Biodiversity Surveys of Poorly Known Coastal Forests of ...

Transect 2: GPS reading at beginning of transect, 37L 530082, end of transect, UTM 8982696;
end 37L 530034 , UTM 8984109
Transect 3: beginning 37L 531462, UTM 8985642; end, 37L 532325; UTM 8984247
Matapwa forest:
Transect 1: beginning 37L 542525, UTM 8930851; end 37L 541666; UTM 8932331
Transect 2: beginning 37L 538177, UTM 8927280; end 37L 540407; UTM 8929155
Transect 3: beginning 37L 541826, UTM 89 30 582; end 37L 538643, UTM 8931320
Along each transect, a series of nested plots as recommended by Stohlgren et al., (1995) was
systematically established. The sampling plots were positioned on alternating sides of the transect
following the method of Kasenene (1987). Three levels of sampling were employed in the field:
(a) 20m x 50m plots for trees with >10cm diameter at breast height (DBH) (b) 5m x 2m plots
nested in the larger plot for shrubs and saplings (c) 2m x 0.5m plots nested in the 5m x 2m plots
for herbs and grasses. The information recorded was the species name of plant, for trees, diameter
at breast height (DBH), and for grasses and herbs the percentage cover. Most plants were
identified to species level in the field. Others that were difficult to identify were collected, pressed
and taken to the herbarium in the Department of Botany, University of Dar es Salaam for
identification either by matching with herbarium specimens or by using floras such as Flora of
Tropical East Africa and Flora Zambesiaca.
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