Field Techniques

Question 1

What is Point Count?

Answer 1

A way of observing in a stationary location. It can be used to measure abundance in bird populations.

Question 2

What is a Transect?

Answer 2

A line to determine changes in the community such as shore lines.

Question 3

What is Remote Detection?

Answer 3

It is a way of carrying out global studies. It can use satellites and is often used to observe the deep sea.

Question 4

What are quadrats?

Answer 4

Squares used to measure stationary/ slow moving organisms. Quadrats ensure the same measurements every time.

Question 5

What is used for mobile species?

Answer 5

Nets and traps. Birds and bats are captured in nets. Night flying insects can be caught in light traps.

Question 6

What can be used to study elusive species?

Answer 6

Droppings and camera traps as the organisms are difficult to sample.

Question 7

What are classification guides?

Answer 7

They show one class of organism from one area. They show a picture of the organism and their habitat.

Question 8

What are biological keys?

Answer 8

They are more specialised and separate species on characteristics only.

Question 9

What is analysis of DNA used for?

Answer 9

To separate quite similar species. Can use droppings foe elusive species.

Question 10

What is taxonomy?

Answer 10

Organises every species we know. It is used mainly for highly researched animals ( model organisms).

Question 11

What is the Tree of Life?

Answer 11

It separates organisms into 3 domains: Bacteria; archaea and eukaryota. It shows the evolution of species.

Question 12

What is Divergent Evolution?

Answer 12

Organisms share traits from a common ancestor.

Question 13

What is Convergent Evolution?

Answer 13

Organisms share traits but do not share a common ancestor.

Question 14

What is an indicator species?

Answer 14

They determine whether a specific pollutant is present in the area. Peppered moth. Tolerant species can live in a high level of the pollutant.
Intolerant species cannot live in a high level of the pollutant.

Question 15

What are methods of marking?

Answer 15

Banding: coded metal/plastic band attached around part of the organism.
Tagging: coded metal/plastic tag inserted to or on the organism
Surgical Implantation: microchip inserted into organism. Read by an electronic reader.
Painting: code painted onto surface of organism
Hair Clipping: Distinctive area of fur trimmed on an small mammal.

Question 16

What is mark and recapture?

Answer 16

Used to estimate size of a population.

Question 17

What is the formula for mark and recapture?

Answer 17

N=MC/R
M=How many captured first time
C=How many in the second capture
R=The number of recaptured organisms in the second capture

Question 18

What are the forms of quantitative data?

Answer 18

Latency: interval of time between stimulus and response
Frequency: how often a behavior occurs
Duration: length of time for which a behaviour occurs

Question 19

What is an ethogram?

Answer 19

A way to describe behaviors. Often filmed and rewatched. Shows the behavior and what it means (description).

Question 20

What does absence or reduced population indicate?

Answer 20

That the species is susceptible to some factor in the environment.

Question 21

What is phylogenetics?

Answer 21

The study of the evolutionary history among individuals or groups of organisms.