1.1 Field studies for biologists

Question 1

Risk

Answer 1

Likelihood of harm arising from exposure to a hazard

Question 2

Risk assessment

Answer 2

Involves identifying control measures to minimise risk

Question 3

Control measures for risk assessments

Answer 3

Include appropriate equipment, clothing, footwear, and means of communication

Question 4

Hazards include

Answer 4

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

Question 5

When carrying out a risk assessment the following steps should be taken into place:

Answer 5

• identify hazards
• evaluate the risks
• evaluate the severity
• identify how the risks and severity can be avoided or reduced
• record these safe working practices

Question 6

What must be appropriate to the species being sampled?

Answer 6

The chosen technique, point count, transect or remote detection

Question 7

When are quadrats or transects used?

Answer 7

For plants and other sessile or slow moving organisms

Question 8

When is capture techniques (traps and nets) used?

Answer 8

For mobile species

Question 9

How can elusive species be sampled?

Answer 9

Using camera traps or an indirect method such as scrat sampling

Question 10

What does a point count involve?

Answer 10

The observer records all individuals seen from a fixed point count location which can be compared to other locations

Question 11

Different ways to sample organisms

Answer 11

• randomised sampling
• systematic sampling
• stratified sampling

Question 12

Randomised sampling

Answer 12

e.g Throwing a quadrat where sites are chosen using a random number generator

Question 13

Systematic sampling

Answer 13

Used to track changes across a particular area e.g line transect or belt transect

Question 14

Stratified sampling

Answer 14

Population is divided into categories that are then sampled proportionally
e.g ecosystem is examined at different layers

Question 15

Mobile organisms could be sampled in a variety of traps such as:

Answer 15

• soil organisms e.g pitfall traps, tullgren funnels
• freshwater organisms e.g nets
• insects e.g malaise traps (tent like traps) or flight intercept traps (sheets of mesh) or pan traps (coloured dishes filled with a liquid)
• larger animals e.g bait and sedate, camera traps, scrat sampling

Question 16

How are organisms identified

Answer 16

Using classification guides, biological keys, or analysis of DNA or protein
Organisms can be classified by both taxomy and phylogenetics