4.4 populations and sampling techniques

Question 1

Ecosystem

Answer 1

The living organisms and the environment with which they interact

Question 2

Habitat

Answer 2

The natural environment where an organism lives

Question 3

Niche

Answer 3

The role of a species within an ecosystem

Question 4

Species

Answer 4

A group of similar organisms that can interbreed naturally to produce fertile offspring

Question 5

Population

Answer 5

All of the individuals of the same species that live at the same place and time

Question 6

Biotic Factors

Answer 6

The living parts of an ecosystem, which includes the organisms and their effects on each other

Question 7

Disease

Answer 7

An illness characterized by specific signs and symptoms

Question 8

Intra-specific Competition

Answer 8

Competition between individuals of the same species (for example, for food or a mate)

Question 9

Inter-specific Competition

Answer 9

Competition between members of different species (for example, predator-prey)

Question 10

Mark-release-recapture

Answer 10

A method to estimate the population size of mobile species

Question 11

Lincoln Index

Answer 11

A mathematical equation that can use the mark-release-recapture data to estimate the population size

Question 12

Frame Quadrat

Answer 12

A plastic or metal square that sets a standard unit of area for study of the distribution of marine organisms

Question 13

Transect

Answer 13

A rope or tape marked at regular intervals that sets standard distances for study or the distribution of marine organisms

Question 14

Line Transect

Answer 14

A sampling method involving counting of species that touch the transect

Question 15

Continuous Sampling

Answer 15

Samples are taken along the whole length of the transect

Question 16

Systematic Sampling

Answer 16

Samples are taken at fixed intervals along the transect

Question 17

Belt Transect

Answer 17

A sampling method involving counting of species in frame quadrats placed adjacent to the transect

Question 18

Random Sampling

Answer 18

Samples are taken at random places within the sample site

Question 19

Ethical method

Answer 19

Evaluates and chooses ways to protect the natural habitat under investigation

Question 20

Safe Method

Answer 20

Identifies potential hazards and then reducing their risk of occurring

Question 21

Kite Graph

Answer 21

A graph of the distribution and abundance of organisms in the littoral zone that allows zonation patterns to be easily seen

Question 22

Richness

Answer 22

The number of species in a community

Question 23

Evenness

Answer 23

A measure of the relative abundance of the populations of different species in an area

Question 24

Simpson’s Index of Diversity (D)

Answer 24

A biodiversity measure that accounts for both species richness and evenness

Question 25

Null Hypothesis (H0)

Answer 25

There is no correlation between the two sets of variables

Question 26

Hypothesis

Answer 26

An explanation of an observation that can be tested through experimentation

Question 27

Scatter Graph

Answer 27

When two sets of variables are plotted to indicate if there is a relationship between them

Question 28

Spearman’s Rank Correlation

Answer 28

A mathematical tool used to find out if there is a correlation between two sets of variables, when they are not normally distributed

Question 29

Critical values of rs

Answer 29

Indicate when the calculated Spearman’s rank is sufficient to suggest a correlation between the two sets of variables

Question 30

Alternative Hypothesis

Answer 30

There is a significant correlation between two sets of variables