The Braun-Blanquet scale was devised by the eminent ecologist Josias Braun-Blanquet for the quantification and measurement of flora. Quantification and measurement is a common task in the natural sciences.

Although it may be possible to measure vegetation by counting the number of plants, this is not always possible or practical.. In addition, when comparing vegetation cover, a simple count may be a poor comparison when the foliage cover over a region is varied (eg. Comparing a blade of grass to a tree). Coverage can be obtained by estimating the area shaded by the vegetation if the sun were directly overhead. the percentage of cover can be translated to the Braun-Blanquet Scale:

Materials for your field work

Would you like to print the Braun-Blanquet scale for your field work? Click on the link below or on the Braun-Blanquet graphic in the main window.

The Braun-Blanquet scale sheet