Surveying Forest Diversity and Health Using the Point-Centered Quarter Method

 

Tested Studies in Laboratory Teaching, 2015, Volume 36

Brian C. Wainscott

Abstract

Fieldwork is often an overlooked component of many undergraduate biology courses however, forest surveys tend to resonate with students and have become increasingly important. Many forests in North America are undergoing rapid changes due to warming climate, alteration of the hydrological cycle, wildfire, and bark beetles. Given the importance of timber to humans and the role forests play in maintaining the biodiversity of higher elevation communities, assessing tree species diversity and health serves as a contemporary and relevant backdrop to expose undergraduates to field biology. The point-centered quarter method is an efficient and effective sampling strategy for species that lack clumped or uniform distributions. Undergraduates can easily apply this method to survey forest diversity and health.

Keywords:  field study, forest survey, point-centered quarter method

University of Oregon (2014)