2.5 Investigating Ecosystems

Question 1

Sampling

Answer 1

Collecting samples.
A sampling strategy might include number and location of sites visited/sampled.

Question 2

Rationale

Answer 2

The reason for doing something

Question 3

Temporal

Answer 3

Relating to time.
Monitoring can occur over time (temporal) or space (spatial).

Question 4

Monitoring

Answer 4

Can be qualitative or quantitative, but is distinct from observing in that it involves visits over a spatial or temporal (time) gradient.

Question 5

Spatial

Answer 5

The geographic arrangement of something or the space it occupies. Monitoring can occur over temporal (time) or spatial gradients.

Question 6

Quality vs Quantity

Answer 6

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.

Question 7

Direct Monitoring

Answer 7

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.

Question 8

Indirect Monitoring

Answer 8

the process of assessing a condition, activity, or process by analyzing related variables or indicators rather than measuring the primary subject directly.

Question 9

Pattern vs Trend

Answer 9

Patterns are a repeated or recurring arrangement of elements (often spatial in arrangement).
Trends occur over time (and indicate a change occurring)

Question 10

Biotic Index

Answer 10

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.

Question 11

Species Richness

Answer 11

The number of species in a sample.
Don’t use the word “diversity” when you mean “richness”

Question 12

Frequency

Answer 12

The rate at which (or how often) something occurs over time or space

Question 13

Abundance

Answer 13

How much of something there is within a sample

Question 14

Density

Answer 14

The abundance of something per unit of sample. For example…. trees per hectare, or grams per litre.
“Concentration” is a term reserved for liquids.

Question 15

Secchi disk

Answer 15

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.

Question 16

Graduated

Answer 16

Something divided into measurements. A ruler is a graduated stick for measuring length. A measuring cylinder is a graduated tube for measuring volume.

Question 17

Indicator

Answer 17

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.

Question 18

Macroinvertebrates

Answer 18

A term often applied to visible, aquatic invertebrate (backboneless) fauna and can include taxa such as snails, worms, prawns, insects etc.

Question 19

Taxa (plural)/taxon (singular)

Answer 19

A unit of biological classification

Question 20

Biotic Index

Answer 20

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

Question 21

Sampling Strategy

Answer 21

Decisions made regarding number of sites, location of sites and number of repetitions etc.

Question 22

How do you measure BOD?

Answer 22

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.

Question 23

Salinity

Answer 23

The amount of salt in a sample.
In aquatic systems commonly expressed as ppm (total dissolved solids) or micro Siemens (electrical conductivity)

Question 24

Correlation

Answer 24

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.

Question 25

Inpeller

Answer 25

A device used to monitor flow rate, consisting of a propellor spinning on a threaded, graduated rod.

Question 26

Flow velocity

Answer 26

The distance water travels over a certain period of time.

Question 27

Pitfall Trap

Answer 27

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.

Question 28

Nomadic

Answer 28

moving from one place to another rather than living in one location permanently

Question 29

Migratory

Answer 29

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.

Question 30

Resident (animal)

Answer 30

one that remains in the same area or habitat throughout the year, without engaging in long-distance migrations.

Question 31

Sedentary

Answer 31

organisms that show very limited movement or territorial range, often staying within a specific area or habitat for their entire lives

Question 32

Lincoln Index

Answer 32

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.

Question 33

Sweep net

Answer 33

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

Question 34

Kick net

Answer 34

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.

Question 35

Pooter

Answer 35

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.

Question 36

Tree Beating

Answer 36

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.

Question 37

Motile

Answer 37

An animal that moves (as opposed to something like coral - which doesn’t)

Question 38

Trap shy

Answer 38

animals or insects that learn to avoid traps after previous encounters or through the avoidance behaviors of their species

Question 39

(Predator) Naivety

Answer 39

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.

Question 40

(Animal) ethics

Answer 40

refers to the moral principles and considerations guiding the humane treatment, welfare, and use of animals in research

Question 41

Specimen

Answer 41

an individual animal, plant or any other organism collected from the natural environment for study, observation, or preservation in scientific research.

Question 42

Stratification (vegetation)

Answer 42

Refers to the layering of a forest or woodland into functional layers along a vertical plane.

Question 43

Quadrat

Answer 43

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

Question 44

Line Intercept Method

Answer 44

A approach in which the proportional contribution of elements along a transect is calculated. These could be different species or surface types

Question 45

Point Centre Quarter/Wandering Quarter

Answer 45

Monitoring approach for larger or more sparse organisms (usually used for upperstorey species) that uses a sample to calculate cover and density

Question 46

Jessup transec/belt transect

Answer 46

A monitoring approach in which the abundance of an organism is measured in an area adjacent a transect, and is divided into regular intervals.

Question 47

Transect

Answer 47

A tape layed out and along which measurements are taken over a distance.

Question 48

Random quadrat sampling

Answer 48

When a quadrat location is chosen randomly (such as thrown over a shoulder).

Question 49

Systematic/continuous quadrat sampling

Answer 49

When quadrats are used at set intervals within an area or along a tape.

Question 50

Patch and interpatch

Answer 50

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.

Question 51

Mobile and fixed resources.

Answer 51

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.

Question 52

Transported and local resources

Answer 52

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.

Question 53

Thermometer

Answer 53

Measures temperature
In degrees Celsius
When cited is usually referring to “air temperature” because different surface types absorb different amounts of heat.

Question 54

Hygrometer

Answer 54

A device that measures humidity (the amount of moisture in the air).
The units given is usually “%”
Impacted greatly by wind

Question 55

Anemometer

Answer 55

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

Question 56

Wind vane

Answer 56

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.

Question 57

Rain gague

Answer 57

Device that collects and measures rainfall (funnel and graduated receptacle).
Measured in mm (or mm/unit of time)

Question 58

Barometer

Answer 58

Measures air pressure (usually in hectopascals or millibars)

Can signify changes in weather.
Differences in pressure often drive wind systems.