Unit 2 - section 1

Question 1

Compare the level of hazards and risks of field work to working in a lab

Answer 1

More uncontrolled risks and hazards for field work

Question 2

3 risks/hazards that must be assessed when working in the field

Answer 2

Weather
Isolation
Terrain

Question 3

When sampling wild organisms what should the impact on wild species and habitats be?

Answer 3

Minimal

Question 4

How should rare and vulnerable species and habitats be approached?

Answer 4

With caution and consideration for any legislation in place

Question 5

How should the sampling technique used to sample wild organisms be decided?

Answer 5

Ensure it is appropriate to the species being studied

Question 6

What are quadrats used for?

Answer 6

To sample sessile or slow moving organisms

Question 7

When sampling wild organisms what capture technique is used for mobile species?

Answer 7

Point count - involves counting species while they are stationary

Question 8

How are elusive species sampled?

Answer 8

Direct method - camera traps involve remote detection of species using cameras to record them

Indirect method - scar sampling shows where animal has been

Question 9

3 methods used for identification of samples.

Answer 9

Keys
Classification guides
DNA and protein analysis

Question 10

What are the taxonomic groupings of life?

Answer 10

Domain 
Kingdom
Phylum (animals) / division (plants)
Class
Order
Family
Genus 
Species

Question 11

Why is familiarity with the taxonomic groupings important?

Answer 11

Allows predictions and interferences to be made between the biology of an organism and the better known model organism

Question 12

What is the importance of genetic evidence in classification?

Answer 12

Reveals true relatedness between organisms. Important as relatedness can sometimes be skewed by convergent and divergent evolution

Question 13

What are the 3 domains of life?

Answer 13

Bacteria
Archaea
Eukaryotes

Question 14

What are the sub categories of the plant kingdom?

Answer 14

Mosses
Liverworts
Conifers
Ferns
Flowering plants

Question 15

What are the 5 animal phyla?

Answer 15

Chordata - sea squirts and vertebrates
Arthropoda - joint legged invertebrates segmented body usually paired with appendages
Nematoda - round worm, very diverse, usually parasitic
Platyhelminthes - flatworms, bilateral symmetry, internal organs but no cavity, parasite
Mollusca - molluscs, diverse, many have shells

Question 16

What is a model organism and why would it be used?

Answer 16

An organism that is used to study more complex organisms

Allows information to be collected that can be applied to species that are more difficult to study directly

Question 17

Why are model organisms important?

Answer 17

For the advancement of knowledge

Question 18

What are indicator species and how are they used to monitor populations?

Answer 18

Species whose presence, absence or abundance gives information about environmental qualities such as presence of pollutants

Question 19

What are mark and recapture techniques used for?

Answer 19

To estimate the population size

Question 20

What is the formula used to estimate population size?

Answer 20

N=MC/R

Where N is total population, M is number of pop marked first time, C is number of pop marked in second sample, R is number of pop that was recaptured

Question 21

What does mark and recapture assume?

Answer 21

All individuals have same chance of being captured
There is no immigration or emigration
There is no birth or death during the sample
Sampling methods are identical each time

Question 22

What are the different methods used to mark populations to allow them to be tracked?

Answer 22

Rings or bands 
Transmitters
Tagging
Colour marking
Hair clipping

Question 23

What should be ensured when picking the method of marking?

Answer 23

That it has the least impact on the species being studied

Question 24

What is an ethogram and how is if used by biologists?

Answer 24

Produced by observing animals in natural and semi-natural surroundings
Biologists use it to study animals natural behaviour

Question 25

What measurements should be taken when recoding animal behaviour?

Answer 25

Duration - start and stop time of each behaviour
Time budget - proportion of overall time carrying out certain behaviours
Latency - time between stimulation and response
Frequency of behaviour
Overall length of time of observation

Question 26

What is anthropomorphism and what precautions should be taken when recording animal behaviour?

Answer 26

It is giving animals human emotions and traits
Anthropomorphism should be avoided when recording animal behaviour as the behaviour may be misinterpreted and would make the conclusion invalid.