Last Update: January 24, 2007 Part I

P9
ANALYSIS OF COMMUNITY STRUCTURE
FROM SUPPLIED COMMUNITY MAP
(Courtesy: Prof. Tanmay Bhattacharyya)

PRINCIPLE :- To determine the parameter of abundance frequency on analyzing community structure

there must be collection of some sample data. If the sample number is increased the errors of the experiment
could be minimized according to the law of probability.

REQUIREMENT :- The optimum size of the quadrat is taken

PROCEDURE :- i) Choce of the sample area by forming a countant size on the supplied sample.
ii) The randomly chosen areas (obtained by drawing ten round figures) are numbered as 1, 2, 3,,10
iii) Species are named as a, b, r, s etc.
iv) The total number of each species present each sample area is counted.
v) The number of quadrat in which the species are present are counted.
vi) Total no. of sample number of individual of each species and total number of individual of each
species and total no. of individual are calculated.
vii) All the data are tabulated for the calculation of abundance,
ralative abundance frequency etc.

FORMULAE :- By suppling the following formulae it is easy to

calculate the above parameters.
Total no. of individual for each sp.
Aburdance
Total no. of quadrats / sample.
Total no. of individuals for each sp.
Re lative abundance 100
Total no. of individuals for all sp.
no. of quadrat/ sampling where sp. are present
Frequency 100
Total no. of quadrat/ sampling

Y1 Y2
Do min ance index 100
Y

Y1 = no of individual of 1st dominant sp.

Y2 = No. of individual of 2nd dominant sp.
Y = Total no. of individual.
TABLE :-

No. of Sample Number No. of sampling Total no. of

species in which species individual of a
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 are present sp.
a 2 3 2 0 4 2 4 3 4 5 9 29
b 4 2 5 3 1 2 2 6 3 2 10 30
r 3 2 2 2 1 4 1 0 2 1 9 18
s 6 4 6 3 6 3 3 4 5 3 10 43

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CALCULATION TABLE :-

Name Total no. No. of Total no. Abundance Relative Frequency(%)

of of individuals of Abundance(%)
Species individuals sampling
29 29 9
a 29 10 2 .9 100 24% 100 90%
10 120 10
30 30 10
b 30 10 3 .0 100 25% 100 100%
10 120 10
120
18 18 9
r 18 10 1.8 100 15% 100 90%
10 120 10
43 43 10
s 43 10 4 .3 100 36% 100 100%
10 120 10

Now,
Dominance index =
(y1 y 2) Where,
100
y Y1 = 43
43 30
100 Y2 = 30
120
60.83% Y = 120
RAUNKIAERS FREQUENCY TABLE :-
On the basis of frequency values species can be classified into
Frequency Classes Remark
0 20 % - A
Accidental species
21 40 % - B
41 60 % - C
Common species
61 80 % - D
81 100 % - E - Characteristic species

REMARK :-
Thus comparing the calculated result with Raunkiaers frequency table we can concluded species a,
b, r, s as follows
Species Frequency Remark
a 90 % Characteristic Sp
b 100 % Characteristic Sp
r 90 % Characteristic Sp
s 100 % Characteristic Sp

So, the above community comprises of four sp of which all are found to be Characteristic sp.

COMMENT :- 1. Sampling must be done randomly; 2. Samples should be taken as much as possible.
Skubala (1999) Eudominant - RA > 10%
Whare Dominant - 5.1 - 10%
X = Total number of sampling unit Subdominant - 2.1 - 5.0%
ni= of ith species Recedent - 1.1 - 2.0%
N = Total number of individuals of all the species Subrecedent - RA < 1.0%

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