Field Techniques For Biologists Flashcards
Hazards in fieldwork
• Adverse weather conditions • difficult terrain • problems associated with isolation • contact with harmful organisms
Risk
The likelihood of harm arising from exposure to a hazard.
Risk assessment
Involves identifying control measures to minimise risk
Control measure examples
Appropriate equipment, clothing, footwear and means of communication
How should sampling be carried out?
In a manner that minimises impact a wild species and habitats.
To what must consideration be given to?
Rare and vulnerable species and habitats that are protected by legislation
Point count
Involves the observer recording all individuals seen from a fixed point count location. This canbe compared to other point count locations or with data fam Te same location gathered at other times,
Quadrats or transects
Of suitable size and shape are used for plants and other sessile or slow-moving organisms.
Mobile species sampling
Capture techniques, such as traps and nets, are used.
Elusive species sampling
Can be direct (camera traps) or indirect (scat sampling),
How con we identify an organism in a sample?
Using classification guides, biological keys or analysis of DNA ar protein,
What are tk two ways organisms can be classified?
Taxonomy and phylogenetics
Taxonomy
Involves the identification and naming of organisms and their classification into groups based on shared characteristics, classic taxonomy identification is based on morphology
Phylogenetics
The study of the evolutionary history and relationships among individuals or groups of organisms.it uses heritable traits such as morphology, DNA sequences, and protein structure to make inferences about on organisms evolutionary history and create a phylogeny
Phylogeny
A diagrammatic hypothesis of its relationships to other organisms.
Why is genetic evidence important?
It can reveal relatedness obscured by divergent or convergent evolution.
Why is it important to le familiar with taxonomic groupings?
It allows predictions and inferences to be made about the biology of on organism from better-known (model) organisms.
Examples of taxonomic groups
Nematodes, arthropods, charlottes.
Model organisms
Those that de either easily studied or have been well studied.Information obtained from them can be applied to other species that are more difficult to be studied directly
Examples of model organisms
E. coli ( bacteria), arabidopsis thaliana (plant), C. Elegans(rematode), drosophila melanogaster (arthropod), mice, rats and zebrafish
Indicator species
Their presence, absence or abundance con give information of environmental qualities such as presence of a pollutant.
How can susceptible and favoured species he used to monitor an ecosystem
Absence ar reduced population indicates a species is susceptible to some factor in the environment, abundance an increased population indicates it is favoured by the conditions
Procedure for mark and recapture technique
A sample of Te population is captured and marked (m)and released, after a internal of time a second sample is captured (C) it some of the individuals in this second sample are recaptured then total population N = mc/r
What does mark and recapture assume?
That all individuals have a 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
