How do you calculate species cover?

Species cover is calculated by estimating the proportion of ground area occupied by a particular species within a defined plot. This can be done using methods such as the point-intercept method, where points are randomly placed over the area and the number of points touching the species is recorded. Alternatively, the quadrat method involves placing a square frame over the area and visually estimating the percentage of the quadrat covered by the species. The results are then averaged across multiple plots to obtain a representative cover value for the species.