Field techniques for Biologists

Question 1

What aspects can present a hazard

Answer 1

Adverse weather conditions, difficult terrain, problems associated with isolation, contact with harmful organisms.

Question 2

How should sampling be carried out

Answer 2

Sampling should be carried out in a manner that minimises impact on wild species and habitats.

Question 3

What should consideration be given to

Answer 3

Consideration must be given to rare and vulnerable species and habitats that are protected by legislation.

Question 4

What must be appropriate to the species being sampled

Answer 4

The chosen technique, point count, transect or remote detection must be appropriate to the species being sampled.

Question 5

What is used for plants and other sessile or slow-moving organisms

Answer 5

Quadrats of suitable size and shape, or transects are used for plants and other sessile or slow moving organisms.

Question 6

What are used for mobile species

Answer 6

Capture techniques, such as traps and nets, are used for mobile species.

Question 7

How are elusive species sampled

Answer 7

Elusive species can be sampled directly using camera traps or an indirect method such as scat sampling.

Question 8

How can identification of an organism in a sample be made

Answer 8

Identification of an organism in a sample can be made using classification guides, biological keys or analysis of DNA or protein.

Question 9

How can organisms be classified

Answer 9

Organisms can be classified by both taxonomy and phylogenetics.

Question 10

What does taxonomy involve

Answer 10

Taxonomy involves the identification and naming of organisms and their classification into groups based on shared characteristics.

Question 11

What is phylogenetics

Answer 11

Phylogenetics is the study of the evolutionary history and relationships among individuals or groups of organisms.

Question 12

How has phylogenetics affected the classification of many organisms

Answer 12

Phylogenetics is changing the traditional classification of many organisms.

Question 13

What does familiarity with taxonomic groupings allow

Answer 13

Familiarity with taxonomic groupings allows predictions and inferences to be made about the biology of an organism from better-known organisms.

Question 14

What are model organisms

Answer 14

Model organisms are those that are either easily studied or have been well studied.

Question 15

What can information obtained from model organisms be used for

Answer 15

Information obtained from them can be applied to other species that are more difficult to study directly.

Question 16

What do indicator species do

Answer 16

Presence, absence, or abundance of indicator species can give information of environmental qualities such as presence of a pollutant.

Question 17

What can be used to monitor an ecosystem

Answer 17

Susceptible and favoured species can be used to monitor an ecosystem.

Question 18

What equation can be used for estimating population size

Answer 18

N=MxC/R

Question 19

What are some methods for marking

Answer 19

Banding, tagging, surgical implantation, painting, and hair clipping

Question 20

How should marking affect the study of the species

Answer 20

The method of marking and subsequent observation must minimise the impact on the study species.

Question 21

What are the measurements used for

Answer 21

Some of the measurements used to quantify animal behaviour are latency, frequency, and duration.

Question 22

What is an ethogram

Answer 22

An ethogram shows the behaviours of an animal in the wild and allows the construction of time budgets.

Question 23

What is the importance of avoiding anthropomorphism

Answer 23

Anthropomorphism leads to invalid conclusions.