Counting Animals (Week 8 Reading)

whats the most ideal scenario where we have the actual count of all animals

total count

When can we do a total count

when animals are in distinct clumps and easy to observe

What is Quadrat sampling commonly used for

plants and habitat elements

Point Counts are the most extensively used technique for measuring what

bird abundance and diversity in temperate forest and on rangelands. or can be used to measure squirrels.

what is spot mapping also referred to as

territory mapping

What is often measured using spot mapping

used to estimate avian population densities by locating singing males during a number of visits to the study area and delineating territory boundaries

What can Nest searches be used for

to assess reproductive success in an avian population by monitoring the survival of eggs and nestling over a coarse of a breeding season

What 2 techniques are both labor intensive and not commonly used for inventories

Sport mapping and Nest searching

What is Line transect and point transect sampling

specialized plot methods in which a search for the target organism is conducted along a long narrow strip having a known area. rarely can it be assumed that all animals are detected along the transect.

Standardized visual searches

used to determine species occurrence, species richness, or relative density values, where sampling effort is standardized by space or time

How can Elusive species be sampled

by using remote sensing devices positioned across the study area

Radio-telemetry

used for many years to collect data on wildlife and fish movement, home range size, and habitat selection.

what has genetic analyses of tissue led to

an explosion of approaches to assess populations, dispersal, and evolutionary patterns

What is the difference between accuracy and precision?

Accuracy is how close a result is to the true value; precision is how consistent repeated results are.

What factors must be considered when choosing a counting method?

Animal size, mobility, detectability, habitat, survey area, and available resources.

What is the main problem with quadrat sampling for mobile animals?

The same animal may move between plots and be counted more than once.

What is a detection function?

A function that estimates the probability of detecting an animal based on its distance from the transect centerline.

What is indirect animal sampling?

Estimating animal presence or population density from signs rather than observing the animals directly.

What are examples of animal signs?

Tracks, scat, fecal pellets, scent-marking posts, nests, lodges, and burrow openings.

Why use animal signs instead of direct observation?

The species may be cryptic, elusive, wary, or too expensive to capture.

What is a limitation of using bait at camera stations or track plates?

Bait can bias estimates by attracting some species more than others.

What are ultrasonic detectors used to monitor?

Bats, although distinguishing every bat species may not be possible.

What is audio monitoring used for?

Detecting animal vocalizations, including frogs and other species that are difficult to observe.

What is the difference between passive and active capture?

Passive capture uses devices animals enter or encounter, such as traps; active capture involves actively pursuing or collecting animals.

Give three examples of passive capture methods.

Pitfalls, snap traps, and box traps.

What is GPS telemetry?

Tracking animal locations using GPS satellites, potentially in real time without researchers having to follow radio signals in the field.