Unit 4 Chapter 17 - Practical Skills

Question 1

DAFOR scale

Answer 1

A qualitative scale that judges the abundance of organisms. Initials stand for: Dominant, Abundant, Frequent, Occasional, Rare.

Question 2

Dependent variable

Answer 2

The factor which may be controlled by the independent variable ie the ‘results’ that are measured.

Question 3

Heterogenous

Answer 3

Uneven, with local concentrations

Question 4

Homogenous

Answer 4

Evenly mixed

Question 5

Hypothesis

Answer 5

The theory or explanation that is being investigated.

Question 6

Independent variable

Answer 6

The factor that is deliberately altered or measured to see if it controls the dependent factor.

Question 7

Lincoln index

Answer 7

A catch, mark, release, recapture method of estimating animal populations

Question 8

Null hypothesis

Answer 8

The no-link theory against which the hypothesis is tested.

Question 9

Pitfall trap

Answer 9

A method of sampling populations of mobile animals that live on the soil surface, by collecting individuals that fall into traps set into the ground

Question 10

Pooter

Answer 10

A mouth-suction device to pick up invertebrates in soil or leaf litter

Question 11

Quadrat

Answer 11

An area, usually square or circular, in which samples are taken. The size of the quadrats depends upon the organisms being studied.

Question 12

Secchi disc

Answer 12

A circular disc divided into four black and white segments that is used to estimate water turbidity

Question 13

Surber sampler

Answer 13

An aquatic invertebrate sampling frame and net that provides more quantitative data than kick sampling

Question 14

Transect

Answer 14

A line or belt of sampling sites across an area

Question 15

Tullgren funnel

Answer 15

A piece of equipment used to extract invertebrates from soil or leaf litter