WFC 100 UC DAVIS

Question 1

monitoring

Answer 1

observing and describing patterns in abundance and distribution. Descriptive- what rather than why.

Question 2

Research

Answer 2

answering specific biological questions of hypotheses about the mechanism and causes underlying an observed pattern. Answers why and how questions, and can be done through observation or experimentation.

Question 3

observation

Answer 3

no manipulation of animals or their environment

Question 4

experiment

Answer 4

manipulating animal behavior, abundance, or environmental conditions

Question 5

Why sample?

Answer 5

-determine species occurrence
-determine population size/ abundance
-determine habitat use or requirements for a species
-monitor changes in population size and population dynamics
-monitor effect of habitat change, management, or perturbation on population size, behavior, species interactions
-other specific research questions

Question 6

What is a sample?

Answer 6

a subset of an animal population, because you cannot study/track/monitor/count every individual!

Question 7

How can you measure abundance/density?

Answer 7

• presence/absence
• index of abundance (track/ scat/ calls)
• relative abundance (proportion of samples from a species)
• total counts (absolute count)
• density (number per unit area)

Question 8

How do you measure habitat use and movement?

Answer 8

• habitat use (what habitats are they in)
• habitat selection
• home ranges and territories
• migration routes, movement corridors
• movement behavior
• dispersal
• dispersion

Question 9

How do you measure demography?

Answer 9

• Reproduction and fitness (fecundity, survival, age ratio)
• Survival (age-specific, seasonal, annual, perturbation)
• Immigration and emigration

Question 10

How can you measure community metrics?

Answer 10

• Species composition (relative abundance/ proportion of each species)
• Diversity (richness- # of species, evenness- relative abundance, diversity index- index that combines richness and evenness)

Question 11

How can you measure behavior?

Answer 11

• foraging, feeding, hunting
• mating
• rearing young
• movement and habitat use
• social interactions
• antipredator behavior
• thermal management
• communication

Question 12

methods for estimation

Answer 12

• index
• direct count
• mark-recapture
• removal
• telemetry

Question 13

Passive observation (non invasive)

Answer 13

-ideally no direct contact with animals
-passive monitoring using direct counts or indices
-can be less expensive and easier to implement
-challenging for cryptic and rare species

ex. birds point counts with binoculars, track plates, camera traps

Question 14

experimental manipulation (non invasive)

Answer 14

intended influence on animals to study effect of treatment

Question 15

capture (invasive)

Answer 15

-ideally no post-interaction differences
-may include marking animals for future identification or deploying tracking device on animal
-requires handling of animals
-capture with marking is common for all wildlife and allows for repeated measurement

ex. birds and bats: mist nets, Sherman traps, cages, culvert traps

Question 16

Why census?

Answer 16

• basic inventory
• trend analysis
• monitor the effect of some change or perturbation
  -answer a specific research or monitoring question

Question 17

What to census?

Answer 17

• all species in a given area
• target groups
• single species

Question 18

what do you measure while censusing?

Answer 18

• presence/absence
• total abundance
• relative abundance (number/unit effort)
• density (number/ unit area)
• spacing or habitat use
• demography (reproduction, survival, morphology or subspecies)

Question 19

methods to census

Answer 19

• point counts
• transects
• area search
• spot mapping
• mist netting
• banding

Question 20

Point counts

Answer 20

• observer goes to a fixed point
• stays for fixed period of time
• counts all birds seen or heard
• record number, sex, distance
• size of ‘plot’

Question 21

assumptions of point counts

Answer 21

• all birds are detected
• distance is estimated correctly
• each bird is independent
• birds are not counted more than once
• observers have equal ability
• observers do not influence birds

Question 22

what is the value of point counts?

Answer 22

• simple, objective, repeatable, cheap
  -can use volunteers
  -can census large #points quickly
  -can get +/- relative abundance, density

Question 23

Transects

Answer 23

• observer walks transects of fixed length
• count all bird seen or heard
• records number, sex, distance
• width of ‘transect’

Question 24

transect assumptions

Answer 24

• same as for point counts
• observers keep constant pace in all areas
• observer movements do not influence birds

Question 25

Area Search

Answer 25

• observer walks freely within a fixed area
• counts all birds seen or heard in a fixed period
• records number, sex, location
• size of ‘area’

Question 26

Value of area searches

Answer 26

• maximizes sightings
• can track down and identify unknowns

Question 27

Spot Mapping

Answer 27

• observer marks territory locations of birds on a map
• based on territorial behavior during breeding season

Question 28

Nest Search

Answer 28

• search fixed plots intensively
• look for nests
• provides index of productivity
• may disturb nesting birds

Question 29

roadside counts

Answer 29

• drive fixed road route
• stop at fixed intervals
• count all birds seen or hears for fixed time
• can cover large areas, but only with roads
• easy, simple, cheap