🔍 Fixed-Area Survey
He Rūri Wāhi — count, compare, explain
Pick ONE fixed area and count what lives there. Then do it again in a second spot and work out why the numbers differ. Look with your eyes, not your hands.
Name: _________________ Date: _________________
1 · Set the sampling area
Every count must cover the same size area, or the comparison means nothing.
Our fixed area is: ☐ 1 m² ☐ one garden bed ☐ other: ____________________
Spot A: ____________________ Spot B: ____________________ Date: ____________
2 · Count what lives there
Count in both spots. If you are not sure what something is, still count it — write what it looked like.
| Living thing (or what it looked like) | Count in Spot A | Count in Spot B |
|---|---|---|
| TOTAL |
3 · What is different about the two spots?
Tick every condition that differs, then circle the one you think matters most.
☐ light / shade ☐ water ☐ shelter ☐ trampling or disturbance ☐ food ☐ other: ____________
4 · Explain the difference
Which spot had more living things, and why? Your answer must use something you actually observed.
One thing that could have made our counts wrong: ______________________________________
Need a way in? Start by finding and drawing one plant, one leaf, one manu and one ngāngara in Spot A — then count how many of each you can find in the fixed area. You still finish at the counting and comparison.