Unit 2: Organisms and Evolution, Field Techniques Flashcards
What are hazards that occur in fieldwork?
adverse weather, conditions, difficult terrain, problems
associated with isolation, and contact with harmful organisms
What’s a risk?
Risk is the likelihood of harm arising from exposure to a hazard.
What do risk assessments involve?
Risk assessment involves identifying control measures to minimise risk.
What control measures can be implemented in fieldwork?
Control measures include appropriate equipment, clothing, footwear, and means of communication.
How should sampling be carried out?
In a manner that minimises impact on wild species and habitats.
What is a point count?
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.
What sampling techniques are used for slow or sessile organisms?
Quadrats, of suitable size and shape, or transects are used for plants and other sessile or slow-moving organisms
What capture techniques are used for mobile organisms?
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
What is taxonomy?
Taxonomy involves the identification and naming of organisms and their classification into groups based on shared characteristics.
What are phylogenetics?
Phylogenetics is the study of the evolutionary history and relationships among individuals or groups of organisms.
What is used for phylogenetics?
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.
What are three examples of taxonomic groups?
Nematodes, arthropods and chordates are examples of taxonomic groups.
What are model organisms?
Model organisms are those that are either easily studied or have been well studied.
Give an example of a bacterium model organism?
E coli
Give an example of a nematode model organism?
C elegans
Give an example of an arthropod model organism?
Drosophila melanogaster
Give an example of a flowering plant model organism?
Arabidopsis thaliana
Give examples of chordata model organisms?
Mice, rats and zebrafish
Describe the procedure for the mark and recapture
technique as a method for estimating population size using the formula:
N= MC/R
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.
What does the mark and recapture method assume?
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.
What methods of marking are there for animals?
Methods of marking animals such as: banding, tagging, surgical implantation, painting and hair clipping
What is latency?
Latency is the time between the stimulus
occurring and the response behaviour.
What is frequency?
Frequency is the number of times a behaviour occurs within the observation period.
What is duration?
Duration is the length of time each behaviour occurs during the observation period.
Why should anthropomorphism be avoided when analysing behaviour?
Anthropomorphism can lead to invalid
conclusions.
