Field Survey & Data Collection Flashcards
7 cards from real CEP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Field Survey & Data Collection flashcards as text
Which GPS error source is most effectively reduced by using Differential GPS (DGPS) correction?
Answer: Selective availability and atmospheric delay
DGPS uses a fixed base station with a known position to calculate and broadcast corrections that remove common-mode errors like atmospheric delay and, historically, selective availability.
When conducting a wetland delineation field survey, which three-parameter approach is required under the 1987 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual?
Answer: Hydrology, hydric soils, and hydrophytic vegetation
The 1987 Corps manual requires positive evidence of hydrology, hydric soils, and hydrophytic vegetation for an area to be classified as a jurisdictional wetland.
A surveyor uses a Munsell color chart in the field primarily to:
Answer: Describe soil color for profile documentation
The Munsell system standardizes soil color descriptions using hue, value, and chroma notation, enabling consistent comparison across surveys.
Which sampling design best ensures every location in a study area has an equal probability of being selected?
Answer: Simple random sampling
Simple random sampling assigns equal selection probability to all possible sample units, supporting unbiased statistical inference across the study area.
Total dissolved solids (TDS) in a water sample are most accurately measured by:
Answer: Gravimetric filtration and evaporation
Gravimetric analysis filters a known water volume, evaporates it, and weighs the residue to obtain TDS in mg/L per Standard Methods.
In a biological field inventory, a point count survey method is primarily used to assess:
Answer: Bird species abundance and distribution
Point count surveys station observers at fixed locations for timed periods to detect and record all birds seen or heard, providing abundance estimates.
Chain-of-custody documentation for environmental field samples is required primarily to:
Answer: Establish legal defensibility and sample integrity
Chain-of-custody forms track every person who handles a sample from collection through analysis, protecting data integrity for regulatory or legal proceedings.