Seasonal and Observer Differences in Vascular Plant Records from British Woodlands

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Abstract
(1) The variations between vascular plant lists produced from the same wood by different observers, at different seasons and using different methods are described. (2) Three British woods were examined during 1982, with two observers per wood and at least two recording times (April-May and August-September). The methods used were to list the species seen either on a walk through the wood or found in randomly placed quadrats. Each method was used at two of the three woods. (3) No significant differences were found in the number of species recorded at a particular wood by either method by either observer between May and September. Lower numbers of species were recorded in early April and October. (4) Differences were found in the frequency with which particular species were recorded both between seasons and between observers. Some of these differences could be related to the phenology of the species concerned. (5) The relation between the time spent on a survey (the sampling intensity) and the number of species recorded is illustrated. (6) The implications of the results for other woodland surveys are discussed.