A comparison of two sampling techniques in the study of submersed macrophyte richness and abundance

Sampling procedures represent a critical component of plant community studies, particularly for deep-water submersed species that are not easily observed. Here, two methods of submersed macrophyte sampling are compared for their accuracy and consistency. During 2 years of study, in-water sampling produced higher values of total species richness (nine species compared with eight in 1996 and 14 species compared with 10 in 1997), mean species richness in quadrats (2.3 compared with 1.4 in 1996, 2.2 compared with 1.1 in 1997) and frequency for an species than the boat surveys did. Small species were particularly vulnerable to underestimation in boat surveys. In-water sampling was also less variable, producing higher mean-to-variance ratios. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.