2.1 Feild Techniques For Biologists Flashcards
complete (66 cards)
1
Q
Why is it difficult to count wild animals
A
- they are wild and cannot be herded
- they may be dangerous
- they are well camouflaged and not easily seen
- some species are nocturnal
- they are often found in groups, making it difficult to count individuals
1
Q
Replicated samples in sampling
A
- recording every individual in a population (total count) would be impractical, unnecessary, and expensive
- instead, ecologists take replicated samples to represent the overall community
2
Q
How should sampling be done
A
Minimises the impact on wild species and habitats
3
Q
Wildlife sampling and legislation
A
- consideration must be given to rare and vulnerable species and habitats that are protected by legislation
- up to scientist to check that the legislation is up to date before the research is carried out
4
Q
Hazards in field work
A
- adverse weather conditions
- difficult terrain
- problems associated with isolation
- contact with harmful organisms
5
Q
- adverse weather conditions
- difficult terrain
- problems associated with isolation
- contact with harmful organisms
A
Hazards in fieldwork
6
Q
Control measurements for field work
A
Appropriate equipment, clothing, footwear, and means of communication
7
Q
What must sampling techniques be
A
Appropriate to the species being samples
8
Q
Different sampling techniques and appropriate species
A
- point count: bird
- transect: plants, sessile/slow moving organisms
- remote detection: elusive species
- capture techniques: mobile species
9
Q
Point count
A
- involves the observer recording all individuals seen from a fixed point count location
- this can be compared to other point count locations, or with data from the same location gathered at other times
10
Q
- involves the observer recording all individuals seen from a fixed point count location
- this can be compared to other point count locations, or with data from the same location gathered at other times
A
Point count
11
Q
Quadrants use
A
Quadrants of suitable size and shape, or transects are used for plants and other sessile or slow moving organisms
12
Q
Capture techniques examples
A
- traps
- nets
13
Q
- traps
- nets
A
Capture techniques
14
Q
How to sample elusive species
A
Samples directly using camera traps or an indirect method, such as scat sampling
15
Q
Samples directly using camera traps or an indirect method, such as scat sampling
A
How to sample elusive species
16
Q
Samples directly using camera traps or an indirect method, such as scat sampling
A
How to sample elusive species
17
Q
How do identify an organism in a sample
A
- classification guides
- biological keys
- analysis of dna or protein
18
Q
- classification guides
- biological keys
- analysis of dna or protein
A
Identification of an organism in a sample
19
Q
How to classify organisms
A
Taxonomy and phylogenetics
20
Q
Taxonomy and phylogenetics
A
How to classify organisms
21
Q
Taxonomy
A
- Involves the identification and naming of organisms and their classification into groups based on shared characteristics
- Classic taxonomy is based on morphology
22
Q
- Involves the identification and naming of organisms and their classification into groups based on shared characteristics
- Classic _______ is based on morphology
A
Taxonomy
23
Q
Phylogenetics
A
The study of the evolutionary history and relationships among individuals or groups of organisms
24
The study of the evolutionary history and relationships among individuals or groups of organisms
Phylogenetics
25
Phylogenetics effect on classifications
Changing the traditional classification of many organisms
26
What is changing the traditional classification of many organisms
Phylogenetics
27
Phylogenetics method
- used heritable traits such as morphology, DNA sequences, or protein structure to make inferences about an organism’s evolutionary history and create a phylogeny (phylogenetic tree)
- a phylogeny is a diagrammatic hypothesis of its relationships to other organisms
- genetic evidence can reveal relatedness obscured by divergent or convergent evolution
28
used heritable traits such as morphology, DNA sequences, or protein structure to make inferences about an organism’s evolutionary history and create a phylogeny (phylogenetic tree)
Phylogenetics
29
Examples of taxonomic groups
- nematodes
- arthropods
- chordates
30
- nematodes
- arthropods
- chordates
Examples odd taxonomic groups
31
What does familiarity of taxonomic groupings allow for
Predictions and inferences to be made about the biology of an organism from better known organisms
32
What allows for predictions and inferences to be made about the biology of an organism from better known organisms
Familiarity of taxonomic groupings
33
Model organisms
Either easily studied or have been well studied
34
Examples of model organisms
- Bacterium: E. coli
- Flowering plant: Arabidopsis thaliana
- Nematode: C. Elegans
- Arthropod: drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly)
- Mice, rats
- Zebrafish
35
- Bacterium: E. coli
- Flowering plant: Arabidopsis thaliana
- Nematode: C. Elegans
- Arthropod: drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly)
- Mice, rats
- Zebrafish
Examples of model organisms
36
Effect of model organisms
Information obtained from them can be allowed to other species that are more difficult to study directly
37
Information obtained from _______ can be allowed to other species that are more difficult to study directly
Model organisms
38
indicator species use
presence, absence, or abundance of indicator species can give information of environmental qualities, such as presence of a pollutant
39
presence, absence, or abundance of _____________ can give information of environmental qualities, such as presence of a pollutant
indicator species
40
what can be used to monitor an ecosystem
susceptible and favoured species
41
susceptible species meaning
absence or reduced population indicates a species is susceptible to some factor in the environment
42
absence or reduced population indicates a species is susceptible to some factor in the environment
susceptible species
43
favoured species meaning
abundance or increased population indicates it is favoured by conditions
44
abundance or increased population indicates it is favoured by conditions
favoured species
45
what can susceptible and favoured species be used for
to monitor an ecosystem
46
method for mark and recapture
- a sample of the population is captured and marked (M) and released
- after an interval of time, a second sample is captured (C)
- if some of the individuals in this second sample are recaptured (R), then the total population: N = MC / R
47
- a sample of the population is captured and marked (M) and released
- after an interval of time, a second sample is captured (C)
- if some of the individuals in this second sample are recaptured (R), then the total population: N = MC / R
mark and recapture method
48
what does mark and recapture assume
- all individuals have an equal chance of capture
- that there is no immigration or emigration
- that individuals that are marked and released can mix fully and randomly with the total population
49
methods of marking animals
- banding
- tagging
- surgical implantation
- painting
- hair clipping
50
- banding
- tagging
- surgical implantation
- painting
- hair clipping
methods of marking animals
51
what must marking studies ensure
the method of marking and subsequent observation must minimise the impact on the study species
52
measurements for quantifying animal behaviour
- latency
- frequency
- duration
53
- latency
- frequency
- duration
measurements for quantifying animal behaviour
54
latency
the time between the stimulus occurring and the response behaviour
55
the time between the stimulus occurring and the response behaviour
latency
56
frequency
the number of times a behaviour occurs within the observation period
57
the number of times a behaviour occurs within the observation period
frequency
58
duration
the length of time each behaviour occurs during the observation period
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the length of time each behaviour occurs during the observation period
duration
60
what does an ethogram of the behaviours shown by a species in a wild context allow to be constructed
time budgets
61
what must be done to construct time budgets
an ethogram of the behaviours shown by a species in a wild context
62
ethnogram
- lists species-specific behaviours to be observed and recorded in the study
- recording the duration of each of the behaviours in the ethogram, with the total time of observation, allows the proportion of time spent on each behaviour to be calculated in the time budget
63
- lists species-specific behaviours to be observed and recorded in the study
- recording the duration of each of the behaviours in the ________, with the total time of observation, allows the proportion of time spent on each behaviour to be calculated in the time budget
ethogram
64
why must you avoid anthropomorphism when analysing behaviour
can lead to invalid conclusions
65
anthropomorphism
- the attribution of human characteristics or behaviour
- eg. monkeys showing teeth may look like humans smiling, but have opposite meanings
