Field Survey & Data Collection Flashcards
7 cards from real CFP 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
A biologist is establishing permanent monitoring stations on a river. Which GPS datum should be recorded with coordinates to ensure long-term spatial accuracy across agencies?
Answer: WGS84
WGS84 is the global standard datum used by GPS satellites and widely accepted across agencies for spatial data compatibility.
A seine haul in a prairie stream yields 200 fathead minnows, 15 green sunfish, and 5 largemouth bass. The Shannon diversity index (H') for this community would be:
Answer: Lower than a community with equal proportions of each species
H' is maximized when all species are equally abundant; dominance by one species (fathead minnow here) reduces diversity.
During a boat electrofishing survey, fish are anesthetized and placed in a live well. To reduce stress and improve survival, which condition in the live well is most critical?
Answer: Adequate dissolved oxygen and cool water temperature
Adequate dissolved oxygen and cool temperatures minimize physiological stress and oxygen debt in stunned fish.
A biologist calculates a Relative Weight (Wr) of 78 for a largemouth bass sample. This value indicates the population is:
Answer: Below average condition, suggesting poor forage availability or high density
Wr below 100 indicates fish weigh less than the standard for their length; values around 80 suggest poor condition.
Which statistical test is most appropriate for comparing mean fish density (normally distributed) between two independent electrofishing stations?
Answer: Independent samples t-test
An independent samples t-test compares means of two independent, normally distributed groups.
In hoop net surveys targeting catfish, nets should be checked at intervals no longer than:
Answer: 24 hours to minimize fish stress, injury, and mortality
Checking hoop nets within 24 hours prevents fish crowding, injury, predation inside the net, and mortality.
A biologist needs to estimate the biomass of fish in a 50-hectare lake using depletion electrofishing. After three consecutive passes, catches are 120, 80, and 55 fish. This method assumes:
Answer: Catch probability per pass remains constant as population declines
Depletion methods (e.g., Leslie or Zippin) require constant catchability per pass so each successive catch reflects a proportional decline.