Question

One of the first steps ecologists take in studying the natural world is sampling populations and ecological communities. Match each of these basic sampling techniques with the most likely scenario in which it would be used.

-       A.       B.       C.	A mountain ski resort wants to expand their main building into a nearby alpine meadow. Before development is given the ok, they have to conduct biodiversity assessments. You are hired to survey diversity of the small alpine plants and mosses that live in rocky patches that are scattered throughout the meadow.
-       A.       B.       C.	The power company has proposed putting in a new high-voltage line from their hydroelectric power plant to a new residential development. To proceed, they have to evaluate the number and type of forest species that will be harmed by cutting down a mile-long path of mature forest trees. You are hired to survey forest species diversity and population sizes in the designated habitat.
-       A.       B.       C.	The state is proposing to stock mountain lakes with trout and other fish in order to promote the fishing and tourism economies. Fish introduction into lakes tends to have negative impacts on a lake’s frog populations. You are hired to survey frog population sizes in one of the mountain lakes that is identified for fishing development.

A.	Transects
B.	Mark-recapture
C.	Quadrats

Answer 1

A. In the quadrant method, a square is drawn and the species that comes in that square are counted. It is normally used to count the number of plant species in a given area. The ski resort will impact large areas and estimate the affected species the quadrant method will be used.

2. In the transect method, the species are calculated by stretching a string on the ground, and then the species that come under that string are counted. The electric line is only gonna affect species in a straight line. So the transect method will be used in this.

3. In mark and capture method animals are captured from a particular species and is then are tagged with a sensor. This method is used for the calculation of the total population of a species. In the trout and fish populations, this method will be used.