An ecologist samples trees in 50 plots in a forest to determine the number of species in the forest.When a species accumulation curve is used to plot the cumulative number of tree species (y axis)against the number of samples taken (x axis),the optimal sample size needed to determine species richness is represented by the point at which the curve
A)is steepest.
B)is highest,after which it dips downward.
C)flattens.
D)is lowest.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The optimal sample size is represented by the point at which the curve flattens, indicating that additional sampling would not result in a significant increase in the number of tree species found in the forest. This point indicates that a sufficient number of samples have been taken to accurately determine the species richness of the forest.

An Ecologist Samples Trees in 50 Plots in a Forest