Using a transect line
Transects
A transect is a line across a A place where plants, animals and microorganisms live. or part of a habitat. It can be as simple as a string or rope placed in a line on the ground. The number of organisms of each A type of organism that is the basic unit of classification. Individuals of different species are not able to interbreed successfully. along a transect can be observed and recorded at regular intervals.
The distribution of organisms in a habitat is affected by the presence of other living organisms - such as An animal that feeds only on plants. or An animal that eats meat or flesh only. - that might eat them. It is also affected by abiotic factors, such as availability of light or water.
A kite diagram shows the number of animals (or percentage cover for plants) against distance along a transect.
In the example above, the distribution of dandelion plants gradually changes from five metres to 20 metres along the transect. A A square frame of known area used for sampling the abundance and distribution of slow or non-moving organisms. has been placed at regular intervals of a metre (or a few metres) along the transect.
A gradual change in the distribution of species across a habitat is called zonation. It can happen because of a gradual change in an abiotic factor.
A transect is usually used to investigate a gradual change in a habitat rather than to simply estimate the number of organisms within it.
