Reviewer for Ecolab

Topics to be covered:

1) Statistics and Data Management

2) GPS
3) Terrestrial Sampling Techniques
a. Quadrat
b. Transect Line
c. Point-Quarter

1) Statistics and Data Management

Please KNOW how to determine which statistical operation to use. Know the KEY (sections 6
and 7 will have it) used to determine the correct stat. In general, here are the basics:

There are the basic stat operations used in the first lab exercise. KNOW which ones are tests of
comparison, tests for correlation, and tests for association.

Comparisons tests  which is greater? Which is smaller?

Correlation tests  if A increases, will B decrease? Or increase? By how much?
Association test  A,B, C..... which one/s show an affinity to a set of conditions?

a) Anova one way

b) Anova 2 way
c) T-test
d) Z-test
e) Paired T-test
f) Mann-Whitney U test
g) Kruskal-Wallis
h) Pearson
i) Spearman
j) Ch- Square
k) Wilcoxon

For the General section of the exam, you need to know the basic premise of each of these stats,
meaning, when do you use one over the other? Which are for parametric numbers? Comparing a
pair of data? Three sets of Data?

There is a problem solving section for the prelims. In this case, you NEED to know the formulae
for the stats. KNOW as in MEMORIZE. Because we are nice, we decided to whittle down the
PROBABLE stats to FIVE (out of 11...consider yourselves lucky). ALL or only SOME of these
five may need to be used. These five are:
 1) Analysis of Variance One-Way
2) Kruskal-Wallis
3) Chi-Square Test
4) Mann-Whitney Test
5) Pearson Product-Moment Cofficient

Please study and memorize the formulae for these five. Memorize. No index cards or reviewers
will be allowed, and the proctors will be asked to get your papers at the first sign of
cheating/cheat sheet. The table values for the test will be given during your test. No need to
bring these tables to your exam either. I have checked the numerous varieties/forms of formulae
for each of the stats listed above, and there is not much difference in their answers. So you can
use any basic formula listed in official stat books (and not simply lifted off the internet).

Also, KNOW how to interpret the answers and place them back into the biological context.
Many of you simply end with saying reject/accept hypothesis. INFER the mathematical answer
and translate it to what is being asked for in the question.

2. GPS

Know everything there is to know about the GPS. Everything. From loading batteries... kinds of
batteries.... function do’s and don’ts... principles behind GPS.....how it works....

Note how the waypoints/coordinates move as you move... how many digits move? In what way?
How to you read coordinates? How do you plot coordinates?

Also know ALL the functions of the GPS... you already know that it can give you your
location... now what ELSE can it do/give you?

3. Terrestrial Sampling Techniques

Know the main differences of the two tools used in the exercise. Are they equal? Is one better
than the other? Know the use of each. In what situations is the quadrat more needed? What
about the transect line? Can both give the same data?

In terms of the actual data, anyone who really took the time to answer the exercises in this
chapter will already know what data to look for. But just in case, the following are the most
used/derived data:

a) Abundance
b) Relative Abundance
c) Rank Abundance
d) Dominance
e) Relative Dominance
f) Rank Dominance
g) Diversity
h) Species Richness
 i) Density
j) Relative Density
k) Rank Density

There are many other things you can derive, but the ones above are the most commonly used.
Please know how each is derived. Memorize. Some don’t even need to be memorized. Yes,
doubting ones.... do you need to memorize the formula for density? See what I mean?

Oh, also please read up the ugly duckling of the terrestrial sampling threesome.... the point-
quarter method... it’s in the manual. Just read. And know.

So basically, that’s all you need to know about the upcoming prelim exams. I hope I boxed up
the coverage and have at least given you the proper guidelines on what to study and how to study
them. Please bring your calculator for the exam.

Remember, you will be submitting THREE things to the proctor: The scantron card, the
questionnaire, and the DETACHED answer sheet for the problem solving. Place ALL your
solutions at the back of the answer sheet. If the solution is not on that page, answers will NOT
be recognized.

Good Luck to all of you

Sir Pavia