, density (coverage) and health may be surveyed, depending upon the aim of the project. It is an application of spatial sampling where data is sampled by area rather than at discrete sample locations. Why is this?

On the left soil geochemistry is sampled at discrete locations by point sampling. Those same locations on the right would not be suitable for vegetation sampling as there is as it would only
record what (however much) vegetation occurs at that point alone. The options are to sample many more discrete points, which then is very dependent on the point locations chosen, or better still, to sample areas in which overall vegetation coverage can be recorded.

Topic outcomes

• examine the use of quadrats in obtaining samples,
• understand the Braun-Blanquet scale for recording vegetation coverage, and
• perform virtual sampling of vegetation.
  

Some considerations for vegetation sampling:

1. How do we choose sampling locations to ensure that we have complete coverage of the desired study area?
2. How do we sample small plants as well as large plants?
3. What is actually sampled, the number of plants or the area coverage of a plant?