BIOL 4800
Modular Field Ecology Course
Module Summaries
For more information, contact the module’s
instructor
Title: Reseach Cruise Based Ecology
Instructor: Dr. D. Gillis
Dates offered: August (subject to vessel schedule) – please contact instructor
Location: MV Namao (embarkation point: Gimli MB)
Special requirements: Physically capable on working on moving vessel (ladders, gangway, etc.)
Background
The MV Namao is engaged in research, education, and outreach activities on Lake Winnipeg. In 2000, I
arranged a day trip for our field ecology students which was well received and illustrated the potential
for broadening the types of field trainng that our students could obtain within Manitoba. This proposal
builds upon this previous experience and the current educational support available through the Lake
Winnipeg Research Consortium.
Objectives/Questions – fundamental outcomes
To provide students with introductory experience in shipboard data collection: principles,
instrumentation, analysis, and presentation.
To develop students that can integrate ship based field activities with quantitative analysis and relevant
literature.
Field Methodology
1) Vessel safety: Transport Canada Regulation Safety Briefing - alarms, muster stations, life jackets, etc. )
2) Vessel orientation: port, starboard, bow, stern, heading, bearing, etc.
3) Chart and map use on the water: compass points, geographic/grid/magnetic north
4) Radar based data - bridge demonstration
5) Depth sounder/sonar data - bridge demonstration
6) Station sampling : meterological, benthic, water column (CTD cast, Van Dorn Bottles)
7) Transect sampling: ploting bird or vessel observations ( density estimates and distribution )
8) Midwater trawl ( demonstration, if available )
9) Other demonstrations as available through ongoing research
Data Analysis
1) Microscope observation of samples (Vessel Lab), fish identification, etc. while onboard
2) Data transcription into easily distributed electronic format (CSV files made in MS Excel)
3) Data presentation and analysis through R libraries specializing on oceanographic/limnological
methods
( e.g. OCE, PBSmapping available through CRAN for graphics and hypothesis tests )
Deliverables
1) Log entries in field notebook ( student record of environmental conditions, activities, etc. )
2) Data report: raw data, analysis, conclusions (~ 5 pages)
3) Ship based project proposal (~ 5 pages, literature critical completed after field trip)
Grading: Log entries 25%, Data report 25%, Project proposal 50%
Required reading: Field guide to ship based methods ( custom written for available tasks each year )
References To Be Cited
Ecological Methodology (Krebs 1999)
Limnological Analysis (Wetzel and Likens 2000)
Limnology: Lake and River Ecosystems (Wetzel 2001)
and relevant R package module documentation
Field Ecology Module
Forest Mensuration
Instructor: Dr. John Markham
Dates offered: 2 days (either May or September)
Location: Sandilands provincial forest (this flexible)
Special requirements: None.
Background:
The structure of forest tree stands determines a number of ecosystem and
community processes, and defines the habitat for many forest dwelling species.
However, characterizing forest tree stand growth and structure is a challenge due to
the size of forests and the size and age of trees. A number of specialized techniques
have therefore been developed to characterize forest structure and growth.
Objectives:
Characterize forest tree stands by determining density, basal area, age, tree height,
canopy structure and understory light availability.
Compare the precision and accuracy of different techniques to measure stand basal
area
Determine the relationship between basal area, density and understory light
availability
Field Methodology:
Field work will consist of sampling deciduous and coniferous stands in upland and
lowland settings to measure:
density (using quadrat and point quarter method)
basal area (using quadrats, point quarter and angle counts)
understory light (using a ceptometer and hemispherical images)
tree height and canopy structure (using clinometers)
tree age (using increment cores)
Data Analysis:
The variability and precision of basal area measurements will be examined using
coefficients of determination
The relationship between the between the light and tree measurement variables
will be compared using simple correlations.
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Field Ecology Module
Deliverables:
Students will hand in a lab write up style report describing the field sampling,
results and interpretation.
Grading:
Participation and field competency :20%
Final report: 80%
Required reading: Handout
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Ground Squirrel Ecology
Instructor(s): Dr. Jane Waterman & Dr. James F. Hare
Dates offered: early May. Please contact instructors for details.
Location: 319 BSB & somewhere north of Winnipeg (e.g. Delta Marsh, Birds Hill Park)
Special requirements: Students should be dressed appropriately for field work, and be sure to check
their body and clothing for ticks upon completion of their time in the field.
Background: This course will introduce students to the field of mammalian ecology. The proposed
module will emphasize not only the current methodologies used by mammalogists and ecologists but
also a basic understanding of the rationale behind conducting field-based research on small mammals.
Objectives/Questions: Students will learn the techniques involved in the live-trapping and handling of
Franklin’s ground squirrels and/or Richardson’s ground squirrels. As a class, we will develop a specific
research question on Franklin’s ground squirrels (developed online prior to the fieldwork and during the
first few hours of the field work). The core of this course involves one day of hands-on experience in
trapping, handling and sampling of ground squirrels and a second day where students will learn to use
computer programs to analyze morphometric, behavioural and spatial data.
Field Methodology: Field work will consist of learning to use live-traps, conical handling bags, various
marking techniques (including PIT tags, dye marks, ear tags, ear punches, and radio-telemetry), body
measurements (mass, spine length, scrotal measurements, etc.), assess parasite loads, assess
reproductive status and learn how to radio-track, and use handheld GPS receivers to waypoint animal
and burrow locations. Each participant will work to collect data for a common data set.
Data Analysis: Students will be expected to use basic statistical programs to evaluate sex differences in
body mass (t-tests), body condition (ANCOVA), parasite loads, etc., as well as other analyses that will
address the specific research question developed as a class project.
Deliverables: Students will email a journal style report that will included the rationale, methodology,
results and a short discussion of the results.
Grading:
Participation in field work; field notebook: 30%
Organization and analysis of data in lab: 20%
Final report: 50%
Recommended Reference Books (these books will be available during the 2 day course):
Bart, J., Fligner, M. A. & Notz, W. I. 1998. Sampling and Statistical Methods for Behavioral Ecologists.
Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press.
Bookhout, T. A. 1996. Research and Management Techniques for Wildlife and Habitats. 5th ed.
Lawrence: Allen Press.
Krebs, C. J. 1999. Ecological Methodology. 2nd ed. Menlo Park: Addison-Welsey Educational Publishers.
Lehner, P. N. 1996. Handbook of Ethological Methods. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press.
Martin, P. & Bateson, P. 1993. Measuring Behaviour. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press.
Title: Small mammal population estimation
Instructor: James Roth
Dates offered: 2 days in late June or early July (please contact instructor)
Location: Churchill, Manitoba, on the tundra/forest ecotone
Special requirements: Field work will be conducted in a remote field setting and involves handling and
observing wild animals in their natural habitat.
Background: Ecology can be defined as the study of factors affecting the abundance and distribution of
organisms. Therefore, estimating abundance or population size is fundamental to ecology. Small
mammals (lemmings and snowshoe hares) are keystone herbivores on the tundra and in the boreal
forest (Krebs 2011), so population estimates of these species are key to understanding the dynamics of
northern food webs.
Objectives/Questions: The objective is to gain exposure to various techniques used to estimate
abundance of small mammals, including mark-recapture techniques and some common indices of
abundance (winter nest surveys and fecal pellet counts).
Field Methodology: Students will use 3 different techniques to estimate small mammal abundance.
1. Mark-recapture. Small mammals will be captured using perforated Sherman live-traps on 8x8 grids on
the tundra (Roth 2002). Traps will be set continuously for 48 hours and checked every 4-6 hours.
Captured animals were weighed, marked by hair clipping, and released at the site of capture.
2. Winter nest density. Abundance of arvicoline rodents (lemmings and voles) over the previous winter
can be measured indirectly by a survey for winter nests, which are built of grasses and sedges under the
snow and abandoned in spring and not reused. After snowmelt they look like a ball of cut grass, about
12 cm in diameter, they can be counted and picked up without harming the animals. Nest density will be
estimated using (i) a complete count on live-trapping grids, and (ii) line-transect methods following
protocols .
3. Fecal pellet counts. For snowshoe hares, counts of fecal pellets have proved to be a viable alternative
method to estimate population densities with accuracy and precision (Krebs et al. 2001, Murray et al.
2002). Pellets will be counted on 300-m transects of 10 plots (1-m2 circle) placed 30 meters apart in the
boreal forest.
Data Analysis: Population estimates from the mark-recapture data will be calculated using several
methods (Peterson, Schnabel, Jolly-Seber) and compared with estimates from previous times using data
provided by the instructor. Winter nests density will be calculated using line-transect methods, and
snowshoe hare pellet density will be calculated and converted to abundance estimates using regression
models from the Yukon (Krebs et al. 2001).
Deliverables: Students will write a report describing the field sampling, data analysis, results and
interpretation.
Grading:
Participation in field work: 25%
Report, including correct analysis of data: 75%
Required reading: TBD
References Cited
Krebs CJ (2011) Of lemmings and snowshoe hares: the ecology of northern Canada. Proceedings of the
Royal Society B-Biological Sciences 278: 481-489.
Krebs CJ, Boonstra R, Nams V, O'Donoghue M, Hodges KE, et al. (2001) Estimating snowshoe hare
population density from pellet plots: a further evaluation. Canadian Journal of Zoology 79: 1-4.
Murray DL, Roth JD, Ellsworth E, Wirsing AJ, Steury TD (2002) Estimating southern snowshoe hare
populations using fecal pellet counts. Canadian Journal of Zoology 80: 771-781.
Roth JD (2002) Temporal variability in arctic fox diet as reflected in stable-carbon isotopes; the
importance of sea ice. Oecologia 133: 70-77.
Field Ecology Module
PALEOLIMNOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF AQUATIC PRIMARY PRODUCTION
Instructor: Gordon Goldsborough
Dates Offered: three consecutive Saturdays in February or March (4 to 8 hours per day); please contact
instructor for details
Location: one day at FortWhyte Alive (or other suitable lakes) and two half-days in BSB teaching lab
Objectives:
The three objectives of this module will be to collect sediment cores from an aquatic ecosystem; to
sample and analyze those cores for three chemical parameters; and to interpret the data for a basic
reconstruction of past trends in primary production of that ecosystem.
Background:
Paleolimnology is the study of changes in an aquatic ecosystem as interpreted from materials
deposited within its sediments (Ritchie 1964, Hickman et al. 1984, Teller et al. 2008, Livingstone
2010). The underlying premise is that if one can determine the changes which have occurred in the
ecosystem, it may be possible to deduce something about the processes which lead to those
changes. An intact, vertical column of sediment is collected and sectioned at intervals representing
periods of sediment deposition. Analyses of these subsamples for organic matter, carbonate, and
chlorophyll concentrations—all of which can vary in direct proportion to primary production—
provide a basis for measuring changes over time.
Equipment:
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Snowmobile, trailer, sled (optional)
Bottomless tent, space heater (optional)
Ice auger, fuel
Snow shovel, ice scoop
Kajak-Brinkhurst sediment corer and core extruder
Reasoner percussion corer
Circular saw, core cradle, nylon monofilament
Sample bags or vials, permanent marker
Reusable crucibles, disposable centrifuge tubes, disposable syringes
Spectrophotometer, disposable cuvettes, disposable pipettes, 90% methanol
Drying oven (up to 100°C)
Muffle furnace (up to 950°C)
Analytical balance
Methodology:
Day 1 (8 hours): Students and instructor will travel to the field site, select one or more sampling sites
on the selected ecosystem (usually the location of deepest water), deploy sediment sampling gear,
auger a hole through the ice, and collect one or more sediment cores. (Winter sampling is preferred
because exact positioning relative to bottom topography is easier than can be done from a boat in
summer.) Where time permits, multiple sediment cores will be collected to ensure that all students
will have an opportunity to collect one. Where possible, we will use a Kajak-Brinkhurst corer (Glew
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Field Ecology Module
PALEOLIMNOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF AQUATIC PRIMARY PRODUCTION
1991) designed for collecting short cores representing short periods of time (years, decades) and a
Reasoner percussion corer (Reasoner 1986) designed for collecting long cores representing longer
periods of time (centuries, millennia). One or more of the collected cores will be subsampled in the
field or packed for later subsampling in the lab. All subsamples will be returned to the lab for later
processing. If sampling is done under cold conditions (< -15°C), field-based subsampling of collected
cores will be done inside a heated, bottomless tent on the ice surface. If sampling is done at a site far
from road access, equipment will be transported to the sampling site using a snowmobile and sled.
Day 2 (4 hours): Long cores, if collected, will be split in the lab and subsampled for analysis. All
subsamples will be analyzed in the lab for water content, organic matter content, carbonate content,
and total chlorophyll content using methods described below. Due to required time delays in
analyses, sample processing cannot be completed in a single day.
Day 3 (4 hours): Complete sample processing in the lab and record collected data onto datasheets for
eventual transcription into computer spreadsheets needed for analysis and charting.
Subsequent to the field and lab work, data will be charted to permit interpretation of trends over the
period of time represented by the sampled cores. A brief report (5-10 pages) will summarize the
results of collected data, and offer a basic interpretation of trends in primary production in the
sampled aquatic ecosystem.
Data Analysis:
To measure organic matter and carbonate content, a sample of wet sediment is dried for at least 24
hours at 100°C. Dry sediment is incinerated in a muffle furnace at 550°C for one hour, which causes
all organic material in the sample to be combusted and given off as inorganic CO2. The difference in
the weight of the sample before and after incineration reflects the organic matter content of that
sample (µg/g; Dean 1974). Then the sample is incinerated in a muffle furnace at 950°C, which causes
carbonate minerals to be converted to CO2. The difference in the weight of the sample before and
after the second incineration reflects the carbonate content of the sample (µg/g).
The pigments in wet sediment are extracted into the 90% methanol over a period of two to three
hours. The pigment concentration is related to the color intensity of this extract at a light wavelength
of 665 nm (the wavelength at which chlorophyll absorbs light). The degree of color is estimated using
a spectrophotometer. Chlorophyll concentration (µg/g dry sediment weight) is calculated using the
absorption coefficient of the pigment in 90% methanol (Marker et al. 1980).
The data are not generally amenable to formal statistical analyses. Trends are inferred from charts
drawn of the analyzed chemical parameters, and the comparison of similarities between multiple
parameters (organic matter, carbonates, chlorophyll) and multiple cores.
Grading / Deliverables:
Each student will produce a written report on the results of sediment core analyses. A grade will be
assigned based on the thoroughness and quality of the report submitted on the data collected for
sampled sediment cores.
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Field Ecology Module
PALEOLIMNOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF AQUATIC PRIMARY PRODUCTION
Required Reading:
Dean, W. E. 1974. Determination of carbonate and organic matter in calcareous sediments and
sedimentary rocks by loss on ignition: comparison with other methods. Journal of Sedimentary
Petrology 44:242-248.
Glew, J. R. 1991. Miniature gravity corer for recovering short sediment cores. Journal of
Paleolimnology 5:285-287.
Hickman, M., Schweger, C. E. and Habgood, T. 1984. Lake Wabamun, Alberta: a paleoenvironmental
study. Canadian Journal of Botany 62:1438-1465.
Livingstone, D. A. 2010. Sixty years of paleolimnology. Journal of Paleolimnology 44:511-515.
Marker, A. F. H., Crowther, C. A. and Gunn, R. J. M. 1980. Methanol and acetone as solvents for
estimating chlorophyll a and phaeopigments by spectrophotometry. Archive für Hydrobiologie
Beihefte 14:52-69.
Reasoner, M. A. 1986. An inexpensive, lightweight percussion core sampling system. Geographie
physique Quaternaire 40:217-219.
Ritchie, J. C. 1964. Contributions to the Holocene paleoecology of west-central Canada. I. The Riding
Mountain Area. Canadian Journal of Botany 42:181-197.
Teller, J. T., Yang, Z., Boyd, M., Buhay, W. M., McMillan, K., Kling, H. J., and Telka, A. M. 2008.
Postglacial sedimentary record and history of West Hawk Lake crater, MB. Journal of Paleolimnology
40:661-688.
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Field Ecology Module Proposal
Dr. Tom Booth
Title (general subject material):
Mycotrophy: Field Mycology
Possible dates offered:
Spring/Late Summer TBA (Please contact instructor)
Possible locations:
Sites in Southern Manitoba
Special requirements:
1) A field guide to macrofungi & allied organisms; &
2) General keys to fungal plant parasites (to be provided)
Background:
It is widely recognized that fungi play a major role in ecosystems as
biotrophs & saprotrophs. For instance, ecology students are informed as to
their omnipresence & tremendous biomass, their importance in “re-cycling”
organic matter, their impact on living organisms, both animal & plant, their
participation in some of the interactions among organisms & their central
maintenance role as partial providers of nitrogen, phosphorus & moisture to
higher plants. On the other hand, many students are not given “hands on
experience” with the guises which fungi take in carrying out the above referred
roles.
Southern Manitoba offers a wide diversity of ecosystems & ecotones in a
relatively small area. The gamut extends from boreal elements; across praries,
both tall & short grass; to saline & non-saline parklands; & “desert”. Many of
these environments have been the subjects of study by the well known
naturalists of by-gone days. Taken as a whole all of these environments offer a
region rich in ‘fungal micro-habitats’.
It is natural to ask … what is mycotrophy? In fact, for the purposes of
this module proposal the term is absolutely applicable. However, mycologically,
the term is defined from a ‘plant-centric point-of-view’ & refers to higher
plants using fungi to feed … mycorrhizal fungi to be to the point. A fungal
ecologist might take an alternative view which suggests, in keeping with the
meaning of the terms “autotroph” & “heterotroph”, that mycotrophy can be
interpreted as derived from “myco” fungi & “troph” feeding. Thus, taken
generally, mycotrophs include all fungi in their various heterotrophic feeding
modes.
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Field Ecology Module Proposal
Dr. Tom Booth
Mycotrophy covers a range (continuum) from parasitism to mutualism to
saprotrophy. For example, there are ‘break points’ in the continuum which
include obligate parasites, facultative parasites, necrotrophs, mutualists
(lichens & mycorrhizae) to saprotrophs on various substrata. These feeding
types occur on substrata of one kind or another depending upon how they
specifically feed. Even saprotrophs are specific as to substratum (some more so
than others). A very effective way to search for fungi is to seek out different
types & conditions of substrata. Given the diversity of environments, along with
their myriad of micro-habitats, in Southern Manitoba there is an almost endless
array of possibilities for mycotrophy. One has to only consult the early
systematic studies of fungi in Manitoba (& Saskatchewan) to confirm this.
Though concerted studies of fungi started in the early 20th century &
were first reported, almost in monographic form, in the 1920’s there remains
much to do to complete the mycological landscape of Southern Manitoba & the
rest of the Province. At the heart of this is need for concerted, & reported,
study of mycotrophs in the region. For utility, a list of finds is not enough as
collecting sites must be characterized, coordinates given, substrata studied, &
specimens identified using modern systematics as the basis for nomenclature.
Demand by Manitobans for identification of mushrooms & other
macrofungi is high, particularly in the spring & late summer/early fall.
Informed & experienced students may be able to offset some of this demand.
Finally, mycodiversity must be represented by usable and accurate images
placed in easily obtained guides if the Manitobans are to be able to actively
identify fungi for both, or either of, recreational and/or gastronomic purposes.
Objectives/Questions/Approaches:
1. General knowledge of the fungal environment
a. Characterization of the macro-habitat in each of the
enviroments surveyed
b. Characterization of the micro-habitat (fungal environment)
in each of the environments surveyed
2. Substrate conditions related to the fungi present
3. Determination of the levels of the types of Mycotrophy in each of the
environments surveyed
5. Preparation of mycological records
6. General identification of fungal specimens
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Field Ecology Module Proposal
Dr. Tom Booth
Methodology:
1. Quadrat or transect methods for determination of community type &
structure (depending on environment type)
2. Determination of ‘general’ micro-habitat factors such as:
1) aspect; 2) general nature of the substratum; 3) exposure to light
(“cover”); 4) humidity & substratum moisture; & 5) pH (where applicable)
3. Characterization of the substratum: 1) the type of substratum & its
general nature (including both living & dead substrata); & 2) condition of
the substratum
4. Quantification (in each of the collecting environments) of infection
sites or mycorrhizal associates (with both roots & fruiting bodies) or
saprotrophic fruiting bodies using direct counts
5. Recording of time, place & general characteristics of the collected
material using pre-prepared check lists. Photographing (or drawing)
observed fungal specimens. Collecting and labeling of each specimen
gathered for voucher purposes
6. Field identification of observed mycotrophs using keys & handbook(s)
Data analysis:
1. Use of community determination data to derive plant dominants &
importance values
2. Use of micro-habitat data (& concomitant mycological
presences & infection or infestation data) to correlate mycotrophs with:
a) macro-habitats & b) substrata
3. Use of the infection, or mycorrhizal associates, or saprotrophic
quantitative data, along with substratum types & condition to ‘construct’
a mycotrophy spectrum for each collection environment.
Outcomes (for general mycological information & participating students):
1. Assembly (over time) of a geographic & phenological “spread sheet” of
fungal occurrence, related to mycotrophy, across Southern Manitoba
2. Enhanced general knowledge of fungal macro- & microhabitats
3. Direct experience with the ‘trophic’ levels in which fungi operate
4. Appreciation of ‘substrata’ as ecosystems & how mycotrophs may be
quantified on those ‘substrata’
5. Exposure to mycotrophs as organisms for collecting & recording
6. Assembly (over time) of a collection of mycotrophs from Southern
Maitoba
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Field Ecology Module Proposal
Dr. Tom Booth
Timing (Participation dates & fieldwork/group discussion activities):
1. Students will select from a group of a field dates, of one day’s
duration, as assembled by the Professor. (During these dates, either in
the spring or late summer, students will be visiting different sites in
Southern Manitoba.)
2. Students will gather for a “module symposium” to discuss how the
mycotrophs differed across the collection environments.
Grading:
1. Students will submit a short report of their observations, analyses &
collections (including images) for the environment in which they worked.
2. With all reports submitted by the due date, the module participants in
a general discussion will each be required to address the features of the
environments in which they worked & to identify how their environment
differed (or was similar) from the other environments with respect to
macro-habitat, microhabitat, substrata & mycotrophs. Each student will
be graded on content & participation.
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Module for Field Ecology
Lichens and Bryophytes – characterizing the cryptogamic environment.
Instructor: Michele Piercey-Normore
Dates offered: TBA (please contact instructor)
Location: 507 Buller and one pre-selected field site (e.g. Hecla Island, Whiteshell Prov Pk,
Sandilands Prov Pk, etc)
Special requirements: Vehicle, quadrats, collecting bags, knife, field lens. Lab:
microscopes, TLC set-up,
Background: Forest mats are essential to hold water in forest floors and they serve as a
microhabitat for many small organisms and a trap for many propagules. Forest mats
contain an arsenal of compounds that protect, inhibit, and manage the biotic and abiotic
environment. The poikilohydric nature and secondary metabolites of lichens and
bryophytes are key factors that contribute to the function of these forest mats. In this field
module the student will 1) be able to collect and process samples of lichens and bryophytes
from a field site; 2) be able to use dissecting and light microscopy to identify macrolichens
and bryophytes; 3) be able to perform TLC on lichen tissues and determine the secondary
metabolites present; and 4) estimate, percent species cover in 1mx1m quadrats and
environmental variables (tree cover, aspect, substrate).
Objectives/questions: The goal is to examine species diversity and percent cover and how
they relate to environmental factors.
Hypotheses:
1) percent species/metabolite cover differs according to environmental variables.
2) lichen/bryophyte diversity differs with environmental variables and substrate.
Field methodology: Five quadrats (1m x 1m), estimate percent species cover, estimate
percent canopy cover, record aspect, and substrate.
Lab methodology: TLC, lichen identification (microscopy and chemical tests)
Data analysis: Perform diversity analyses (Shannons and Jaccards indices) and compare
species/metabolite cover across quadrats and with respect to environmental variables
(ANOVA and correlations).
Deliverables and grading: Raw data on collecting forms (5%) and a written paper (15%).
Required reading: Diversity indices, 1-way anova, correlation, lichen and bryophyte
biology.
Title: Marine Field Ecology
Instructor: Dr. Gail Davoren
Dates offered: July-August (please contact instructor for more information)
Location: Musgrave, Newfoundland
Special requirements:
This module will normally be available to field assistants of the Davoren Lab hired to work in
Newfoundland for July and August. Other students may register for the module but will need to
provide their own airfare to Gander, Newfoundland, as well as a nominal fee for groceries and
accommodations for the duration of their stay.
Background
The objective of this course is to introduce students to marine field sampling techniques aboard ships in
coastal Newfoundland. Both population and community sampling methods will be employed, followed by
simple analysis and interpretation.
Objectives/Questions – fundamental outcomes
The purpose of this module is to introduce students to marine field sampling techniques that are
commonly used by marine ecologists aboard ships to obtain useful data in the field. Students will
be introduced to a variety of marine physical and biological sampling techniques along with
processing associated electronic data and biological samples in the laboratory.
Field Methodology
Fieldwork is based on small (< 35 ft) commercial fishing vessels off the east coast of
Newfoundland. Techniques include but are not limited to:
 Fish capture techniques (e.g. dipnet, castnet, purse seine) and random sampling (Davoren
2012).
 Remote sensing using a scientific echosounder, remotely operated vehicle and moored
underwater cameras (Davoren et al. 2006).
 Regular monitoring of fish spawning sites for timing and duration of spawning
(Templeman 1948, Fridgeirsson 1976, Frank and Leggett 1981, Davoren et al. 2012).
o Oceanographic sampling (temperature, salinity, conductivity, PAR) using
profiling and moored instruments.
o Bottom grab use to sample sediments with adhere fish eggs.
 Mark-recapture techniques for movement patterns, site fidelity and population estimation
(photo identification of whales, fish tagging; Davoren 2012).
 Systematic survey (strip and line transect) techniques (ship-based bird, whale and fish
surveys; Tasker et al. 1984, Davoren et al. 2003)
Depending on the current focus of research in the Davoren Lab, other techniques may include
artificial fertilization of fish eggs, laboratory-based rearing of fish eggs and larvae and
observations of seabird and whale foraging behaviour. Other field-related skills to be gained
include the use of GPS and other navigational software (e.g. Nobletec), as well as marine bird,
fish and mammal identification.
Data Analysis
Post-processing of ship-based data may include but are not limited to:
 Processing of survey-based hydroacoustic data.
 Quantifying behaviour from underwater videos using focal animal and scan sampling
techniques.
 Processing of fish samples to determine length, mass, sex, maturity, as well as otolith
removal.
 Processing of fish otoliths for age determination, growth and microchemical analyses.
 Processing of fish egg samples for developmental stage determination.
Deliverables
Students will choose one aspect of the fieldwork and post-processing to complete. For instance, a
student may choose to quantify the developmental stages in all fish egg samples using
standardized protocols. Equivalent projects may be quantifying behaviour from a number of
underwater video files, processing a survey, processing some of the fish samples, etc. The
student would then provide a summary of the data, using summary statistics (e.g. number of
samples, date range collected, mean, standard error), tables and figures and write a 2 page
(single-spaced) summary on the collected and processed data.
Grading
Field notebook – 30 %; final report and data analysis: 70 %.
Required reading
n/a
References Cited
Davoren GK (2012) Divergent use of spawning habitat by male capelin (Mallotus villosus) in a warm and
cold year. Behav Ecol doi:10.1093/beheco/ars147
Davoren GK, Montevecchi WA, Anderson JT (2003) Search strategies of a pursuit-diving marine bird
and the persistence of prey patches. Ecol Monogr 73: 463-481
Davoren GK, Anderson JT, Montevecchi WA (2006) Shoal behavior and maturity relations of spawning
capelin (Mallotus villosus) off Newfoundland: demersal spawning and diel vertical movement
patterns. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 63: 268-284
Davoren GK, Penton PM, Burke C, Montevecchi WA (2012) Water temperature and timing of capelin
spawning determine seabird diets. ICES J Mar Sci. doi: 10.1093/icesjms/fss032.
Frank KT, Leggett WC (1981) Prediction of egg development and mortality rates in capelin (Mallotus
villosus) from meteorological, hydrographic, and biological factors. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 38:
1327-1338
Fridgeirsson E (1976) Observations on spawning behaviour and embryonic development of the Icelandic
capelin. Rit Fiskid 5: 3-40
Tasker ML, Hope Jones P, Dixon T, Blake BF (1984) Counting seabirds at sea from ships: a review of
methods employed and a suggestion for a standardized approach. Auk 101: 567-577
Templeman W (1948) The life history of the caplin (Mallotus villosus O. F. Müller) in Newfoundland
waters. Bull Newfoundland Govern Lab 17:1–151
Field Ecology Module
Bioacoustics
Instructor: Dr. James F. Hare
Dates offered: Please contact instructor (Dr. Hare is on leave from Jan-Jul. 2013)
Location: Field Component (Winnipeg MB); Lab Component (Hare Lab - 112 BSB)
Special requirements: Registrants must be available for a one-day hands-on
orientation session in the field, and then will be required to make audio recordings
of a species of their own choosing in the field, and work with those recordings on a
subsequent day in Dr. Hare's lab; details below). Registrants will be required to read
a supplied set of field-safety guidelines and sign an appropriate liability waiver.
Background:
The study of communication provides significant insight into the behaviour, ecology
and evolution of organisms. Signals convey the identity of individuals, their social
status, underlying afferent state, the likelihood of performing certain behaviours,
and the nature of interactions with both conspecifics and allospecifics. In short, as
Peter Marler points out, understanding what organisms communicate about tells us
what's important to them from their own perspective. This module is designed to
introduce students to the theoretical and practical aspects of studying
communication in the auditory domain, thereby providing the background and
techniques necessary for subsequent bioacoustics research.
Objectives:
 To understand the scope and potential functions of animal acoustic signals.
 To introduce the methods and equipment appropriate to recording, analysing,
and editing acoustic signals for use in playback experiments.
 To provide an appreciation for how selection acts to shape signals to the
organism's social and physical environment.
Field Methodology:
Field work will be broken into two components: a) an orientation session in the
field with the course instructor, and, b) an independent field recording assignment.
The estimated time commitment for each is shown in parentheses.
a) Orientation session (1 Day)
Students will meet the instructor at a mutually chose location (e.g. on campus,
Assiniboine Park Zoo, Birds Hill Park, etc.) for a hands-on introduction to the
following topics/techniques:
 studying sound in nature: prospects and problems
 measurement of sound pressure levels
 techniques for dealing with ambient noise
 transducer choice: shotguns, parabolas, and array systems
 recording technology: analogue to digital
 field notes, annotation, and archiving field recordings
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Field Ecology Module
b) Field Recording (1 Day)
Students will sign out either the Zoom H4n portable digital recorder, or the Getac
laptop-based Avisoft Recorder system with appropriate transducer from Dr. Hare to
record the acoustic signals of a species of interest (chosen in consultation with
Instructor). They will then return the equipment and arrange for the final
interactive session in Dr. Hare's lab where they will work with parameterization,
analysis and editing of their recordings (see c) Lab analysis and editing below).
Data Analysis:
The third component of this module uses the recordings obtained above to
introduce methods and equipment employed in analysing and editing acoustic
signals using Avisoft's SASLab Pro.
c) Lab analysis and editing (1 Day)
Students will arrange a day to come to Dr. Hare's lab (112 BSB), where they will be
introduced to the following topics/techniques:
 transferring sound from recorders to computers: digitization
 signal spectral properties (temporal, amplitude and frequency) and FFT
 post recording signal editing: filters, normalization and maximizing S/N
 reading and presenting oscillograms, spectrographs and power spectra
 playback equipment: source, amplification and transducer possibilities
Deliverables:
Students will submit their original recordings, as well as spectrographic
representations of the signals, describing the spectral properties that distinguish a
signal-of-interest from noise, and from at least 2 other signals characterized from
the recordings they obtained in the field (whether from conspecifics or
allospecifics). They will also be required to provide a brief, literature-based review
of the function of the signal of interest, and both an unadulterated exemplar of that
signal (as recorded in the field) and edited version of that exemplar (maximizing the
S/N ratio and editing out any confounding noise) as digital audio (.wav) files, along
with a description of the techniques applied in editing their signal-of-interest.
Grading:
Participation and competency: 20% (subjectively based on interactive sessions)
Final report: 80% (based on spectra, literature review, and quality of edited signal)
Required reading:
Bradbury, J.W. & Vehrencamp, S.L. 2011. Sound and sound signal production. Pages
19-63, In: Bradbury, J.W. & Vehrencamp, S.L. 2001. Principles of Animal
Communication, Second Edition. Sunderland MA: Sinauer Associates. 697 pp.
Terhune, J. 2011. From switches to menus and students to HQPs - The evolving
world of marine mammal bioacoustics. Aquatic Mammals 37: 94-100.
Fee:
None, but students will be expected to cover the costs and arrange their own
transportation/meals for field- and lab-based components.
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