| The
comparisons between sections have been made using % frequency (with data taken from
all the quadrats sampled, both belt and random) as a measure of abundance. Percentage frequency = the percentage of the total number of
quadrats sampled which contained the species. For example, a percentage frequency of 100%,
means that the species was found in all quadrats sampled.
Percentage frequency has been
used as a measure of abundance rather than mean % cover, because in many cases, changes in
moss mean % cover were relatively small from one year to the next. This disguised the fact
that many of the mosses had greatly increased in extent across the site over the year.
This is demonstrated by the fact that they were found in a much higher percentage of the
quadrats sampled.
The % frequencies shown above are based on an
average of 25 quadrats sampled per section. Differences of 10% frequency (which equates to
a difference of approximately 2 quadrats) or less should not be regarded as
significant. |