2.1 Field Techniques for Biologists

Question 1

what is a hazard

Answer 1

something that can cause harm

Question 2

hazards in the fieldwork include:

Answer 2

adverse weather conditions, difficult terrain, problems associated with isolation, and contact with harmful organisms

Question 3

what do risk assessments involve

Answer 3

identifying control measures to minimise risk

Question 4

what is a risk

Answer 4

the likelihood of harm arising from exposure to a hazard

Question 5

what are control measures

Answer 5

ways to reduce the risk of hazards

Question 6

examples of control measures include:

Answer 6

appropriate equipment, clothing, footwear, and means of communication

Question 7

how should sampling be carried out

Answer 7

in a manner that minimises impact on wild species and habitats

Question 8

who should considerations be given to

Answer 8

rare and vulnerable species and habitats that are protected by legislation

Question 9

name sampling techniques

Answer 9

point count, transect, remote detection, camera traps, scat sampling, quadrat

Question 10

what is a point count

Answer 10

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.

Question 11

what is a quadrat

Answer 11

a frame of a known arrea, sometimes split into smaller sections, used to sample plants, slow moving animals in a large area

Question 12

what is a transect

Answer 12

a straight line across a large expense of ground along which measurements are taken, usually at regular intervals

Question 13

which sampling technique is used for plants and other sessile or slow-moving organisms

Answer 13

quadrats of suitable size and shape

transect

Question 14

which sampling techniques are used for mobile species

Answer 14

capture techniques such as traps and nets

Question 15

what are sessile species

Answer 15

slow moving species

Question 16

what are elusive species

Answer 16

those that are difficult to find

Question 17

what is scat sampling

Answer 17

finding and identifying of animal waste to identify the species living in an area. Can also be used to identify the animal diet

Question 18

what is remote detection

Answer 18

remote detection employs the use of camera traps that are triggered when wildlife is preset. This means that elusive species can be observed without the observer being present

Question 19

what are camera traps

Answer 19

remotely activated camera that is equipped with motion sensor or an infrared sensor, or used a light beam as a trigger

Question 20

advantages of scat sampling

Answer 20

provides information about species abundance (the number of individuals per species) and diet

Question 21

disadvantages of scat sampling

Answer 21

assume population of a species, not all animals of the same species have the same diet

Question 22

what are the different capture techniques

Answer 22

random sampling
stratified sampling
systematic sampling

Question 23

what is random sampling

Answer 23

individuals selected from the larger population must be chosen completely by chance

Question 24

what is stratified sampling

Answer 24

in some cases, one large population may be divided up into smaller sub-populations first. Individuals are then randomly selected from each sub-population

Question 25

what is systematic sampling

Answer 25

may be taken at regular intervals e.g. every 2 meters along the transect

Question 26

identification of an organism in a sample can be made using:

Answer 26

classification guides biological keys analysis of DNA or proteins

Question 27

what can organisms be classified by

Answer 27

taxonomy | phylogenetics

Question 28

what is taxanomy

Answer 28

involves the identification and naming of organisms and their classification into groups based on shared characteristics

Question 29

what is classic taxonomy classification based on

Answer 29

morphology

Question 30

what is phylogenetics

Answer 30

the study of the evolutionary history and relationships among individuals or groups of organisms. it is changing the traditional classification of many organisms

Question 31

phylogenetics uses heritable traints such as:

Answer 31

morphology DNA sequences protein structure

Question 32

what is a phylogeny

Answer 32

(or a phylogenetic tree) | a diagrammatic hypothesis of its relationshipd to other organisms

Question 33

what can genetic evidence reveal in phylogenetics

Answer 33

relatedness obscured by divergent or convergent evolution

Question 34

what is divergent evolution

Answer 34

when two species diverge from a common ancestor and develop different characteristics

Question 35

what is convergent evolution

Answer 35

when two species with different ancestral origins develop similar characteristics

Question 36

familiarity with taxonomy groupings allows:

Answer 36

predictions and inferences to be made about the biology of an organism from better-known (model) organisms

Question 37

examples of taxonomic groups

Answer 37

nematodes arthropods chordates

Question 38

what are model organisms

Answer 38

organisms that are either easily studied or have been well studied information obtained from them can be applied to other species that are more difficult to study directly

Question 39

examples of model organisms

Answer 39

``` E. coli (bacteria) Arabidopsis (flowering plant) C. elegans (nematodes) Drosphila melanogaster (arthropod) mice, rats, zebrafish (chirdates) ```

Question 40

what can give information of environmental qualities such as presence of a pollutant

Answer 40

presence, absence or abundance of indicator species

Question 41

what can be used to monitor an ecosystem

Answer 41

susceptible ad favoured species

Question 42

what does absence or reduced population in indicator species indicate

Answer 42

the species is susceptible to some factors in the environment

Question 43

what does abundance or increased population in indicator species indicate

Answer 43

the species is favoured by the conditions

Question 44

what is the mark and recapture technique

Answer 44

this is a method for estimating population size

Question 45

what is the mark and recapture technique formula

Answer 45

N=(MC)/R

Question 46

what is the mark and recapture technique method

Answer 46

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) can be calculated

Question 47

what does the mark and recapture technique assume

Answer 47

that individuals have an equal chance of capture that there is no immigration or emigration and that individuals that are marked and released can mix fully and randomly with the total population

Question 48

methods of marking animals include:

Answer 48

``` banding tagging surgical implantation painting hair clipping ```

Question 49

the method of marking and subsequent observation must

Answer 49

minimise the impact on the study species

Question 50

which measurements are used to quantify animal behaviour

Answer 50

latency frequency duration

Question 51

what is latency

Answer 51

the time between the stimulus occurring ans the response behaviour

Question 52

what is frequency

Answer 52

the number of times a behaviour occurs within the observation period

Question 53

what is duration

Answer 53

the length of time each behaviour occurs during the observation period

Question 54

what is ethology

Answer 54

the study of animal behaviour

Question 55

what is an ethogram

Answer 55

a chart on which animal behaviour is recorded | lists species-specific behaviours to be observed and recorded in the study

Question 56

what is a time budget

Answer 56

usually a pie chart which presents the proportion of time spent on each behaviour

Question 57

what is anthropomorphism

Answer 57

crediting animal behaviour with human emotions or qualities (personification)

Question 58

why is it important to avoid anthropomorphism

Answer 58

it can lead to invalid conclusion