Tardigrades in the Canopy: Using Double Rope Techniques to Conduct Sampling Along Vertical Transects

The methods called Double-rope techniques (DRT) were used to sample vertical transects into the temperate forest canopy, to determine the diversity and abundance of tardigrades. This technique is reputedly the safest method of accessing canopies and it uses a minimum of technical hardware. In this case, DRT served to facilitate the access of mobility-limited students into the forest canopy, thereby providing an inspiring experience in field biology for this underserved group as well as allowing replicated point sampling of organisms throughout the treetops.