Minimum area assessment and different sampling approaches for the study of vegetation communities in Antarctica

Antarctic vegetation offers excellent opportunities for the study of dynamics and biodiversity of natural systems with high environmental sensitivity. This paper addresses the methodological and technical aspects for the minimum area (MA) assessment (the smallest area which adequately represents community composition) and compares three different sampling approaches for vegetation at Jubany, King George Island. Five target communities, among the most widespread and representative of a wide range of floristic richness and dynamism, were selected through the phytosociological study. The minimum area, determined from four methods, ranged between 2 and 24 m(2). Similar values have been obtained for the polar desert vegetation of the Northern Hemisphere. Three sampling approaches were tested in the five communities: the phytosociological survey with 100 cm grid, the phytosociological survey with 5 cm grid, the point intercept with 10 cm grid. To achieve comparable data a standard plot, satisfying the MA requirements of all the communities, has been adopted for all the study sites. The results indicate that the integration of the three methods provides the highest level of information, especially in respect of limitations on field sampling and logistics.