• Biodiversity Monitoring Switzerland

Surveying biodiversity in habitats

As surveying biodiversity in habitats relates to small sampling areas, the method calls for fieldworkers to proceed in a particularly meticulous fashion. Using the BDM smartphone app, plant species are recorded directly on the spot. Mosses, mollusks and aquatic insects, however, are preserved and passed on to experts for identification.

Vascular plants, mosses and mollusks

In order to survey vascular plants, mosses and mollusks in habitats, fieldworkers first localize each 10 sqm sampling area by means of a GPS device and a magnetic locator. Once the magnet buried at the center is found, the sampling area is delimitated using a piece of string 1.8 meters long.

Using the BDM smartphone app, plant species are recorded directly on the spot. While this usually eliminates the necessity of transferring field notes to a computer, some plants need to be collected for subsequent identification. Mosses and mollusks are always passed on to experts for identification.

Please click on any image to view a series of images showing a BDM fieldworker visiting a sampling area.

  • 1
    BDM field biologists localize sampling areas using a GPS device and a magnetic locator. A magnet is buried at each area’s center to make sure it can be found again with utmost precision every 5 years.
  • 2
    The center of the Z9 sampling area is marked with a wooden stake.
  • 3
    With a piece of string attached to the center post helping to keep the predefined radius, the BDM fieldworker identifies all vascular plants growing in a circular area of 10 square meters.
  • 4
    She records all plant species she has identified in the dedicated BDM smartphone app.
  • 5
    Using a surveying compass, the fieldworker selects 8 spots at the edge of the sampling area for soil samples.
  • 6
    A standardized soil sampler cuts a square 125-cm2 sample of litter and topsoil down to a depth of 5 centimeters.
  • 7
    Soil samples are bagged and later sifted through in the lab to find any mollusk shells contained.
  • 8
    Finally, the sampling area is surveyed for mosses.
  • 9
    Mosses are sorted and packaged for subsequent identification in the lab.
  • 10
    This finalizes processing a Z9 sampling area in the field.

Aquatic insects

This series of images illustrates the field sampling process for aquatic insects. BDM monitors underwater biodiversity surveying roughly 600 watercourse sections in Switzerland to look for the larvae of mayflies, stoneflies and caddisflies.

  • 1
    One of roughly 600 BDM stonefly, caddisfly and mayfly sampling sites by a small Swiss watercourse.
  • 2
    The BDM fieldworker records the watercourse section’s position, length and width.
  • 3
    Next, she determines the stream’s flow rate.
  • 4
    In a spot defined by Z9 surveying methods, she places a net in the watercourse, stirring up the stream bed with her boot. As a result, insect larvae are washed into the net.
  • 5
    Large rocks in the stream make it possible to collect critters by hand.
  • 6
    Back on land, she eliminates pebbles and bycatch, carefully picking the tiny invertebrates.
  • 7
    Eventually, the fieldworker sieves through the remaining material in order to catch any remaining larvae.
  • 8
    Full sample containers ready for transport.
  • 9
    Subsequently, experts will sort and identify aquatic insect larvae in the lab.

Surveying in motion

Following fieldworkers both on land and along a watercourse, the video exemplifies the BDM method for surveying species diversity in habitats.

Method Descriptions

Following the link below, BDM fieldworkers will find detailed descriptions of all fieldwork and labwork methods. These documents are also available to interested outside experts.

Surveys in landscapes

Fieldworkers record all vascular plants, butterflies and breeding birds found in an area of 1 square kilometer in size. To do so, they usually follow a precisely predefined track along trails or roads.