field techniques for biologists

Question 1

what do hazards in field work include

Answer 1

Hazards in fieldwork include adverse weather conditions, difficult terrain, problems
associated with isolation, and contact with harmful organisms.

Question 2

define risk

Answer 2

Risk is the likelihood of harm arising from
exposure to a hazard.

Question 3

what does a risk assessment involve

Answer 3

Risk assessment involves identifying control
measures to minimise risk.

Question 4

what does control measures include

Answer 4

Control measures include appropriate
equipment, clothing, footwear, and means of
communication.

Question 5

how should sampling be carried out

Answer 5

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

Question 6

what species should consideration be given to

Answer 6

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

Question 7

what should the chosen technique be

Answer 7

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

Question 8

what are quadrats used for

Answer 8

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

Question 9

what are some capture techniques used for mobile species

Answer 9

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

Question 10

how can elusive species be sampled

Answer 10

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

Question 11

what does a point count involves

Answer 11

A point count involves the observer recording all individuals seen from a fixed point count location. This can be compared to other point count locations or with data from the same
location gathered at other times.

Question 12

how can Identification of an organism in a sample
be made

Answer 12

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

Question 13

how can organisms be classified

Answer 13

Organisms can be classified by both taxonomy and phylogenetics

Question 14

what does taxonomy involve

Answer 14

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

Question 15

what is Classic taxonomy classification based on

Answer 15

Classic taxonomy classification is based on
morphology.

Question 16

define phylogengenitics

Answer 16

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

Question 17

what is phylogengenitics

Answer 17

Phylogenetics is changing the traditional
classification of many organisms

Question 18

what does phylogenetics use

Answer 18

Phylogenetics uses heritable traits such as morphology, DNA sequences, and protein structure to make inferences about an organism’s evolutionary history and create a phylogeny (or phylogenetic tree) — a diagrammatic hypothesis of its
relationships to other organisms. Genetic evidence can reveal relatedness obscured by divergent or
convergent evolution.

Question 19

what are some examples of taxonomic groups

Answer 19

Nematodes, arthropods and chordates are examples of taxonomic groups.

Question 20

what does familiarity with taxonomic groups allow

Answer 20

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

Question 21

what are model organisms

Answer 21

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

Question 22

what can the information being obtained from the model species be applied to

Answer 22

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

Question 23

which model organisms have been very important in the advancement of modern biology

Answer 23

Model organisms, such as the bacterium E. coli; the flowering plant Arabidopsis
thaliana; the nematode C. elegans; the arthropod Drosophila melanogaster (a fruit fly); mice, rats, and zebrafish, which are all
chordates, have been very important in the advancement of modern biology.

Question 24

define indicator species

Answer 24

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

Question 25

what factors indicates that a species is susceptible to some factor in the environment

Answer 25

Absence or reduced population indicates a
species is susceptible to some factor in the
environment. Abundance or increased
population indicates it is favoured by the
conditions.

Question 26

Procedure for the mark and recapture technique as a method for estimating
population size using the formula

Answer 26

A sample of the population is captured and marked (M) and released. After an interval of time, a second sample is captured (C). If
some of the individuals in this second sample are recaptured (R), then the total population

Question 27

what does the mark and recapture method assume

Answer 27

This method assumes that all individuals have an equal chance of capture, that there is no immigration or emigration, and that individuals that are marked and released can mix fully and randomly with the total
population.

Question 28

Methods of marking animals such as:

Answer 28

Methods of marking animals such as: banding, tagging, surgical implantation, painting and hair clipping

Question 29

what must the method of marking and subsequent observation be

Answer 29

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

Question 30

define latency

Answer 30

Latency is the time between the stimulus
occurring and the response behaviour

Question 31

define frequency

Answer 31

Frequency is the number of times a
behaviour occurs within the observation
period.

Question 32

define duration

Answer 32

Duration is the length of time each behaviour occurs during the observation period.

Question 33

what are some of the measurements used to quantify
animal behaviour

Answer 33

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

Question 34

what is an ethogram

Answer 34

An ethogram lists species-specific
behaviours to be observed and recorded in
the study

Question 35

what does an ethogram allow

Answer 35

Recording the duration of each of the behaviours in the ethogram, together with
the total time of observation, allows the
proportion of time spent on each behaviour to be calculated in the time budget.

Question 36

what can anthropomorphism lead to

Answer 36

Anthropomorphism can lead to invalid
conclusions.

Question 37

define anthropomorphism

Answer 37

applying human emotion to other non-human animals and so that behaviour is misinterpreted