Activity 2: Vegetation profile
Creating a vegetation profile of your Namoi ‘special place’
2A
Introduction
A vegetation profile is a two-dimensional representation of a three-dimensional system. It
involves sketching the vegetation in profile along a transect (see the handout Preparing a
plot). A vegetation profile can be useful for checking structural features of a site, interpreting
survey results, and identifying structural layers or strata (canopy, shrub and ground cover).
An understanding of the structural layers in a vegetation profile is required for Activity 3
(foliage cover), Activity 4 (species richness) and Activity 5 (ground layer).
Aim and outcomes
The main aim of Activity 2 is to determine the vegetation structure of your Namoi ‘special
place’. By the end of this activity you will:

have an understanding of the way that vegetation can be seen in layers

be able to identify different layers – canopy, shrub and ground – within a vegetation
community

have mapped on graph paper the different structural layers on your study site

have compared the differences in canopy of different communities which may be at
your site (not all ‘special place’ sites have different communities to assess).
Summary of tasks
Timing
Before visiting the
site
(Section 2B)
Task
• Task 2.1 – Use the class to ‘draw’ a vegetation profile
During the visit to
the site
(Section 2C)
After the visit
(Section 2D)
• Task 2.2 – Prepare a vegetation profile
• Task 2.3 – Class discussion
Estimated time
2B
Tasks to undertake before visiting the site
Task 2.1 – Use the class to ‘draw’ a vegetation profile
You will need:

graph paper

pencils

an eraser.
This task involves creating a representation of the layers of a vegetation community (up to 3
layers), using the students themselves. Divide the class into two: a ‘vegetation’ group and an
‘observer’ group. Mark out an area about 10–15 m in length and ask the ‘vegetation’ students
to take up a position; have some students standing upright, some kneeling or crouching, and
others laying down or hunched over on the ground. These students represent the plants in a
vegetation community. ‘Observer’ students run a straight line with a tape measure through
any part their plot. Try to include about 15 m of transect. Mark the graph paper with a scale
up to 2 m high (for this profile) by 15 m long along the base of the graph paper. Think about
the best ways to do this before starting the actually tests.
Now ask the ‘observer’ students, armed with pencils and graph paper, to draw the ‘studentplant’ forms in profile (see example in Fig. 2.1, below). The students only need to draw the
general shape of the forms – scale and detail are not necessary.
2C
Tasks to undertake at the site
Task 2.2 – Prepare a vegetation profile
You will need:

a 50 × 20 m plot (see the handout Preparing a plot)

graph paper

pencils
For this task, you can make use of the two transects set up in Task 3.3 of Activity 3, or select
a new area and create a plot specifically for this task. If selecting a new area for the transect,
avoid cleared areas or tracks, because the edges of a vegetation community often contain
more weeds or shrubs, meaning that vegetation layers may be less obvious.
Divide students into groups, and ask them to draw vegetation profiles of Transects 1 and 2
using graph paper. Encourage the students to keep the profile diagram simple; an example is
shown in Figure 2.1. Ask the students to:
 expand on their vegetation profile by including notes on things such as vegetation
condition (e.g. dead branches) and approximate height of each vegetation layer (this
will be used with the Specht classification in Activity 3)
 use the pictorial guides provided to identify the main trees within the canopy and the
plants within the shrub or ground layers (note: this is an extension part of the task,
but is needed if the students are going to undertake the student research project that
forms Stage 4 of Activity 8)
 determine the number of vegetation layers (strata) within each transect; for example,
Figure 2.1 shows three layers: canopy, midstorey (shrub) and ground layers.
Height (m)
Distance (m)
Figure 2.1. A vegetation profile showing how the different layers are sketched –
canopy, midstorey (shrub) and ground layers
2C
Tasks to undertake after the visit
Task 2.3 – Class discussion
Compare the profiles of Transect 1 and 2, to identify differences in the vegetation structure of
the site. Identify the canopy layer; that is, the uppermost (tree) layer. If shrubs are present,
include those that are taller than 1 m in the midstorey (shrub) layer, and include those that are
shorter than 1 m in the ground layer with grasses, herbs (a plant that does not produce a
woody stem, although it may be woody at the base), moss and lichens.
Questions
Answer the following questions:

Question 1: How many distinct structural layers did you identify in Transect 1?
.................................

Question 2: How many distinct structural layers did you identify in Transect
2?..............................

Question 3: Are there differences in structure between the two
transects?..........................................

Question 4: If yes, then which layers differ between the two
transects?..........................................
Discussion
Thinking about the structure, what might happen if this area was burnt? Would there be a
difference between a small fire and a raging bushfire? How could these impact the
structure of the vegetation?
Use the transect profiles to complete Task 3.5 of Activity 3 (vegetation classification).