4.2.3- Sampling Animals Flashcards
Explain how you an take samples of larger animals by careful observations.
Looking for signs they have left behind- for example; footprints, droppings, owls leave pellets behind etc.
List the five methods of catching invertebrates.
Sweep netting, collecting from tress by shaking a branch out onto a white sheet and counting species, pitfall trap, Tullgren Funnel, Light Trap.
Explain how sweep netting is carried out to sample invertebrates.
A stout net is swept through the vegetation in wide arcs and animals are caught in the net and counted.
List two ways the sampling of invertebrates using sweep netting can be made more effective to produce more results.
Using a pooter to catch animals that may fly away quickly and keeping the length and width of the sweep the same each time.
Explain how samples of invertebrates can be taken from trees.
Shaking a branch of the tree out onto a white sheet. The vibrations will dislodge any small animals and the animals on the sheet are counted.
What is a pitfall trap and how can it be used to catch and sample invertebrates?
It is a trap set within the soul that consists of. Small container buried in the soil any animals moving in the above leaf litter will fall into the trap that contains a little water or paper to prevent the animals crawling out again.
Explain what a Tullgren funnel is and how it can be used to sample invertebrates.
It’s a device that’s used for collecting small animals from leaf litter. The leaf littter’s placed in a funnel and a light above the litter should drive the animal downwards towards a collection jar underneath the funnel as the leaf litter begins to dry out.
Explain what a light trap is and how it can be used to sample and catch invertebrates.
It’s used to collect flying insects at night. The insects will be attracted to the UV light and under it is a collection vessel that contains alcohol in which the small animals will eventually fall into.
That technique is commonly used to catch and sample small animals?
The mark and recapture technique.
Small mammals can be trapped using a _________ _________.
Longworth trap.
Explain why it can be hard to obtain observations of animals by sampling.
Large animals could detect our presence and hide or run away before they are sampled. Small animals may be too small to see and therefore sample.
