View source for Sampling (Biology)

==Key Stage 4==
===Meaning===
'''Sampling''' is when a [[scientist]] looks at several small areas of an [[organism]] or an [[ecosystem]] and calculates a [[mean]] [[average]] to make an [[estimate]] over the total area.

===About Sampling===
: '''Sampling''' is used when it is not possible to count all of a specific feature within an entire [[organism]] or [[ecosystem]].
: '''Sampling''' allows a [[scientist]] to [[estimate]] the total spread of a feature over an entire [[organism]] or [[ecosystem]].
: When '''sampling''' the features of an [[organism]] a [[microscope]] may be used to several small sections of that [[organism]].
: When '''sampling''' small [[plant]]s in an [[ecosystem]] a [[quadrat]] may be used to find the number of those [[plant]]s in a given [[area]].

===Examples===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|[[File:Stomata.png|center|400px]]
|[[File:Quadrat.png|center|400px]]
|-
| style="height:20px; width:200px; text-align:center;" |The number of [[stomata]] in the '''sample''' is counted and the number of [[stomata]] on the [[leaf]] can be estimated by multiplying the number in this area by the number of these areas that would fit on a [[leaf]]. 
| style="height:20px; width:200px; text-align:center;" |The fraction of [[plant]] coverage within the [[quadrat]] [[sample]] is counted by adding up the number of squares with [[plant]] coverage then this area. The same is done for several other areas within this [[ecosystem]] and a [[mean]] [[average]] is taken to [[estimate]] the [[average]] coverage of [[plant]]s within this [[ecosystem]].
|}