Emergent and Salt Marsh Vegetation Monitoring

Monitoring is conducted twice a year at Project Greenshores Site I using a 1x1m quadrat and a random sampling technique.  For each intertidal area four parameters are used to describe the status of the emergent and salt marsh vegetation.  These parameters include species composition, relative abundance, canopy height, and shoot density.  Using a random integer grid system superimposed on an aerial photograph, coordinates are acquired to collect sampling data.  Once the quadrat is placed on each specified location, the numbers of species within the quadrat are counted.  Then the relative abundance of those species per 1x1m quadrat is calculated as a percentage.  Next, canopy height of plants are measured and averaged to determine average canopy height within the 1x1m quadrat.  Lastly, shoot density is determined by counting the total number of plants within the 1x1m quadrat.

 

Additional Information

• Site Map

• Monitoring Data Sheets (Excel File)