Determination of plant species cover by means of image analysis

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Abstract
A method is described for the determination of plant species cover in herbaceous plant communities by means of image analysis. It is a computerized extension of the quadrat‐charting method. The method was tested with four different computer systems for three different vegetation types, a shady lawn, a pioneer vegetation and a forest floor. We compared the results with vertical point‐intercept analyses of the same stands. Image analysis revealed a high accuracy of the method ranging from < ± 1 to about ± 2% cover depending on the dominance of the species being analysed. The method is particularly suitable for the analysis of low herbaceous or unsaturated vegetation, dominance stands of broad‐leaved plant species and for the analysis of cover changes in permanent plots.