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Ecological Sampling Techniques

The document outlines various ecological sampling techniques including quadrants, nets, colonization media, pitfall traps, soil sampling for earthworms, and indirect sampling methods. Each technique has its own advantages, limitations, and specific applications for estimating population data in different habitats. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of planning investigations to ensure data validity, reliability, and representativeness.

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96 views2 pages

Ecological Sampling Techniques

The document outlines various ecological sampling techniques including quadrants, nets, colonization media, pitfall traps, soil sampling for earthworms, and indirect sampling methods. Each technique has its own advantages, limitations, and specific applications for estimating population data in different habitats. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of planning investigations to ensure data validity, reliability, and representativeness.

Uploaded by

majorsavior
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Ecological sampling techniques

Quadrants:
 Quadrants are used for estimating population data in different
habitats.
 The size of the quadrant depends on the habitat and species
being studied.
 Different types of quadrants, including open frame, grid, and
point quadrants, can be used for percentage cover estimation.
 Limitations include subjectivity in estimating percentage cover
and the possibility of the quadrant frame affecting plants.
Nets:
 Different nets are used to capture organisms in the air, on
vegetation, or in water.
 Examples include pond nets, kick sampling, Surber sampling,
plankton nets, sweep nets, aerial insect nets, and more.
 Each type of net has its own method, advantages, and
limitations.
Colonization Media:
 Certain species can be monitored by providing suitable habitats
for them to colonize.
 Limitations include the fact that not all species may use the
media, and accurate population estimates are challenging.
Pitfall Traps:
 Pitfall traps are used to sample populations of mobile animals
on the ground surface.
 The method involves containers placed in holes in the ground
to capture organisms.
 Limitations include the selective capture of mobile animals,
potential interference from trapped carnivores, and the
possibility of attracting or repelling certain species.
Sampling Soil for Earthworms:
 Soil flooding and soil pit extraction methods are used to sample
earthworm populations.
 Limitations include the potential failure to percolate irritant
solutions through impermeable soil, the movement of worms
away from the sampling area, and the death of some worms
during collection.
Indirect Sampling:
 Indirect methods include using nests, droppings, feeding marks,
owl pellets, tracks/footprints, and territorial marks to detect
presence.
 These methods provide insights into natural behavior, territory
size, and the presence of multiple species but have limitations
in accuracy.
Sampling a Location:
 Random and systematic sampling methods are used based on
the characteristics of the area.
 Data types collected include species type, abundance, species
richness, species frequency, species density, percentage cover
of plants, population estimates, and biodiversity calculations.
Planning an Investigation:
 Investigations should be representative, valid, comparable, and
reliable.
 Preliminary investigations help determine the optimal number
of samples.
 Techniques for collecting data should be standardized.
 Multiple samples should be collected in different locations and
at different times to improve the validity, reliability, and
representativeness of the data.

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