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Influences of transect relocation errors on line-point estimates of plant cover

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Abstract

The line-point transect method has been used to estimate plant cover for about nine decades. In particular, the method is often used to determine baseline plant cover and monitor for changes in plant cover over time. In such cases, detection of change requires both the initial transect starting position and angle of orientation are exact in relocation without error. A study was conducted on influences of errors in basal cover estimates that resulted from inexact relocation and orientation of a resample transect. Simulation studies of actual field data showed that variation in plant cover estimates from relocated line-point transects increased with each source of error and combinations of these errors. Relocated transects resulted in unbiased estimates of total-plant cover only when means over all transects are used to detect changes over time. Substantial errors were observed when the mean cover of individually relocated transect was compared to its original transect.

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support provided by Forest, Rangeland Ecosystem Science, and Watershed Stewardship Department of Colorado State University and the Colorado State University Agricultural Experiment Station (Project 1-56602).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Forest, Rangeland and Watershed Stewardship, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA

    Charles D. Bonham & Robin M. Reich

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  1. Charles D. Bonham
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  2. Robin M. Reich
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Correspondence to Charles D. Bonham.

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Bonham, C.D., Reich, R.M. Influences of transect relocation errors on line-point estimates of plant cover. Plant Ecol 204, 173–178 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-009-9581-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-009-9581-8

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