vocabulary
A small part of a group chosen by chance.
What is Random Sampling?
To get the "Estimated Count", you first take your 10 samples and find this.
What is the average?
This is the main reason biologists use sampling instead of counting every organism.
What is: It saves time/Counting everyone is impossible?
True or False: Random sampling gives you the "exact" number of organisms.
(What is False?)
If a scientist wants to know how many sharks are in the ocean, why can't they just count every single one?
What is: They move too fast/the ocean is too big?
All the individuals of one species in a specific area.
What is a population?
After finding the average, you multiply it by the total number of ____ in the meadow.
What are Grid Segments or Plots?
This lab tool was used to make sure the plots were chosen "by chance."
What are the paper slips/envelopes?
Why is a "Clumped" pattern bad for sampling?
What is: You might miss the group entirely and think there are 0 plants?
This is the term for the "actual" number of organisms in the area, which we compared our estimate to.
What is the Actual Count?
A careful or educated guess about a number.
What is an Estimate?
In the Silver Maple tree problem, the average per grid was 7 and there were 25 plots. What was the total?
This is what we call it when your estimate is a little bit higher or lower than the real number.
What is Source of Error?
What happens to your estimate if you accidentally pick all the "crowded" segments?
What is: You will overestimate the population?
If your estimate was 200 and the actual count was 194, was your sampling method successful?
What is Yes—it was very close/accurate?
Information, especially numbers, collected for examination.
What is Data?
What part of the conclusion is when you have to explain how the evidence supports the claim?
What is the reasoning?
In the dandelion question, what is the first step you would take in your yard?
What is: Randomly select different areas to count?
How does increasing the number of samples (counting 20 plots instead of 10) affect your answer?
What is: It makes the estimate more accurate?
Besides plants, name one other type of organism that would be easy to count using a grid and random sampling.
What is: Any non-moving or slow organism, like mushrooms, snails, or coral?
The pattern or spacing of individuals within a population.
what is dispersion?
If you have 5 plots with 7, 3, 5, 9, and 11 trees, what is the average?
What is 7?
Sampling works best when the plants are spread out in an even pattern. What is the pattern called where they are all bunched together?
What is clumped?
Why is it important to put the paper slips back in the envelope after each turn?
What is: To make sure every segment has an equal chance of being picked every time?
Scientists often use "Satellite Imagery" to do sampling today. How is a satellite photo like the 10x10 grid we used in class?
(What is: It breaks a large area into smaller squares to make counting easier?)