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Year 8

Ecological sampling using a quadrat

I can use a quadrat to sample populations of organisms.

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New
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Year 8

Ecological sampling using a quadrat

I can use a quadrat to sample populations of organisms.

Download all resources
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Share activities with pupils
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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Quadrats are square frames which can be used to sample plants or slow-moving animals.
  2. There are different measurements that you can take using a quadrat depending on what you are investigating.
  3. Most sampling using quadrats is random to avoid bias in your results.
  4. Classification keys can be used to identify different species.
  5. The results of ecological sampling can be used to inform conservation and preservation efforts.

Keywords

  • Quadrat - A quadrat is a square frame which is used to sample populations of plants or slow-moving animals.

  • Species - A species is a group of organisms that are able to reproduce with each other to produce offspring that are also able to reproduce.

  • Bias - Bias is when a person carries out an investigation and affects the outcome

Common misconception

Pupils often associate the use of quadrats to survey plants in one type of habitat. Pupils do not consider how they can be used to sample sedentary animals e.g. barnacles / limpets on a rocky shore.

During the slide deck there is reference to how quadrats can be used to sample plants and sedentary animals in different habitats.


To help you plan your year 8 science lesson on: Ecological sampling using a quadrat, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

During practical quadrat activities that may be carried out on the school field, it can be helpful to get pupils to do random and systematic sampling to compare their results. There are also a range of simulation activities that can be used to help pupils to understand how to sample populations.
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This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which piece of apparatus could you use to sample plants and slow-moving or sedentary animals?
pooter
pitfall trap
nets
Correct answer: quadrat
Q2.
A feature that an organism has which helps it live in a particular place is called an ...
Correct Answer: adaptation
Q3.
Why do pitfall traps need to be checked regularly?
Correct answer: so that organisms in the trap are not harmed
so that scientists collect results quickly
so that more organisms can be trapped
so that organisms don't escape
Q4.
Temperature is an example of ...
a biotic factor.
Correct answer: an abiotic factor.
Q5.
20 beetles were caught and marked in a mark-release-recapture experiment. Two days later in a second sample 10 beetles were caught, only 1 had a mark. What is the population of beetles in the habitat?
20
100
Correct answer: 200
2000
Q6.
Match the adaptation with how it helps an organism to survive.
Correct Answer:spines on a cactus,help to reduce water loss
tick

help to reduce water loss

Correct Answer:long eyelashes on a camel,help to shade from bright sunlight
tick

help to shade from bright sunlight

Correct Answer:large leaves on a fern,helps to capture sunlight which is used to make food
tick

helps to capture sunlight which is used to make food

Correct Answer:webbed feet on a duck,helps to move through water
tick

helps to move through water

Correct Answer:yellow and black markings on a fly,puts predators off eating it as this is a warning signal
tick

puts predators off eating it as this is a warning signal

Correct Answer:pouch of a kangaroo,provides shelter and protection for offspring
tick

provides shelter and protection for offspring

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What word means that a person carries out an investigation and affects the outcome?
Correct Answer: bias
Q2.
What is a transect?
A piece of apparatus used to collect soil.
A tape measure.
A square frame used to sample plants.
Correct answer: A straight line along which organisms are sampled.
Q3.
What is the best way to ensure random placing of quadrats?
throw them without looking
put them at regular intervals e.g. 10 paces apart
Correct answer: use a random number generator to select the positions
spin around and throw the quadrat
Q4.
Oak pupils are carrying out a random quadrat survey on the school field. Why is it important that they take as many samples as possible?
This helps to reduce bias.
Correct answer: The more samples you take, the more valid your results will be.
This means that everyone in the group gets to throw the quadrat.
Q5.
Which of the following is not a use of quadrats?
To sample populations in some habitats.
To estimate the different species that live in a habitat.
Correct answer: To sample and monitor butterfly populations.
To estimate the percentage coverage of a species in a habitat.
Q6.
Ten quadrats of 1 m² were placed in a field with an area of 100 m². On average, 6 dandelion plants were found in each quadrat. How many dandelion plants are there in the field?
6
60
240
Correct answer: 600

Additional material

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