4.2.1 Sampling Techniques (Questions and MS)
4.2.1 Sampling Techniques (Questions and MS)
1
BIODIVERSITY
(S AMPLING
TECHNIQUES)
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LEARNING OUTCOMES
Learners should be able to demonstrate and apply their knowledge
of:
(B) How sampling is used in measuring the biodiversity of a habitat and the
importance of sampling
• Practical investigations collecting random and non-random samples in the
field
• To include how sampling can be carried out i.e. random sampling and non-
random sampling (e.g. opportunistic, stratified and systematic) and the
importance of sampling the range of organisms in a habitat. Techniques
including: use of sweeping nets, pitfall traps, pooters, Tullgren funnel and
kick‑sampling for collecting different samples. M0.2, M1.3, M1.5, M1.4,
M1.6, M1.7, M1.9, M1.10, M3.2 PAG3 HSW4, HSW5, HSW6
THE IMPORTANCE OF SAMPLING IN
MEASURING THE BIODIVERSITY OF A
HABITAT
• Chance: never can be removed form the process, but can be minimised by
using a larger sample size. The larger the sample size the more reliable
the result.
SAMPLING
• A sample is biased if it does not represent the population as a whole (for
example, if you were looking at the average height of students in a school
but only measured the heights of people from one particular class, the
sample would be biased).
Use random
sampling when
you are looking
at plant species
in a field.
More quadrats =
F. vesiculosus
F. serratus
Standardised: same
meteorological conditions
when caught soil, the same
amount of soil collected each
time,
SAMPLING METHODS
(ANIMALS)
GROUND ANIMALS
PITFALL TRAP: is a trap set in the soil to catch small animals. It consists of a small container buried in the soil so that its rim is jut
below the surface.
Any animal moving through the plants or leaf litter on the soil surface will fall into the container.
The container should contain a little water to stop the animals crawling out again.
A large number of traps makes the results more reliable and minimises the effects of unusual results
ALL THE SAMPLING HAS
TO BE STANDARDISED
Standardised: same
time spent of kicking,the
same speed of kicking,
the same number of
kicks, the same mesh
size, distance from the
net has to be the same,
ESTIMATING ANIMAL
POPULATION SIZE (LINCOLN
INDEX)
CAPTURE- RECAPTURE (mark release).
1. Capture: setting up traps to capture the animals
2. Marking: paint or dye, India ink, color band, (birds) micro chips (large
mammls), toe clipping (reptiles, amphibians and rodents).
3. Capturing another sample of individuals.