Kite Diagrams in Origin 2020

Kite Diagrams are most often used in biological and ecological studies to chart relative abundance of some species or quantity of interest, along a predetermined transect. At regular sampling points, the technician will collect a sample or make some observations and the resulting data from each sampling point are later compiled and plotted as a function of distance from the transect starting point.  The resulting Kite Diagram gives a quick view of the qualitative effects of zonation on species, water chemistry, etc .

Like all Origin graphs, the basic Kite Diagram template can be modified and saved with your custom settings. If you routinely create such graphs for your work, this can be a real time-saver.

Further, Origin’s other graphing features work to complement the basic Kite Diagram template. For instance, you might add a second layer that charts elevation changes along your transect and link the axis scale and size of the second layer to that of the first.  This locks the child layer to the parent layer allowing you to make fine adjustments to physical dimensions and axis scales of the parent layer without disrupting the spatial relationship between the two layers.

While most examples that you will find on the web have been created to plot biological data, one can imagine other possible applications for a Kite Diagram.  Instead of plotting distance along a transect, the X axis variable could be time, for instance.  The Y axis variable could be any categorical variable for which a side-by-side comparison is instructive.

Kite Diagrams are brand new in Origin 2020, along with Sankey and Alluvial plots; several new Pie Chart variations, including Doughnut Charts; Pyramid Plots and Before-After Plots; and a much-improved Dendrogram, including Circular Dendrograms.  You can see these new graph types when Origin 2020 is released in the Fall of 2019 by running Origin 2020, pressing F11 and in the Learning Center, searching All Plot Types for 2020.

 

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