Belt transect explained

Belt transects are used in biology, more specifically in biostatistics, to estimate the distribution of organisms in relation to a certain area, such as the seashore or a meadow.^{[1] [2]}

The belt transect method is similar to the line transect method but gives information on abundance as well as presence, or absence of species.^{[3] [4]}

Method

The method involves laying out a transect line and then placing quadrats over the line, starting the quadrat at the first marked point of the line.^[5] Any consistent measurement size for the quadrat and length of the line can be chosen, depending on the species. With the quadrats applied, all the individuals of a species can be counted, and the species abundance can be estimated. The method is also suitable for long-term observations with a permanent installation.^[6]

Notes and References

1. Book: Hill, David Arnold . Matthew Fasham . Graham Tucker . Michael Shewry . Philip Shaw . Handbook of biodiversity methods: survey, evaluation and monitoring . Cambridge University Press . Cambridge, UK . 2005 . 219–222 . 0-521-82368-4 . 61439712.
2. Fan . Jihui . Liu . Tianyuan . Liao . Ying . Li . Yiying . Yan . Yan . Lu . Xuyang . 2021 . Distinguishing Stoichiometric Homeostasis of Soil Microbial Biomass in Alpine Grassland Ecosystems: Evidence From 5,000 km Belt Transect Across Qinghai–Tibet Plateau . Frontiers in Plant Science . 12 . 781695 . 10.3389/fpls.2021.781695 . 34925425 . 8675581 . 1664-462X. free .
3. http://www.countrysideinfo.co.uk/what_method.htm Ecological Sampling Methods
4. http://geographyfieldwork.com/urban_sampling.htm Urban Sampling Methods
5. Web site: How to carry out ecological sampling page 4. . 2022-11-03 . www.countrysideinfo.co.uk.
6. Web site: 2021-03-17 . Difference Between Belt and Line Transect . 2022-11-03 . Compare the Difference Between Similar Terms . en-US.