V - Vegetation

Codes: V - VA - VB - VC - VF - VH - VP - VW
Site types that use this protocol: Terrestrial

Semi-natural and managed vegetation is often very sensitive to the main drivers of environmental change, i.e. climate, pollutants and land use practices.

The vegetation protocol is sub-divided as follows:

Baseline Survey

Code: VB

Whole site survey with up to 500 systematic 2m x 2m plots. Species presence related to the National Vegetation Classification (NVC).

Coarse-grain sampling

Code: VC (in woodlands: VW)

50 random 2m x 2m grid plots surveyed every nine years.  Species presence recorded in each of the 25 40cm x 40cm cells of the plot. Where plots fall in woodland (protocol VW), seedlings, DBH, height and dominance are recorded within a surrounding 10m x 10m plot.

Fine-grain sampling

Code: VF

At least two 10m x 10m plots randomly selected within each NVC type surveyed every three years.  Species presence recorded in 40cm x 40cm cells.

In addition:    linear features (VH), permanent grass (VP) and cereals (VA)

The details of these elements of the protocol are explained in the Vegetation (V) protocol document.

View V protocol [PDF]