eco lab Flashcards

1
Q

Identify initial concerns regarding collecting a representative sample of a population.

A

how big of a sample should you have, is the sample random, is it representing the area well enough, and can it be replicated.

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2
Q

Explain why descriptive statistics are necessary in ecological studies.

A

Reporting every single measurement in a data table would be truthful, but not very useful, because the human mind cannot easily take in long lists of numbers. A more fruitful approach is to take all the measurements of our fish and systematically construct a composite numerical description, or statistic, which conveys information about the population in a more concise form . (this is what the lab manual said)

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3
Q

Standard Deviation

A

to measure the amount of variation around the mean, this helps determine if the data is normally distributed

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4
Q

Investigate fundamental issues of experimental design (e.g., how many samples?)

A

1) what sampling method can be used to collect the needed data, 2) how do we select sampling locations to limit potential bias and obtain best estimates of target parameters, and 3) how can we minimize the number of samples we take while still providing an accurate estimate of parameters?

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5
Q

Precision

A

How clumped together/close they are

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6
Q

Accuracy

A

how close to the target are they

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7
Q

what are the three different types of sampling

A

Plot sampling
pointer-quarter
belt transect

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8
Q

plot sampling

A

Counting the number of organisms of interest in a defined area (quadrant).

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9
Q

what are the problems with plot sampling

A

size of sampling plot, how plots will be placed, and number of plots to be sampled.

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10
Q

Plants in a long leaf pine forest

A

wire grass
longleaf pine tree
bracken fern
oak tree

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11
Q

what are the three types of dispersion

A

random
even( uniform)
clumped

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12
Q

why does clump happen

A

Indicate that a species responding to the fine gradient in the environment or that it has a form of reproduction that keeps juveniles near adults also this clumped pattern is a result of distribution of resources (think about tree and its seed and how it germinates close to its parent, also think of a wolf and its pack)

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13
Q

why does Uniform

A

Territory, or interaction between organisms

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14
Q

Why are control fires important

A

gets rid of organic matter on the forest floor. They also do controlled fires because it prevents uncontrolled fires from happening. (Low intensity fires occur naturally in these systems, but due to human development we now conduct controlled fires to reduce extreme wildfires. Also, without periodic fires, hardwood trees such as oaks would grow tall enough to form a canopy over the pine trees and inhibit them from receiving a sufficient amount of sunlight.)

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15
Q

Normal distribution

A

is a typical bell curve with the peak of the curve corresponding to the mean

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16
Q

What are some important things to know about a t-test

A

p-value at .05

if the value is at .00-1 then it will be significant and you accept your hypothesis

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17
Q

D.f

A

observed groups - 1

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18
Q

Important thing to know for a chi square test

A

if alpha is .05 then the significant level is 3.84

19
Q

if value is great than 3.84 then?

A

you reject your null hypotheses and accept your hypothesis

20
Q

if its less than 3.84 then?

A

you accept your null

21
Q

What are the steps for mark and recapture

A
  1. Portion of population captures
  2. The organisms are marked
  3. Organism is released
  4. Another portion of pop is captured at a later time and any marked ones are counted
22
Q

what are the assumptions for mark and recapture

A
  1. After capture, mark and release- can’t have a higher mortality rate, free to interact within the pop, appropriate time between capture, Can’t be “ trap-happy” or “trap-shy”
  2. Tags do not become lost or unrecognized
  3. There is no emigration or death of tagged individuals
23
Q

what the equation for mark and recapture

A

N1=(M1N2)/M12

24
Q

what does N1 stand for

A

number of individuals in that population

25
Q

what does M1 stand for

A

number of individuals capture the first time and marked

26
Q

N2

A

number of individuals that are capture the second time

27
Q

M12

A

number of individuals in the second same that were marked during the first sample

28
Q

What are two techniques that are use to estimate pop size

A

direct and indirect

29
Q

Direct

A

strip censuses
point surveys
roadside count

30
Q

Indirect

A

assume things based on what you see and hear

EX: pellets, tracks, tree markings, feeding stations, etc

31
Q

Species composition

A

All the species in a defined area along with some measure of abundance.

32
Q

Species area curve

A

As you increase the area, you increase the number of species.

33
Q

Net range of species change

A

Immigration - Extinction

34
Q

Plants in wetland setting

A

Pond Pine, Jessamine, Red Bay, Loblolly Bay, Sweet Bay, Bull Bay, Greenbrier, Gallberry, Water Oak

35
Q

Identify the three distinguishing attributes used to delineate a wetland habitat from other habitat types.

A

Hydrology- the degree of flooding or soil saturation (surface water, high water table, ordinary high water mark.)
Dominance of wetland plants
Hydric soil- Soils saturated long enough during the growing season to produce oxygen deficient conditions in the upper part of the soil

36
Q

Ecology

A

the scientific study of the relationships b/w organism and their environment

37
Q

What the steps for the scientific method

A
observe
research
hypothesis
experiment
observe and record data
share results
38
Q

what is a sample

A

a small part or quantity intended to show what the whole is like

39
Q

why use indirect measures to estimate pop size

A

difficult to capture
cannot be easily marked
endangered

40
Q

relative change in pop size equation

A

initial pop size (N1)

41
Q

what are the ecological functions of wetlands

A

filtering system
help with runoff
flood protection
home to many animals

42
Q

what are the two wetlands at UNCW

A

Mccrory’s bog

Green House Bay

43
Q

species richness

A

the number of different species in a region but does not take into account abundance

44
Q

what are the assumptions for island lab

A
  1. Immigration decreases with the number of species on the island

Individuals of each species have a constant and identical probability of arriving at the island

The probability of extinction of any species is constant

Total rate of extinction for an island will increase with the number of species