Braun-Blanquet percentage vegetation cover and indicator species data in Ankeniheny Zahamena forest corridor, Madagascar

Full materials and methods available from Supporting Information (Manual_ 1_Classical_Survey)
The estimation of percent cover has been used in the land use determination process. It consists of the evaluation of relative surface coverage of one species in a determined surface.
The percent (%) cover is estimated for the indicator species within a circle of 5m radius (area 78.54 m2) in which the inventory of trees with diameter at breast height (1.3 metres) of 5 to 10cm has been conducted. For each site, % cover was determined with a local botanist. The team uses a visual guide to estimate the % cover. It is recorded by using an 8 category scale known as the Braun-Blanquet scale.
Scale Cover
0 Not present
T Trace amount< 1%
1 1-5% cover
2 5-25% cover
3 25-50% cover
4 50-75% cover
5 75-95% cover
6 >95% cover