2.1 weird biology stuff Flashcards
Risk assessment def
A document that identifies the potential hazards and risks and clearly describes the steps that can be taken to minimise their occurrence.
Hazards examples
Terrain
Weather
Tide
Isolation
Terrain
Refers to how the land lies. Hazards include uneven ground surface, hills and steep gradients.
Weather
Refers to the climate and state of the atmosphere, hazards include extreme changes in conditions, and not bringing sufficient equipment/ sufficient preparation.
Isolation
Refers to how much contact you have with humans - hazards include getting lost and not bringing sufficient equipment
Tide
Refers to dangers of being swept away by the sea, hazards include drowning and hypothermia.
Sampling techniques
Point count
Remote detection
Quadrats
Line transects
Pitfall traps
Camera traps
Scat sampling
Belt transects
Sampling types
Randomised
Systematic
Stratified
Hazard definition
A source of potential harm to and individual.
Risk
The likelihood of hazard occurring
COSH
Control of substances hazardous to health
CLEAPS
Consortium of local educational authorities for the provision of science services.
Point count
Where an observer records the number and type of individuals seen from a fixed location and area.
Remote detection
A field technique where an individual uses camera traps to observe and record species which you can’t get close to.
Quadrats
A field technique used for sampling slow moving or stationary organisms using a 10x10 frame which is randomly thrown down.
Line transects
A field technique where a random line is set out in the environment that the individual wants to sample and then the individual counts the type and number of organisms on the line.
Pitfall traps
A field technique used to measure ground invertebrates which relies on the organism falling into a hole they can’t climb back out of.
Belt transects
A field technique where a line transects is set out in the environment and Quad-rats are placed along the line at equal intervals.
Scat samples
An indirect method of sampling where organisms are identified by scat in the environment - it can also give extra information on organisms such as diet, health and number of organisms.
Nets form of capture
Nets are used to sample or capture organisms that an individual wants to avoid contact with.
Randomised sampling
Where sampling techniques such as Quadrats are used and the habitat is divided up small sections which are allocated a number, then a random number generator is used to choose where in the area is sampled.
Stratified sampling
Where an individual identifies and estimates areas in the habitat which are different from each other and samples them separately based on how much of the habitat they take up.
Systematic sampling
Where an individual specifically chooses which section of the area they are sampling to track changes across the whole habitat.
Randomised sampling advantage
Avoids biased from investigator
Randomised sampling disadvantage
Samples may not be representative of the whole habitat if there is a low number of samples.
Stratified sampling advantage
It can allow the investigator to get a better overall sample of the entire habitat.
Stratified sampling dsv
Estimates may not represent the habitat accurately and be a source of error in the investigation
Systematic sampling adv
This method allows investigators to choose the most suitable areas in a habitat to study and sample for most relevant results.
Systematic sampling dsv
This method can be biased since the investigator typically chooses areas to investigate.
Accuracy
How close you are to the true or accepted value.
Precision
How close the measurements are to each other.
Taxonomy
How different organisms are split up into groups based on shared characteristics.
Classic taxonomy
Where different organisms are split up based on morphology (what they look like.)
Phylogenetics
The study of evolutionary history and relationships using DNA sequence data.
Use of phylogenetic in classifying organisms
Phylogenetic uses DNA sequence data, morphology and protein structures to estimate when lineages diverged away from each other or converged.
Phylogenetic tree
A diagram which estimates when lineages diverged away from each other assuming mutations occur at a constant rate .
Why may phylogenetic trees be inaccurate
Because phylogenetic trees assume mutations occur at a constant rate, and mutations are random + spontaneous.
Divergent evolution
Where two species have an accumulation of differences between them and evolved from the same common ancestor to fill different niches in their respective environments.
Convergent evolution
Where two species from different ancestor species evolve to have similar structures because they live in similar environments and niches
Types of taxonomic groups
Nematodes, chordates, and arthropods.
Model organisms
A species which has been studied extensively and allows us to predict the characteristics of similar organisms.
Nematodes
A type of worm which acts as a parasite inside other organisms.
Chordates
Animals with a spine
Arthropods
Invertebrate insects
Bacteria model organisms
E. Coli
Flowering plant model org
Arabidopsis Thaliana
Nematodes model org
C. Elegans
Arthropod model org
Drosophila melanogaster
Animals model organisms ( very confusing)
Chordates
Importance of model organisms
To allow for scientists to predict an organisms characteristics based on similar organisms.
Indicator species definition
A species which shows the environmental conditions of the ecosystem by being present or absent.
Examples of indicator species
Lichen and crayfish
Susceptible species
A species which is reduced or absent in an ecosystem due to its inability to survive in the environmental conditions.
Favoured species def
A species which is present and I has a high population in an ecosystem due to environmental conditions which suit them.
Estimate of population size formula
N=MC/R
N is population estimate
M is first sample captured and marked
C is second sample total
R is the number recaptured (second sample) with a mark.
Process of population estimate
Capture a sample of population and mark them
Capture a second sample of the population and recode number of armed and not marked.
Variables assumed to be constant in population estimate
Individuals chance of capture is equal.
No immigration or emigration between captures.
Methods of marking
Banding
Tagging- remote tracking
Surgical implantation
Painting
Hair clipping.
Behaviour definition
The observable response that an organism makes to an internal or external stimulus.
Why is behaviour so difficult to study
It’s a very complex adaptation and involves many different variables which can’t be identified controlled or measured.
Events
Short discrete behavioural actions like sneezing
States
Long term behaviours such as sleeping.
Ethograms definition
A detailed list of organism’s behaviours with descriptions
Ethogram sampling types
Occurrence sampling
Focal sampling
Scan sampling
Occurrence sampling
Noting the number of times a behaviour takes place by any animals present.
Focal sampling
One individual is tracked noting all behaviours of the single organisms and the time which behaviours occur.
Scan sampling
Where at specific time intervals the investigator records what each individual is doing.
Quantitive data examples
Latency -interval between stimulus and response
Frequency - how often
Duration - how long it lasts for
Intensity - measure of energy used by organisms.
Anthropomorphism def
Where human characteristics, behaviours or emotions are attributed to non human animals.
Why is anthropomorphism bad
Because animals do not behave like humans
