Resources

1. Equipment list
2. Field data collection
3. Making a specimen
4. Silica gel for DNA preservation

1. Equipment list

General

  • Field datasheets and clipboard
  • Notebook (waterproof if possible)
  • Pen, pencil, permanent marker
  • GPS working in WGS84 and recording in decimal degrees
  • Camera
  • Compass to note bearing of transects
  • Either 25 m or 50 m measuring tapes (or 25 m of rope with marks at each 5 m interval)
  • 1 m diameter circle made of a resilient material – easiest to use flexible pipe or hose
  • 2 m tall measuring staff (e.g. plumber conduit pipes with electrical tape marking height increments)
  • Densiometer or equivalent for measurement of site-level tree cover
  • Shovel/trowel
  • Stanley knife
  • Ziplock (or sealable) plastic bags for soil samples
  • Munsell colour chart
  • Bottle of water
  • Low/short wood or metal stakes to mark sites for repeat monitoring (as appropriate)
  • Mallet
  • Hand lens

Sampling plant specimens for identification and DNA

  • Plant press with sufficient paper and cardboard for drying of specimens
  • Notebook for specifically recording plant collection details
  • Large robust bin size plastic bags
  • Plant tags for labelling specimens
  • Silica gel (for DNA vouchers)
  • Any breathable small paper envelopes (for DNA) such as tea bags or coin envelopes
  • Large tupperware container or heavy-duty gallon size Ziploc bags for holding DNA samples and silica

Grass biomass measurements

  • 0.5m by 0.5m quadrats for grass clipping
  • brown paper bags for transporting biomass clippings - 196x115x385 with a flat base
  • Secateurs/stanley knife

Tree cover and/or LAI measurements

2. Field data collection

YT video will be added later

3. Making a specimen

4. Silica gel for DNA preservation

Further information of using silica gel can be found on Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh website.