Quadrat
Contents
Key Stage 3
Meaning
A quadrat is a square shape thrown onto the ground to count the number of a particular plant within the square.
About Quadrats
- A quadrat can be used to estimate the coverage of a particular plant in an area but cannot be used to estimate the number of small animals as the animals may move from one square to another and be counted multiple times.
- A quadrat is used by counting the number of squares within the quadrat which contain an example of that plant.
Key Stage 4
Meaning
A quadrat is a square shape placed at random locations in an ecosystem to count the number of a particular plant within the square.
About Quadrats
- A quadrat can be used to estimate the coverage of a particular plant in an area but cannot be used to estimate the number of small animals as the animals may move from one square to another and be counted multiple times.
- A quadrat is used by counting the number of squares within the quadrat which contain an example of that plant.
- Some ecosystems change gradually from one location to another. A quadrat can be used along a transect to show how the distribution of plants changes as you move along that line. An example where this would be used is the coast where next to the ocean there will be very little plant life but as the transect goes further inland the fraction of plants covering the land will increase gradually.
References
AQA
- Quadrat, page 336-7, GCSE Biology; Student Book, Collins, AQA
- Quadrats, page 265, GCSE Combined Science Trilogy; Biology, CGP, AQA
- Quadrats, page 325, GCSE Biology, CGP, AQA
- Quadrats, pages 110, 111, GCSE Biology; The Revision Guide, CGP, AQA
- Quadrats, pages 251-5, GCSE Biology, Hodder, AQA
- Quadrats, pages 262-263, GCSE Biology; Third Edition, Oxford University Press, AQA
- Quadrats, pages 87, 88, GCSE Combined Science; The Revision Guide, CGP, AQA
- Quadrats, pages 89, 100-1, GCSE Combined Science Trilogy 2, Hodder, AQA
- Quadrats; Measurement of a population size, pages 92-3, GCSE Combined Science Trilogy 2, Hodder, AQA
- Quadrats; Random sampling, pages 90-1, GCSE Combined Science Trilogy 2, Hodder, AQA
- Quadrats; Systematic sampling, pages 91, GCSE Combined Science Trilogy 2, Hodder, AQA
Edexcel
- Quadrats, page 68, GCSE Combined Science; The Revision Guide, CGP, Edexcel
- Quadrats, page 96, GCSE Biology; The Revision Guide, CGP, Edexcel
- Quadrats, pages 177, 180, GCSE Biology, Pearson, Edexcel
- Quadrats, pages 285-287, GCSE Biology, CGP, Edexcel