Process

The Smithsonian Institution's Monitoring and Assessment of Biodiversity Program (MAB) uses the same process to study forest biodiversity in all of its 200 research sites around the world. Using the same process to set up plots and gather data makes it easier to analyse results from many different areas.

There are a number of steps to establishing and monitoring a biodiversity plot using MAB's process:

• Site selection
• Setting up a plot
• Gathering data on trees
  • Measuring diameter at breast height
  • Tagging trees — try this in an online activity
  • Coding tree status — try this in an online activity
• Mapping tree location
• Identifying species.

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