Using Ecological Sampling Methods

What is ecological sampling? Ecological sampling the the density of a population whether it is a plant or animal population that is being measured within a specific habitat. Why is it important? It measures the different diversity of both animal and plant species, the sampling also helps us understand how humans and other animals affect the ecosystem like the invasive like the Burmese Python in Florida, an invasive species that has killed and invaded the Everglades and affected most animal populations. The people who use the methods of ecological sampling are ecologists, ecologists measure and find out the density of a population whether it be for a specific species or an entire population of diverse species within a specific area of the world or place. There are many different techniques and methods to use ecological sampling. First is stratified sampling, stratified sampling is the process of identifying areas within a habitat which will or will not possibly be very different from one another and must be sampled separately to not confuse the populations together. Each area within the habitats is separately sampled within the overall habitat which is then called a stratum, however if the habitat is fairly uniform then this method

is not needed.

The second method a ecologist could use is random sampling, this method is used when the habitat is fairly uniform. This method is used to remove observer bias in the selection of samples and when time is limited to cover a large land quickly. Statistical tests are to be used which do require randomly collected data to be tested. The third method is systematic, the systematic method is used to show a zonation of a species along some environmental gradient like down a seashore, when there is some kind of continuous variation along a line, like across Centre’s heathland, or where physical conditions demand it like facing a vertical rock and using a rope to climb it. This is to measure linear habits

There are also two types of transect after using one of the methods. The line transect is prefered when you use the random sampling method, do to the fact is it used when there is limited time. A belt transect is used to visually illustrate how a species change along a transect diagram, to show species ranges across the line. The second transect is the belt transect, a belt transect will supply more data than a line transect, it will give data based on the abundance of the individual species that live in the habitat at different points of the line, as well as their range. Belt transect will allow the relative dominance of a species along the line to be determined, as well as showing species ranges on the line, a belt transect allows bar charts to be constructed showing the abundance of each individual species changes within its range.

Technology helps us measure and graph the density, how?

Ecologists use technology like quadrats and transects to sample plants and other plant life. Invertebrate ecologists use technology like Berlese-Tullgren funnel and light traps to measure to sample on land, then turn to wilding samplers, benthos grabbers, and various nets to sample land in aquatic habitats to collect faunal samples. Vertebrate ecologists on the other hand use cages and pitfall traps and other traps to capture most animals they wish to detect like rabbits or raccoons. Some field techniques advanced from technology from the chemical samplings of air, water, and soil which are now conducted by a fast, accurate and portable electronic analyzers and automatic

recorders.

Two methods, both transect and quadrat methods are very useful when trying to find the density of a population. Transect provides two way of finding it, in a easy explanation it would either be the quick and somewhat accurate way or the slow but very accurate way. Both ways are great to use and are used often in ecology. The quadrat method uses simple technology, a square made of plastic, wood, or any other material to create a place where you can count separate plants and organisms so you don’t mix it with others within a possible different habitat.