Field Techniques for Biologists Flashcards
What is a hazard and risk ?
Hazard = Anything that can cause you harm
Risk = The likelihood of harm arising from exposure to a hazard
What are examples of hazards in fieldwork ?
Aspects of fieldwork can present a hazard
Hazards in fieldwork include;
-Adverse weather conditions
-Difficult terrain
-Problems associated with isolation
-Contact with harmful organisms
How is risk controlled ?
Risk assessment involves identifying control measures to minimise risk.
Control measures include appropriate equipment, clothing, footwear, and means of communication.
Give an example of control measures for hazards in fieldwork
Adverse weather conditions - Wear appropriate equipment and/or clothing
Difficult terrain (The lay of the land/conditions underfoot) - wear appropriate footwear
Contact with harmful organisms - carry appropriate equipment (e.g. tick removers)
Problems associated with isolation (working in an environment which is not easy to access or make contact with - arranging/carrying appropriate means of communication for where you are, such as radio transmitters or contact details for coastguard if out at sea
What are considerations for sampling in fieldwork ?
-Sampling should be carried out in a manner that minimises impact on wild species and habitats
-Consideration must be given to rare and vulnerable species and habitats that are protected by legislation
-The chosen technique, point count, transect or remote detection must be appropriate to the species being sampled
What is a point count and its potential limitations ?
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.
Errors:
-Same sample could be counted twice
-Species wrongly identified
What can be used to sample plants and other sessile or slow-moving organisms ?
Quadrats, of suitable size and shape, or transects are used for plants and other sessile or slow-moving organisms
How are mobile species sampled ?
Capture techniques, such as traps and nets, are used for mobile species
How are elusive species sampled ?
Elusive species can be sampled directly using camera traps or an indirect method, such as scat sampling
Remote detection
Elusive = may be rare (low pop) or display secretive/nocturnal behaviour
How can organisms in a sample be identified ?
Identification of an organism in a sample can be made using;
-Classification guides
-Biological keys
-Analysis of DNA or protein (esp if dead or partial remains)
How can organisms be classified ?
Organisms can be classified by both taxonomy and phylogenetics
What is taxonomy ?
Taxonomy involves the identification and naming of organisms and their classification into groups based on shared characteristics
Classic taxonomy classification is based on morphology.
Morphology = the branch of biology that deals with the form of living organisms, and with relationships between their structures.
What is phylogenetics ?
Phylogenetics is the study of the evolutionary history and relationships among individuals or groups of organisms
Phylogenetics is changing the traditional classification of many organisms
How does phylogenetics work ?
Phylogenetics uses heritable traits, such as;
-Morphology
-DNA sequences
-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.
What are the taxonomic group rankings ?
-Domain
-Kingdom
-Phylum
-Class
-Order
-Family
-Genus
-Species
