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Year 8

Ecological sampling of living organisms

I can describe and choose suitable methods to sample populations of plants or animals.

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New
New
Year 8

Ecological sampling of living organisms

I can describe and choose suitable methods to sample populations of plants or animals.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Sampling is used to obtain estimates of populations within an area because it would be impossible to count them all.
  2. There are lots of different sampling methods that can be used to sample plants and animals.
  3. Sampling is essential for conservation to monitor populations and compare them.

Common misconception

Pupils often associate the use of quadrats to survey plants in one type of habitat. Pupils do not consider how they can be used to sample sedentary animals, e.g. barnacles or limpets on a rocky shore.

During the slidedeck there is reference to how quadrats can be used to sample plants and sedentary animals in different habitats.

Keywords

  • Quadrat - A quadrat is a square frame which is used to sample populations of plants or slow-moving animals.

  • Pooter - A pooter is a piece of equipment used to suck up and sample small animals.

  • Mark-release-recapture - Mark-release-recapture is a way that is used to estimate the number of individuals in a population.

  • Pitfall trap - A pitfall trap is used to sample small ground living animals.

  • Sampling - Sampling is a survey of plants and/or animals which provides information about the populations of organisms.

There are lots of opportunities to take pupils outside the classroom to carry out sampling methods. This can include using sweep nets and pond dipping in your local context. Quadrats can also be used to sample populations on the school field. Mark-release-recapture can be done using peas in a jar.
Teacher tip

Content guidance

  • Risk assessment required - equipment

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match the word to its meaning.
Correct Answer:biodiversity,the range of different species that live in a place

the range of different species that live in a place

Correct Answer:habitat,where an organism lives

where an organism lives

Correct Answer:conservation,activities that protect biodiversity and the environment

activities that protect biodiversity and the environment

Correct Answer:extinction,the permanent loss of a species

the permanent loss of a species

Q2.
What word means the mass of living material in one or more organisms?
Correct Answer: biomass
Q3.
In a food chain there are a number of trophic levels. Which tropic level does a food chain diagram always start with?
Correct answer: producer
primary consumer
secondary consumer
tertiary consumer
apex predator
Q4.
Look at the pyramid of biomass. Which organism is a producer?
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: organism A
organism B
organism C
organism D
Q5.
Which statement about pyramids of biomass is true?
Pyramids of biomass only show the numbers of organisms present.
A bar higher up the pyramid can be longer than a bar lower down.
Correct answer: Pyramids of biomass are always a pyramid shape.
Q6.
An adaptation is a feature that organisms have to help them live in a particular place. Match each adaptation with how it helps the organism to survive.
Correct Answer:long roots,helps a plant get water from deep underground

helps a plant get water from deep underground

Correct Answer:thick fur,helps to insulate an organism in a cold environment

helps to insulate an organism in a cold environment

Correct Answer:wide feet,helps by preventing sinking into soft ground such as sand

helps by preventing sinking into soft ground such as sand

Correct Answer:big leaves,helps to trap more light to make food

helps to trap more light to make food

Correct Answer:sharp spines,helps to protect against being eaten

helps to protect against being eaten

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following is true when explaining why scientists sample populations?
It is usually easy to count all of the organisms in a population.
Correct answer: Sampling helps scientists in conservation activities.
Sampling is slower than counting all the organisms in the population.
It is not possible to estimate the population size from a sample.
Q2.
What piece of apparatus is used to suck up and sample small animals?
Correct Answer: pooter, a pooter, pooters
Q3.
What is the name of this sampling method?
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: pitfall trap
pooter
quadrat
net
Q4.
Which two of the following organisms might be sampled using this sampling technique?
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: aphids
sparrows
Correct answer: whiteflies
grass snakes
mice
Q5.
A quadrat is used to survey which types of organisms?
only plants
plants and all types of animals
only animals
Correct answer: plants and slow-moving animals
Q6.
10 snails were caught and marked in a mark-capture-recapture experiment. Two days later in a second catch 8 snails were caught. 4 of these were marked. What is the population of snails in the habitat?
2
Correct answer: 20
40
80

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