A variation of line intercept sampling: Comparing long transects to short transects

Line intercept transects are commonly used to measure vegetation although t heir length and number are variable among studies. Although line intercepts are used to compare other sampling techniques, few studies have investigat ed the effect of changing the number and length of transects on measurement s. This study compared results from line intercept sampling with convention al 45 m transects to 4 m transects at 10 study sites in south-central New M exico. In a plant community dominated by creosotebush (Larrea tridentata), tarbush (Florensia cernua), and bush muhly (Muhlenbergia porteri) no differ ences were detected in measurements made with three 45 m transects compared to thirty 4 m transects or for six 45 m transects compared to one hundred 4 m transects (P > 0.05). However, sampling with the 4 m transects can be e asily conducted by a single technician whereas the 45 m transects typically require a two person team. This study suggests that a substantial amount o f sampling efficiency can be gained through use of short line transects wit h no loss in data quality regarding estimates of mean and variance.