Field investigations and factors that affect communities - ecosystem and biodiversity

Question 1

What is distribution of an organism?

Answer 1

Where an organism is found, influences by abiotic and biotic factors.

Question 2

What is the quadrat practical to study the distribution of small organisms?

Answer 2

1) place quadrant on ground in first sample area at random.
2) count all organisms within quadrant.
3) repeat these steps and work out mean number of organisms per quadrat within first sample area.
4) repeat in second sample area.

Question 3

How can you use transects to study distribution of organisms along a line?

Answer 3

Mark out a line in area you want to measure using tape measure.
Collect data along line by either counting all organisms you’re interested in that touch the line.
Or using quadrats placed along the line.

Question 4

How do you estimate the percentage cover of a quadrat?

Answer 4

Count number of squares covered by the organism, you count a square if it’s more than half covered.
Make this into a percentage;
divide the number of squares covered by organisms by total number of squares in quadrat then X by 100.