IB ESS SL 2.1.16 Quadrat Sampling Questions
Practise IB ESS SL 2.1.16 by selecting quadrat sites, measuring vegetation and estimating abundance, frequency and percentage cover.
- Syllabus
- First assessment 2026
- Course
- ESS SL
- Level
- SL
Exam points
- design representative quadrat sampling for non-mobile organisms using random or systematic site selection
- measure percentage cover, frequency, abundance or density within quadrats and compare estimates
- improve reliability by repeating quadrats, standardising measurements and using sufficient sample size
- use quadrat results to determine invasive-species impacts or vegetation change along an environmental gradient
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IB ESS SL 2.1.16 Quadrat Sampling Questions question 1
[Maximum number: 3]
Describe a method used to collect the data on percent cover vegetation shown in Figure: Vegetation cover near a glacier.
a. Decide on the location of a transect using an air photo/map/ create a transect from the end of the glacier, moving away in a straight line;
b. Conduct systematic sampling to determine the change along the environmental gradient / sample at (regular) intervals with increasing distance away from the glacier;
c. use quadrat sampling;
d. (visually) estimate/calculate/determine percent cover (at each site/sampling location) / count how many squares have vegetation and add them up;
e. Random sampling at each location for quadrat measurements (to avoid bias in site selection);
f. Repeat measurements (to get average/standard deviation) at each site;
Note to examiners: Do not accept only 'systematic sampling/sampling at intervals'.
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