Research Methods: Specialist Techniques Used In Ecological Research

Question 1

What is different about these specialist method/techniques of monitoring ?

Answer 1

Methods that have been developed relatively recently often using electronic equipment

Question 2

How is imagery being used as a research method?

Answer 2

A rapidly expanding imagery system is available to collect environmental information

Question 3

What are image databases?

Answer 3

This is when through a collection of images some species are able to be identified by their unique features

Question 4

What are some ways databases can be used to identify animals?

Answer 4

Tiger facial stripes
Cheetah tail markings
Whale shark spot patterns
Dolphin fin marks and injuries
Zebra stripes

Question 5

What can being able to identify individuals provide information on?

Answer 5

Territory size
Population movements (migrations)
Lifespans
Social groupings

Question 6

What are he limitations of image databases?

Answer 6

Few species have unique features that can be used to identify individual animals

Question 7

What are motion sensitive cameras?

Answer 7

These can be used for habitat monitoring to detect the presence or activity of animals using visible light photography during the day or infrared technology at night

Question 8

What is closed circuit TV (CCTV)?

Answer 8

CCTV cameras can be used to observe animals behaviour with a lower risk of disturbance than if researchers visit the site

Question 9

What is MARKING?

Answer 9

This is a range of methods that are used to identify individuals that have been previously caught

Question 10

What are some examples of MARKING?

Answer 10

Rings placed on birds’ legs provides information on movements lifespan if they are caught later

Question 11

What are DNA databases?

Answer 11

A DNA profile can be used to identify individuals, gene pools and other genetic relationships

Question 12

How can some aquatic species be detected?

Answer 12

The DNA of the cells they shed into water this is called environmental DNA

Question 13

What is another name for environmental DNA?

Answer 13

eDNA

Question 14

What is an example of how eDNA is used in the UK?

Answer 14

eDNA evidence of the presence of the legally protected Great Crested Newt may prevent a development being permitted in the Uk that would damage that habitat

Question 15

How can you identify regional populations? (DNA)

Answer 15

Each separate population within a species has its own unique gene pool, this means it may be possible to identify where a plant or animal came from compared with a DNA database.

Question 16

What is an example of the identifying regional population technology? (Tracking)

Answer 16

Being developed to track sources of tropical timber, elephant ivory and some commercially fished species (Cod and Haddock).

Question 17

When would you use Auditory monitoring?

Answer 17

When a species cannot be seen but can be detected by the sounds they produce

Question 18

What are sonograms?

Answer 18

Records of the sounds made by taxa such as dolphins, bats and some insects

Question 19

What are sonograms evidence of?

Answer 19

Presence, abundance and activity

Question 20

What is positional monitoring?

Answer 20

The use of a range of technologies to monitor the location of individuals

Question 21

What can be used to track animals in the air or freshwater?

Answer 21

Radio
GPS
Acoustic transmitters

Question 22

What tracking method is used in seawater?

Answer 22

Acoustic transmitters

Question 23

Why are acoustic transmitters used in seawater?

Answer 23

As they give real-time information of the current position of the animal carrying the transmitter

Question 24

When would you use a Geolocator tag?

Answer 24

May be used when transmitters would be too heavy or when the battery life would be too short for a long-term study

Question 25

What do Geolocators do?

Answer 25

They are small and only collect data on time and light

Question 26

How is data collected from geolocators?

Answer 26

When the animal is re-caught the data can be downloaded and used to work out the latitude and longitude of the animal for each day during the study.

Question 27

What sort of animals would carry geolocators?

Answer 27

Used to track the movements of birds that are too small to carry radio transmitters

Question 28

What do data recorders do?

Answer 28

Collect data on a range of abiotic factors (light intensity, temperature and salinity etc…)

Question 29

How is the data form Data recorders collected?

Answer 29

Downloaded when the recorder is recovered Radio or auditory transmission

Question 30

What do sensor carrier systems do?

Answer 30

They move a data collecting sensor to the study area

Question 31

What are some examples of sensor carrying systems?

Answer 31

ROV (Remotely operated vehicles- Drones) AUV (Autonomous unmanned vehicles) Ballon Aircraft Satellites Animals

Question 32

How are satellites used for data collection?

Answer 32

Sensors are mounted to satellites which can be used to collect large amounts of data about earth using different types of electromagnetic radiation

Question 33

How is reflected visible light used by sensors on satellites?

Answer 33

Provides images of large areas of the earths surface Can be sued for creating maps, monitoring land use changes and monitoring environmental changes such as deforestation and flooding

Question 34

What can infrared (IR) data collected by satellites sensors be used?

Answer 34

IR emitted by the earths surface can be used to monitor vegetation density and temperature

Question 35

How do weather monitoring and forecasting use satellite systems?

Answer 35

Sensors that detect cloud cover, humidity, wind velocity, wind direction and temperature

Question 36

HOW can radar microwaves emitted by the satellite be used?

Answer 36

They microwaves reflect off earths surface these waves can be sued to monitors a range of environmental factors

Question 37

What environmental factors can radar microwaves monitor?

Answer 37

Wind velocity Sea surface altitude Wave height Oil pollution

Question 38

What is a positive of microwaves?

Answer 38

They can pass through clouds so the surveys are not interrupted by cloudy weather

Question 39

How do GPS satellites use radio waves?

Answer 39

To track the positions of mobile animals, floats in the oceans, or the location of sampling sites

Question 40

What is indirect evidence?

Answer 40

Many species leave evidence even if they are not actually seen

Question 41

What are some examples indirect evidence? (Of species in an area)

Answer 41

Nests/burrows Droppings Feeding marks (chewed nuts) Owl pellets Tracks/footprints Territorial marks (scratching posts)

Question 42

What can animal droppings be used for?

Answer 42

Diet Gender Territory size

Question 43

What can owl pellets be used for?

Answer 43

Give information on diet