Practical Field Ecology - A Project Guide

Offers a comprehensive, accessible introduction to experimental design, field monitoring skills for plants and animals, data analysis, interpretation and reporting
 
This user-friendly book presents field monitoring skills for both plants and animals, within the context of a research project. This text provides a single resource to take the reader all the way through from the planning stage, into the field, guiding through sampling, organism identification, computer-based data analysis and interpretation, and finally how to present the results to maximise the impact of the work. Logically structured throughout, and revised extensively in the second edition, the book concentrates on the techniques required to design a field-based ecological survey and shows how to execute an appropriate sampling regime. It evaluates appropriate sampling and analytical methods, identifying potential problems associated with various techniques and how to mitigate these.
 
The second edition of this popular text has updated reference material and weblinks, increased the number of case studies by 50% to illustrate the use of specific techniques in the field, added over 20% more figures (including 8 colour plates), and made more extensive use of footnotes to provide extra details. Extensions to topics covered in the first edition include additional discussion of: ethical issues; statistical methods (sample size estimation, use of the statistical package R, mixed models); bioindicators, especially for freshwater pollution; seeds, fecundity and population dynamics including static and dynamic life tables; forestry techniques including tree coring and tree mortality calculations; the use of data repositories; writing for a journal and producing poster and oral presentations. In addition, the use of new and emerging technologies has been a particular focus, including mobile apps for environmental monitoring and identification; land cover and GIS; the use of drones including legal frameworks and codes of practice; molecular field techniques including DNA analysis in the field (including eDNA); photo-matching for identifying individuals; camera trapping; modern techniques for detecting and analysing bat echolocation calls; and data storage using the cloud.
 
Divided into six distinct chapters, Practical Field Ecology, 2nd Edition begins at project inception with a chapter on planning--covering health and safety, along with guidance on how to ensure that the sampling and experimental design is suitable for subsequent statistical analysis. Following a chapter dealing with site characterisation and general aspects of species identification, subsequent chapters describe the techniques used to survey and census particular groups of organisms. The final chapters cover analysing, interpreting and presenting data, and writing up the research.
* Offers a readable and approachable integrated guide devoted to field-based research projects
* Takes students from the planning stage, into the field, and clearly guides them through organism identification in the laboratory and computer-based data analysis, interpretation and data presentation
* Includes a chapter on how to write project reports and present findings in a variety of formats to differing audiences
 
Aimed at undergraduates taking courses in Ecology, Biology, Geography, and Environmental Science, Practical Field Ecology, 2nd Edition will also benefit postgraduates seeking to support their projects.

List of contents

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
 

About the author

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.

Summary

Offers a comprehensive, accessible introduction to experimental design, field monitoring skills for plants and animals, data analysis, interpretation and reporting

This user-friendly book presents field monitoring skills for both plants and animals, within the context of a research project. This text provides a single resource to take the reader all the way through from the planning stage, into the field, guiding through sampling, organism identification, computer-based data analysis and interpretation, and finally how to present the results to maximise the impact of the work. Logically structured throughout, and revised extensively in the second edition, the book concentrates on the techniques required to design a field-based ecological survey and shows how to execute an appropriate sampling regime. It evaluates appropriate sampling and analytical methods, identifying potential problems associated with various techniques and how to mitigate these.

The second edition of this popular text has updated reference material and weblinks, increased the number of case studies by 50% to illustrate the use of specific techniques in the field, added over 20% more figures (including 8 colour plates), and made more extensive use of footnotes to provide extra details. Extensions to topics covered in the first edition include additional discussion of: ethical issues; statistical methods (sample size estimation, use of the statistical package R, mixed models); bioindicators, especially for freshwater pollution; seeds, fecundity and population dynamics including static and dynamic life tables; forestry techniques including tree coring and tree mortality calculations; the use of data repositories; writing for a journal and producing poster and oral presentations. In addition, the use of new and emerging technologies has been a particular focus, including mobile apps for environmental monitoring and identification; land cover and GIS; the use of drones including legal frameworks and codes of practice; molecular field techniques including DNA analysis in the field (including eDNA); photo-matching for identifying individuals; camera trapping; modern techniques for detecting and analysing bat echolocation calls; and data storage using the cloud.

Divided into six distinct chapters, Practical Field Ecology, 2nd Edition begins at project inception with a chapter on planning--covering health and safety, along with guidance on how to ensure that the sampling and experimental design is suitable for subsequent statistical analysis. Following a chapter dealing with site characterisation and general aspects of species identification, subsequent chapters describe the techniques used to survey and census particular groups of organisms. The final chapters cover analysing, interpreting and presenting data, and writing up the research.
* Offers a readable and approachable integrated guide devoted to field-based research projects
* Takes students from the planning stage, into the field, and clearly guides them through organism identification in the laboratory and computer-based data analysis, interpretation and data presentation
* Includes a chapter on how to write project reports and present findings in a variety of formats to differing audiences

Aimed at undergraduates taking courses in Ecology, Biology, Geography, and Environmental Science, Practical Field Ecology, 2nd Edition will also benefit postgraduates seeking to support their projects.

Product details

• Authors: James Bell, James R Bell, James R. Bell, Bell James R., Penny A Cook, Penny A. Cook, Cook Penny A., C Wheater, C Phili Wheater, C Philip Wheater, C. Philip Wheater, C. Philip (Manchester Metropolitan Univer Wheater, C. Philip Bell Wheater
• Publisher: Wiley, John and Sons Ltd
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 29.02.2020
• EAN: 9781119413226
• ISBN: 978-1-119-41322-6
• No. of pages: 480
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Biology > Ecology; Ökologie, Umweltforschung, Umweltwissenschaften, Angewandte Ökologie, Life Sciences, Biowissenschaften, Environmental Studies, Applied ecology, Environmental Science, Methods & Statistics in Ecology, Ökologie / Methoden, Statistik