Determination of Minimum Quadrat Size for Herbaceous Species in Andhra University, Andhra Pradesh, India

Abstract

In this study we analysed herbaceous species diversity in Andhra University campus by using minimum quadrat size method. For this analysis we used 10 × 10 sq. cm as the minimum size of the quadrat and we gradually increased the quadrate size and the count was repeated each time. We repeated the same procedure for 20 × 20 sq. cm, 30 × 30 sq. cm, 40 × 40 sq. cm and so on till 1 × 1 sq. metre area is covered and we noted the number of additional species every time. The vegetation analysis was carried out by total 10, 1 m × 1m sample plots placed randomly from study area. From the collected data we obtained species-area curve and the curve shows that 80 × 80 sq. cm size is the minimum size of quadrat for herbaceous species diversity analysis in Andhra University, Andhra Pradesh, India.