Lab Activity
NO LAB
Introduction to
Studying Ecology
(abiotic measurements)
Learning objectives. Students should be able
to:
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Soil Invertebrates
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Sampling Mobile
Organisms: Mark and
recapture
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Sampling Sessile
Organisms
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Demography
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Differentiate between:
o Descriptive and functional studies
o Manipulative and observational experiments
Demonstrate the ability to manipulate numbers using
a spread sheet including the use of descriptive and
basic inferential statistics (correlation and t-test)
Interpret variation in order to distinguish
differences among “treatments” from variability
inherent within ecological systems
Recognize the magnitude of the variability inherent
within ecological systems compared with studies
performed in laboratory settings.
Begin to recognize some of the other challenges in
studying ecological systems.
Demonstrate techniques appropriate to sampling soil
organisms and important physical factors of soils.
Demonstrate the ability to choose and apply
appropriate statistical and graphical analyses.
Use these analyses and the provided literature to
construct a logical argument for explaining
differences in the abundance and distribution of soil
invertebrates based on environmental factors
Demonstrate an understanding of the calculations
used to estimate population size by predicting the
nature of error associated with violating assumptions
of concepts upon which the procedure is based.
Differentiate between accuracy and precision.
Compare population size estimates between two
areas, evaluate differences among and movement of
individuals between areas, and generate explanations
for these differences.
Demonstrate the ability to sample and calculate
sessile organisms using different techniques.
Explain the basis for how each technique measures
density, and evaluate under what circumstances might
one technique be better suited than another.
Differentiate between the concepts of an estimate
based on subsampling and the true value that the
student is attempting to describe.
Evaluate the influence of sample size on variation in
estimates.
Recognize the difference among the three different
measures of abundance and apply these to examples
of questions for which each might be useful
Demonstrate the ability to use data both on the
number of deaths and the number of living to
construct survivorship curves and age-specific life
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Factors affecting Pine
Distribution
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OVERALL
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expectancies.
Apply these patterns of age-specific survivorship to
questions concerning population manangement.
Demonstrate an understanding of the calculations
used to estimate life expectancy by predicting how
life expectancy would change with changes in age
specific mortality
Using one of the two methods, develop a sampling
scheme to determine age-specific survivorship in
loblolly pines.
Search and analyze the scientific literature on
mortality in pines in order to make a prediction about
age-specific survivorship.
Analyze the data on collected and compare to the
predicted age-specific survivorship pattern to argue
the importance of particular factors on the mortality
of pines in the system studied.
Summarize and evaluate peer-reviewed scientific
papers.
Use this literature to generate relevant hypotheses.
Recognize that methodologies in field ecology must be
adaptive to the specific system.
Adapt previously learned techniques and original ideas
to a methodology for investigating hypotheses
relevant to this lab.
Choose the appropriate comparisons in the data set to
test these hypothesis and apply the appropriate
graphic and statistical analyses.
Explain the changes in the density of pines over time
using spatial comparisons made, and construct a
logical argument evaluating mechanisms responsible
for the observed patterns.
Construct an overall mental framework of the study
area behind the science building that demonstrates
an understanding of the interaction of its various
ecologic components, the variability of these
components, and the methodolgies and analyses that
are used to measure and understand these
phenomena.
Recognize the challenges in studying ecological
systems and demonstrate the ability to adapt
“standard” methodolgies to each unique field
situation.
Hillside mixed
stand
Upper hillside
young forest
Lower hillside
young forest
Hillside
meadow
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Demography
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Sampling
Mobile
Organisms:
Mark and
recapture
Factors
affecting Pine
Distribution
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Other
South Forest
Introduction to
Studying
Ecology
Abiotic
Factors:
Sampling soil
invertebrates
Sampling
Sessile
Organisms
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Arboretum and
Other stands
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maybe