2.5 Investigating Ecosystems Flashcards
Sampling
Collecting samples.
A sampling strategy might include number and location of sites visited/sampled.
Rationale
The reason for doing something
Temporal
Relating to time.
Monitoring can occur over time (temporal) or space (spatial).
Monitoring
Can be qualitative or quantitative, but is distinct from observing in that it involves visits over a spatial or temporal (time) gradient.
Spatial
The geographic arrangement of something or the space it occupies. Monitoring can occur over temporal (time) or spatial gradients.
Quality vs Quantity
Quality refers to the degree of excellence or superiority of a product, service, or process, while quantity denotes the measurable amount or number of items.
Direct Monitoring
Involves the immediate or continuous observation or measurement of a process, activity, or condition using specific tools and techniques to gather real-time data.
Compare with indirect monitoring which uses indicators.
Indirect Monitoring
the process of assessing a condition, activity, or process by analyzing related variables or indicators rather than measuring the primary subject directly.
Pattern vs Trend
Patterns are a repeated or recurring arrangement of elements (often spatial in arrangement).
Trends occur over time (and indicate a change occurring)
Biotic Index
a scale for showing the quality of an environment by indicating the types and abundances of organisms present in a representative sample of the environment.
Species Richness
The number of species in a sample.
Don’t use the word “diversity” when you mean “richness”
Frequency
The rate at which (or how often) something occurs over time or space
Abundance
How much of something there is within a sample
Density
The abundance of something per unit of sample. For example…. trees per hectare, or grams per litre.
“Concentration” is a term reserved for liquids.
Secchi disk
A device used to measure turbidity. A round disk with a black/white pattern, which is lowered on a graduated rope to the point where the contrast between the black and white can no longer be determined.
Graduated
Something divided into measurements. A ruler is a graduated stick for measuring length. A measuring cylinder is a graduated tube for measuring volume.
Indicator
Used as an indirect measure of the condition of a system.
A dying tree might be an indicator of poor soil condition.
The presence or absence of certain macroinvertebrates can be used as an indictor for pollution.
Macroinvertebrates
A term often applied to visible, aquatic invertebrate (backboneless) fauna and can include taxa such as snails, worms, prawns, insects etc.
Taxa (plural)/taxon (singular)
A unit of biological classification
Biotic Index
a scale for showing the quality of an environment by indicating the types and abundances of organisms present in a representative sample of the environment
Sampling Strategy
Decisions made regarding number of sites, location of sites and number of repetitions etc.
How do you measure BOD?
Measure dissolved oxygen in a sample on two or more occasions, where the sample is left in the dark (so no new oxygen can be created). Calculate the change.
Salinity
The amount of salt in a sample.
In aquatic systems commonly expressed as ppm (total dissolved solids) or micro Siemens (electrical conductivity)
Correlation
Where a change in one thing directly influences another thing.
On an x-y axis, a positive correlation is an ascending line, and a negative correlation is a descending one.
Inpeller
A device used to monitor flow rate, consisting of a propellor spinning on a threaded, graduated rod.
Flow velocity
The distance water travels over a certain period of time.
Pitfall Trap
consists of a container buried in the ground with its opening flush with the surface. Animals unknowingly wander into the trap and are unable to escape due to the steep, smooth sides of the container.
Nomadic
moving from one place to another rather than living in one location permanently
Migratory
the regular movement of animals or people from one region or habitat to another, typically seasonally or cyclically, in search of food, better conditions, or breeding grounds.
Resident (animal)
one that remains in the same area or habitat throughout the year, without engaging in long-distance migrations.
Sedentary
organisms that show very limited movement or territorial range, often staying within a specific area or habitat for their entire lives
Lincoln Index
Also called capture/ mark/ release/ recapture.
A method used in ecology to estimate the total population size of a species within a given area, based on the ratio of marked individuals in a first capture to the total number of individuals (marked and unmarked) in a subsequent capture.
Sweep net
a tool consisting of a sturdy, often circular frame attached to a net bag, used by researchers to collect insects and other invertebrates from vegetation by sweeping it through the air or across foliage
Kick net
a sampling tool used to collect aquatic invertebrates from the bottom of streams and rivers, by placing the net downstream and disturbing the substrate upstream, causing organisms to be dislodged and swept into the net by the current.
Pooter
consisting of a jar with two tubes, one of which is used by the user to suck in air, safely collecting small insects and arthropods into the jar for observation or study without harming them.
Tree Beating
a method used in ecological studies where a sheet or cloth is placed under a tree or shrub, and the branches are then shaken or beaten to dislodge insects and other arthropods onto the sheet for collection and identification.
Motile
An animal that moves (as opposed to something like coral - which doesn’t)
Trap shy
animals or insects that learn to avoid traps after previous encounters or through the avoidance behaviors of their species
(Predator) Naivety
the lack of instinctive fear and appropriate avoidance behaviors in prey animals towards predators, often observed in species introduced to environments where their natural predators are absent.
(Animal) ethics
refers to the moral principles and considerations guiding the humane treatment, welfare, and use of animals in research
Specimen
an individual animal, plant or any other organism collected from the natural environment for study, observation, or preservation in scientific research.
Stratification (vegetation)
Refers to the layering of a forest or woodland into functional layers along a vertical plane.
Quadrat
A square of fixed size used to monitor density and cover of ecosystem elements.
Not to be confused with “quadrants” which do not have set boundaries
Line Intercept Method
A approach in which the proportional contribution of elements along a transect is calculated. These could be different species or surface types
Point Centre Quarter/Wandering Quarter
Monitoring approach for larger or more sparse organisms (usually used for upperstorey species) that uses a sample to calculate cover and density
Jessup transec/belt transect
A monitoring approach in which the abundance of an organism is measured in an area adjacent a transect, and is divided into regular intervals.
Transect
A tape layed out and along which measurements are taken over a distance.
Random quadrat sampling
When a quadrat location is chosen randomly (such as thrown over a shoulder).
Systematic/continuous quadrat sampling
When quadrats are used at set intervals within an area or along a tape.
Patch and interpatch
In landscape organisation, a patch is an area of the surface that captures and stores mobile resources, whereas an interpatch is an area of the surface that tends to shed or lose mobile resources.
Mobile and fixed resources.
A mobile resource is one that is loose and capable of being transported by wind or runoff. Think about leaves and sticks and seeds. A fixed resource is anchored in place. Think about a tree that is rooted in the ground.
Transported and local resources
A local resource is at its point of origin. Think about a leaf that has dropped from a tree. A transported one has been relocated by wind or water.
Thermometer
Measures temperature
In degrees Celsius
When cited is usually referring to “air temperature” because different surface types absorb different amounts of heat.
Hygrometer
A device that measures humidity (the amount of moisture in the air).
The units given is usually “%”
Impacted greatly by wind
Anemometer
Measures wind speed using revolving cups (uses revolutions per minute to convert to km/h).
Does not record wind direction - this is recorded by a wind vane
Wind vane
Records wind direction.
Note: Winds are labelled by the direction they come from, not the direction they are going. Ie a south-westerly wind is coming from the south-west.
Rain gague
Device that collects and measures rainfall (funnel and graduated receptacle).
Measured in mm (or mm/unit of time)
Barometer
Measures air pressure (usually in hectopascals or millibars)
Can signify changes in weather.
Differences in pressure often drive wind systems.
