Five 0.25 m² quadrats were placed randomly in an area of grassland in the UK. The percentage of each quadrat occupied by each species of plant was estimated to the nearest 5% and recorded in the following table.

a. Calculate the mean percentage cover for the first two species in the table.

b. Explain why the percentage cover for all the species in each quadrat adds up to more than 100%.

c. Suggest why the percentage cover was recorded to the nearest 5%.

d. Could these results be used to obtain a valid estimate of the species density for each species? Explain your answer.

e. State four factors that influence plant biodiversity in a field ecosystem.

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Percentage cover of each plant species in each quadrat to the Mean Species percentage nearest 5% cover 1 2 3 5 Timothy grass Yorkshire fog grass plantain meadow buttercup dock 60 30 35 70 25 25 70 30 15 40 5 5 2 15 10 5 10 5 5 cowslip white clover bare ground 5 1 15 25 25 10 15 15 15 20 11 5.