Vegetation Transects 

Learning Intentions

By the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

• construct a transect 

Although there are a number of different kinds, today we will focus on the ‘vegetation transects’. This is a way of showing what types of vegetation are found between two points on a topographic map. It is done in a similar fashion to a cross-section, but instead of marking down contour lines, you mark in the types of vegetation found and where the boundaries are between different types. This information is then presented in a rectangular box. Look at the topographic map below:

Similar to doing a cross-section, constructing a vegetation transect involves using a piece of paper again, except this time, you are marking in the two points between which the transect will be drawn, the types of vegetation that exist between the two points, as well as the points where vegetation changes from one type to another. Look below:

EXAMPLE: Draw a vegetation transect from Connor Peak to the field study centre at Madeline Bay.

Notice that the start and end points are marked, as are the points at which the vegetation changes from one form to another. Now we take the piece of paper and line it up with the box given below, draw in the boundary lines, then shade the areas according to the key given in the map: