sample animals

mark and recapture

• small animals

• set a pifall trap

• record number trapped C1

• mark and release

• reset pitfall trap

• record number trapped C2

• count marked C3

mark and recapture calculation

C1xC2/C3

mark and recapture is inaccurate…

• number too high=C3 is too low

• animals avoid the trap, eaten

• creates a selection pressure, decreases fitness of species

• number too low=c3 is too high

• bait traps=like the trap

larger animals

• foot prints

• faeces

• scratch marks/burrows

• fure

• owl pellets

small mammals

• longworth trap

• bait and nesting material

• animal steps on spring loaded trap

• closes door

night flying insects

• light trap

• spin around the light

• hit into the fins

• and drop down into container

leaf litter

• arthropods

• insect=6

• arachind=8

• crustaceans=10

• myriapods=14

tolgren funnel

• collect leaf litter

• put in the top of the funnel

• turn light on

• creates inhospitible envirnoment

• bugs/insects fall through mesh plate in the collection funnel