Unit 2 - Field Techniques for Biologists Flashcards
What are hazards in fieldwork?
- Uneven terrain
- Weather conditions
- People becoming isolated and injured
- Contact with harmful organsims
How should sampling wild organisms be carried out?
In way that minimises impact on the species and habitat (leave them as you find them)
Wat type of species should be especially considered?
Rare and vulnerable species and habitats that are covered by legisaltion
What is a point count?
The observer records all individuals seen from a stationary location.
What type of organisms is a point count used for?
Birds
What are transects used for?
Determining changes in community across environment gradient
What is an example of a transect experiment?
Extending a line down a hill and measuring moisture or PH level every meter and recording changes
What is remote detection?
Counts and measurements done from the air using a satelitte
What are remote detections used for usually?
Plant sampling
What are quadrats used for?
Monitoring plant population and other slow moving organisms
What are traps and nets used for?
Mobile species who are more difficult to sample
What are camera traps or scats used for?
Sampling elusive species who are difficult to sample through normal observations (it provides indirect evidence)
How can an organism be identified?
Classification guides, biological keys, or analysis of DNA
What do classification guides focus on?
One class of organisms from one part of the world
What is a biological key?
A series of questions which focus on the features and organism can be separated by
What is DNA analysis useful for?
Separating organisms that only have subtle difference or organisms which only have some remaining evidence like fossils
How can organisms be classified?
Taxonomy or phylogenetics
What does taxonomy involve?
The identification and naming of organisms and classification into groups based on shared characteristics
What is classic taxonomy based on?
Morphology
What is phylogenetics?
The study of evolutionary history and relationships among individuals or groups of organisms
What does phylogenetics use to make inferences about an organism
It uses heritable traits like morphology, DNA sequences and protein structure
What is a phylogeny?
A diagrammatic hypothesis of its relationships to other organisms
What can genetic evidence reveal?
Relatedness obscured by divergent or convergent evolution
What are model organisms?
Organisms that are easily studied or have been well studied (entire genome sequenced)
