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Citizen Science: The Scientific Process & Sampling. Idaho Master Naturalist Program Shane Roberts Wildlife Biologist Idaho Fish & Game. Overview. Scientific Method Types of scientific inquiry Common sampling methods What are they doing in that helicopter? - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Citizen Science:The Scientific Process &
Sampling
Idaho Master Naturalist Program
Shane RobertsWildlife Biologist
Idaho Fish & Game
Overview• Scientific Method• Types of scientific inquiry• Common sampling methods
– What are they doing in that helicopter?
• Tips for citizen scientists & volunteers
Scientific Method• Volunteers are
often involved in one specific part of the process
but are also very important to other steps
Observation
Data Collection
Data Analysis
Conclusion
Question
Hypothesis
Methods
Communication
Observation, Question, & Hypothesis• Question
– Whole purpose of the process
– Usually begins with an observation
• Hypothesis– An educated guess– Must be testable &
refutable– Aim is not to “prove”
Research Design• What is the best way to test the
hypothesis?• Designs
– Observational– Case Study– Correlational– Differential– Experimental– Quasi-experimental
Wildlife Populations
• IDFG focuses on populations, not individuals– Exception – rare, endangered species
• A population is a collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular species that share a particular characteristic of interest, most often that of living in a given geographic area – Island Park elk
• Can be defined in many ways
Wildlife Populations
• Population estimation• BIDE formula
Nt+1 = Nt + pop growth
Pop growth = birth + immigration – death – emigration
• Sampling seeks to provide estimates for these variables
Methods• What exact things do you need
to do to carry out the experiment?– Census or sampling?
• Census usually impossible in wildlife biology
– Sample size• Very important for reliable results
– Protocols– Consistency and repeatability
Sample Size• Too large
– Waste of time, $$$, resources
• Too small– Bias results– Lack of
“power”• Law of large
numbers
Sample Size
• Sample– 0 Adult– 2
Raghorn– 4 Spike
• Population– 2 Adult– 6
Raghorn– 10 Spike
Sample Size
• Sample– 2 Adult– 1
Raghorn– 1 Spike
• Population– 2 Adult– 6
Raghorn– 10 Spike
Sampling• Subset of population
used to make inferences about the population
• Random• Systematic• Stratified random
– Subpopulations within a population
• Others
Sampling• Transect sampling
– Linear sample taken at numerous starting locations within the survey area
– Common in small mammal surveys
• Plot sampling– Areas sampled at
numerous locations within the survey area
• Common in vegetation surveys
• Canopy cover, diversity, succession, noxious weeds
Sampling• Vegetation
– Robel pole (cover pole)• Vegetation structure and
density– Daubenmire frame
• Frequency, composition, % cover
– 10-pin frame• Species frequency
– Clipping• Biomass
– Core sampling, fruit traps, and many others
Sampling• Birds
– Call & response survey• Presence, relative
abundance– Point counts
• Diversity, presence, relative abundance
– Mist netting (birds & bats)• Diversity, presence, relative
abundance• Species specific• Marking, measurements
– Nest surveys• Presence, production
Sampling• Fish
– Electrofishing• Immobilize fish• Abundance, density,
diversity• Species & size dependent
– Snorkel surveys• Visual observations• Structure/habitat use
– Netting & trapping• Certain species, size
classes, behaviors– Structure passage (dam,
weir)• Mark-recapture
Sampling• Mammals
– Trapping• Relative abundance, mark-
recapture, collaring– Track & scat surveys
• Snow, tracking medium• Diet analysis
– Scent station or hair snare surveys• Secretive carnivores• DNA or marker
– Visual surveys• Aerial, ground, spotlight…
Sampling• Human Dimensions
– Observations• Resource use • Information board use
– Interviews• Telephone surveys• Face-to-face (public
meetings, checkstations)– Questionnaires
• Hunter report cards • Online reporting forms • Public comment
opportunities
Sampling Idaho’s Game Species• Sampling constrained by:
– Time – Weather– Logistics (e.g., pilot availability )– Manpower– $$$– Participation (checkstations,
report cards, etc)– Animal behavior
• Seek to maximize accuracy and thoroughness with the resources we have
Sightability Surveys
• Model provides an estimate of visibility bias by incorporating environmental factors that the observers can not control:– Snow cover– Animal
behavior– Vegetation
type– Group size
• And standardizing factors that they can control:– Flight speed– # of
observers– Type of
aircraft– Observer
training
• Aerial survey + model of visibility bias
Sightability Surveys• Stratified sampling
scheme– Abundance (habitat)– More time spent in
better winter habitat• All portions of the
zone/unit likely to harbor wintering deer or elk are sampled
• Population estimate and composition– Pop estimate only for
mule deer
• 4-year rotation
Sightability Survey Video
Mule Deer Composition Surveys• Antler drop precludes
pop estimate and comp simultaneously
• Less detailed data, more frequent
• 500-1000 total animals• Used to assess:
– Composition of the population • Ratios – Males:Females:Young• Classes of males
– Population direction– Effects of management
Other Aerial Surveys
• Mountain Goats– Trend survey of known
occupied habitat– Geographically restricted
• Bighorn Sheep– Trend survey, working on
sightability• Canada Geese, Swans,
Waterfowl– Pair counts, mid-winter
waterfowl– Assess reproduction and
population trend• Grizzly Bears
– Distribution & abundance• Sage-grouse
– Lek surveys, wintering locations
Other Methods• Some species:
– Aerial surveys inefficient• Difficult to see, low density, solitary
– Funding not available• Moose
– Aerial incidentals– Analysis of harvest success, antler
spread, age• Black Bear & Mountain Lion
– Analysis of harvest success, age– Scent station/post surveys– Snow track, hair snare surveys
Other Methods• Bighorn Sheep
– Aerial incidentals– Assessment of reproduction– Radio-collared subset– Disease monitoring
• White-tailed Deer– Incidental aerials– Harvest data trends
Other Methods• Pronghorn
– Aerial incidentals– Harvest data analysis,
horn measurements• Sage & Sharp-tailed
Grouse– Lek route surveys– Harvest data
• Checkstations• Wing data
• Other upland game birds– Harvest data– Banding
Other Methods• Waterfowl
– Federally controlled– Harvest data analysis
• Guidelines set by USFWS– Banding
• Wolves– Extensively monitored
(until relisting)– Population estimated from
known packs, pack size, lone wolves
– Future may move to a patch occupancy method• Tracks, scat, howling
Sampling• Age
– Tooth wear and replacement, cementum annuli, sexual development, size, coloration, plumage…
– Population reconstruction• Reproduction
– Sexual development, lactation, reproductive tracts
• Size & Condition– Reproduction, survival,
habitat, seasonal influence
Marking Animals• Radio transmitters
– Survival, cause-specific mortality, movements, habitat use, behavior, etc
– Collars, glue-ons, tail tags, eartags, backpacks, internal
• Bands (leg & neck) or tags– Harvest mortality– Movements
• Physical marking– Paint, tatoo, PIT tag, eartag,
fin clips, etc.• Chemical marking
– Tetracycline
Marking Animals• VHF collars
– Manual tracking, labor intensive
– “Beeps” on a certain frequency & pulse rate
– Mortality sensor
– Accuracy depends on terrain & data quality depends on effort
– Cheap
• GPS collars– Automatic
tracking– Accurate
locations– Frequent
relocation (vegetation influence)
– Expensive– Less labor– Remote
programming & download
– Many types…
Marking Animals• Used for:
– Mark-recapture population estimation
– Population modeling– Harvest estimation– Life history, ecology, and behavior
studies– Response to disturbances– Development and fine tuning of
other, non-marking population estimation techniques
– And many others…
Data Collection• Follow previously determined
methods and protocol– Consistency helps validity and
reliability
• Thoroughness– Fill in all information– Blanks can be confusing
• “0 is a number”, N/A, —
• Notes/comments can be very helpful
Data Analysis & Conclusions• Data analysis
– Database development– Statistical analysis– Mapping
• Conclusions– Disproving a hypothesis can be
just as useful as supporting it– Often leads to additional research
ideas– Can make science frustrating to
some!
Communication• Very important step!• Lack of communication
leads to:– Unnecessary replication – Inefficient research &
management– Confusion, misinformation
• Professional literature, agency reports, online, newspaper, etc.
• Volunteers important– Spread the word from
personal experiences
Being a Good Citizen Scientist & Volunteer• Detailed documentation!!!!
– Numbers, dates, weather…– If in doubt, write it down
• Ask questions before, during (depending on situation), and after the operation– Equipment, duration, dangers…– Some operations are time & noise
sensitive
• Let someone know where, when, what
• Good attitude & patience
Global Positioning System (GPS)• Extremely useful tool!• Take waypoints (“Mark” or
pushpin button)– Label appropriately– Mark important locations– Truck or departure point– Track your progress
• Many newer models track automatically
• Learn how to use the “GOTO” tool
• Ask for help!
Questions?