The Principles of Sampling
- Sampling can be defined as:
The process of collecting a series of small data sets that can be used to represent an entire population
- Sampling in a habitat can be used to assess:
- Abundance
- The number of different species, or the number of individuals of a particular species
- Distribution
- Where a species is found within a habitat
- Abundance
- Sampling is a useful technique in large and complex habitats where it is not possible to find, identify, and count every organism that is present
- Sampling data can be scaled up to make an estimate for the total species numbers in a habitat
The importance of representative sampling
- Sampling involves taking a measure of abundance from a series of small areas within the habitat; these areas are used to represent the habitat as a whole
- In order to be representative it is essential that the following are considered:
- Samples sites must be distributed randomly within a habitat to avoid bias
- Enough samples must be taken to represent the entire habitat; generally the higher the number of samples the more representative the results will be