Practical Field Ecology - C. Philip Wheater

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Résumé :

List of Tables xiii

List of Figures xv

List of Boxes xxi

List of Case Studies xxiii

List of Plates xxv

Preface to the Second Edition xxvii

Preface to the First Edition xxix

Acknowledgements xxxi

About the Companion Website xxxv

1 Preparation 1

Choosing a topic for study 2

Ecological research questions 4

Monitoring individual species and groups of species 4

Monitoring species richness 5

Monitoring population sizes and density 5

Monitoring community structure 6

Monitoring behaviour 6

A note of caution 6

Creating aims, objectives, and hypotheses 9

Reviewing the literature 9

Primary literature 10

Secondary literature 10

Other sources of information 11

Search terms 11

Reading papers 12

Practical considerations 12

Legal aspects 13

Ethical issues 13

Health and safety issues 14

Implementation 16

Equipment and technical support 19

Field/laboratory notebook 19

Pilot studies 21

Time management 22

Statistical considerations in project design 24

Designing and setting up experiments and surveys 26

Choosing sampling methods 26

Types of data 27

Sampling designs 29

Planning statistical analysis 35

Describing data 35

Asking questions about data 36

Predictive analysis 37

Multivariate analysis 38

Examining patterns and structure in communities 39

Summary 39

2 Monitoring Site Characteristics 43

Site selection 43

Site characterisation 44

Habitat mapping 44

Examination of landscape scale 54

Measuring microclimatic variables 55

Monitoring substrates 60

Monitoring water 64

Other physical attributes 67

Measuring biological attributes 70

Identification 76

3 Sampling Plants and Other Static Organisms 85

Sampling for static organisms 88

Seeds, fecundity, and population dynamics 91

Quadrat sampling 92

Density estimation using quadrats 95

Frequency estimation using quadrats 95

Cover estimation using quadrats 96

Biomass estimation within quadrats 97

Quadrat size 99

Nested quadrats 100

Placement of quadrats 101

Quadrat shape 102

Pin-frames 103

Transects 104

Plotless sampling 106

Distribution of static organisms 109

Forestry techniques 110

Tree diameter 110

Tree basal area 113

Height of trees 113

Timber volume 114

Growth 114

Canopy cover 115

Age and mortality 115

4 Sampling Mobile Organisms 119

General issues 120

Distribution of mobile organisms 123

Direct observation 124

Behaviour 124

Indirect methods 130

Capture techniques 130

Marking individuals 133

Radio-Tracking 136

Population dynamics 138

Invertebrates 140

Direct observation 141

Butterfly census method 141

Indirect methods 143

Using insect sounds 143

Capture techniques 144

Killing and preserving invertebrates 145

Marking individuals 145

Capturing aquatic invertebrates 150

Netting 152

Suction sampling 156

Benthic coring 156

Drags, dredges, and grabs 157

Wet extraction 158

Artificial substrate samplers 159

Baited traps and refuges 159

Capturing soil-living invertebrates 161

Sieving 161

Floatation and phase-separation 161

Tullgren funnels and similar methods of dry extraction 162

Chemical ex...

Biographie:

C. PHILIP WHEATER, PHD, is Professor Emeritus in Environmental and Geographical Sciences at Manchester Metropolitan University. He has published widely in the fields of environmental science, environmental management, biogeography and ecology, including on plants, invertebrates, mammals, and amphibians.

PENNY A. COOK, PHD, is Professor in Public Health at the University of Salford, UK. She teaches statistical analysis, is a Statistical Editor of a peer-reviewed journal, and has published on greenspace, biodiversity and health and well-being, as well as on behavior and evolutionary ecology.

JAMES R. BELL, PHD, is Head of the Rothamsted Insect Survey, Rothamsted Research, UK. He has published widely on insect migration, climate change impacts on insects and the ecology of invertebrates. He has an interest in the analysis of large data sets as well as surveillance and monitoring technologies.