KA2.1 - Field Techniques for Biologists

Question 1

What are some hazards in fieldwork?

Answer 1

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

Question 2

Define ‘risk’ (in the context of health and safety)

Answer 2

the likelihood of harm arising from exposure to a hazard

Question 3

Define ‘hazard’ (in the context of health and safety)

Answer 3

Hazard is the danger that may cause harm

Question 4

Define ‘risk assessment’

Answer 4

identifying control measures to minimise risk

Question 5

What do control measures include (in the context of risk assessments in fieldwork)

Answer 5

appropriate equipment, clothing, footwear, and means of communication

Question 6

Define ‘sampling’

Answer 6

the process of using a subset of a population to represent the whole population

Question 7

What is important when sampling wild organisms?

Answer 7

minimising the impact on wild species and habitats, and consideration must be given to rare and vulnerable species and habitats protected by legislation

Question 8

State the four common types of sampling

Answer 8

1. Point count
2. Transect
3. Remote detection
4. Capture techniques

Question 9

Define ‘point count’ sampling.

Answer 9

involves the observer recording all individuals seen from a fixed-point count location

commonly used with birds

Question 10

Define ‘transect’ sampling

Answer 10

a line along which different samples can be taken using a quadrat

often done in areas where the terrain or abiotic factors are variable

Question 11

What are quadrats used for in transect sampling?

Answer 11

used for sampling plants and other slow-moving organisms along a transect

Question 12

How can elusive species be sampled using remote detection?

Answer 12

sampled directly using camera traps or an indirect method, such as scat sampling

Question 13

What are capture techniques used for in sampling?

Answer 13

Capture techniques, such as traps or nets, are used for mobile species

Question 14

Why is a representative sample selected instead of measuring every individual?

Answer 14

where it is impractical to measure every individual, a representative sample of the population is selected

Question 15

What determines the appropriate sample size within a population?

Answer 15

the natural variation within a population determines the appropriate sample size.

Question 16

How does population variability affect sample size?

Answer 16

More variable populations require a larger sample size

Question 17

What characteristics should a representative sample share with the population?

Answer 17

should share the same mean and the same degree of variation about the mean as the population as a whole.

Question 18

Define ‘random’ sampling

Answer 18

members of the population have an equal chance of being selected

Question 19

Define systematic sampling

Answer 19

members of a population are selected at regular intervals

Question 20

Define stratified sampling

Answer 20

the population is divided into categories that are then sampled proportionally

Question 21

How can organisms be classified?

Answer 21

Organisms can be classified by both taxonomy and phylogenetics

Question 22

Define ‘taxonomy’

Answer 22

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

Question 23

What is classic taxonomy classification based on?

Answer 23

Classic taxonomy classification is based on morphology (physical appearance)

Question 24

Define ‘phylogenetics’

Answer 24

the study of the evolutionary history and relationships among individuals or groups of organisms

Question 25

What does phylogenetics use to make conclusions about evolutionary history?

Answer 25

Heritable traits, such as morphology, DNA sequences, and protein structure, to make inferences about an organism's evolutionary history and create a phylogenetic tree

Question 26

What is a phylogenetic tree?

Answer 26

a diagrammatic hypothesis of one organism's relationship to other organisms

Question 27

What can genetic evidence reveal regarding relatedness?

Answer 27

can reveal relatedness obscured by divergent or convergent evolution

Question 28

Explain the difference between **convergent** and **divergent** evolution

Answer 28

Convergent evolution = unrelated species evolve similar traits Divergent evolution = the gradual divergence of traits in related species over time

Question 29

What does familiarity with taxonomic groupings allow?

Answer 29

Allows predictions and inferences to be made about the biology of an organism from better-known organisms | Like solving a puzzle with help from a finished one that is similar.

Question 30

Define '**model organisms**'

Answer 30

Species that are easily studied or have been well studied

Question 31

What are some examples of taxonomic groups?

Answer 31

* Bacterium E. coli * Flowering plant Arabidopsis thaliana * The Nematode C. elegans * The arthropod Drosophila melanogaster (a fruit fly). * Chordates including mice, rats and zebrafish

Question 32

How are model organisms used in research?

Answer 32

used to obtain information that can be applied to species that are more difficult to study directly

Question 33

What does the absence or reduced population of an indicator species indicate?

Answer 33

a species is susceptible to some factor in the environment

Question 34

What does the abundance or increased population of an indicator species indicate?

Answer 34

a species is favoured by the conditions.

Question 35

Describe an example of what an indicator species can tell us?

Answer 35

presence of a pollutant or oxygen levels

Question 36

What is Mark and Recapture?

Answer 36

a technique used to estimate the population size

Question 37

State the Mark and Recapture formula

Answer 37

N = M x C / R

Question 38

State what the letters in the Mark and Recapture mean?

Answer 38

N = Estimated total population M = Number captured, marked and released in first sample C = Number captured in second sample R = Number recaptured in second sample which were **marked**

Question 40

State methods of marking animals during the Mark and Recapture technique?

Answer 40

* Banding * Tagging * Hair clipping * Surgical implantation * Painting

Question 41

Explain why the choice of marking method in Mark and Recapture is important?

Answer 41

The method of marking and subsequent observation must minimise the impact on the study species. | Otherwise this could alter the population you estimate.

Question 42

What are the assumptions made when estimating population size by Mark and Recapture?

Answer 42

1. All individuals have an equal chance of capture 2. There is no emigration of marked individuals nor immigration of other individuals 3. Individuals that are marked and released can mix fully and randomly with the total population

Question 43

Define '**ethology**'

Answer 43

the study of animal behaviour

Question 44

Define '**latency**' in ethology

Answer 44

The time between the stimulus occurring and the response behaviour

Question 46

Define '**duration**'

Answer 46

The length of time each behaviour occurs during the observation period.

Question 47

What is an ethogram?

Answer 47

A report detailing species-specific behaviours

Question 48

How is a time budget created in studying animal behaviour?

Answer 48

Recording the duration of each of the behaviours and total time of observation

Question 49

Describe the purpose of a '**time budget**' in ethology

Answer 49

Tells you the proportion of time an organism spends on each behaviour

Question 50

Define '**anthropomorphism**'

Answer 50

assigning human emotion to animal behaviour

Question 51

Explain why anthropomorphism must be avoided when performing an ethogram?

Answer 51

It can lead to invalid conclusions