Measuring distribution and abundance of organisms

Question 1

Distribution

Answer 1

WHERE organisms are
-explore relationships with abiotic factors
-systematically (line/belt transects) biotic and abiotic factors

Question 2

Abundance

Answer 2

NUMBER of individuals of a species in a given area at a given time
-to investigate/compare population sizes
-Capture-Mark-Release-Recapture (lincoln index)
-hard due to fluctuations, elusive organisms, timings, danger

Question 3

Diversity

Answer 3

measure of DIFFERENT organisms in a given area
-species richness and species evenness
-Simpsons Index of Diversity

Question 4

Line transect

Answer 4

-no width
-at regular intervals, make note of which species is touching the tape

Question 5

Belt transect

Answer 5

-at regular intervals, place quadrat next to line (interrupted)
-move quadrat along the line looking at each quadrat (continuous)

Question 6

Quadrat

Answer 6

-% of each species
-number of
-use a RNG to pick coordinates
-randomly position quadrats
-lay out two tape measures on two edges of the study site so they look like axes
-calc or dice to generate pairs of random numbers
-lay bottom left hand corner of quadrat as the coord