Download Using Scientific Method to Study Wildlife Populations

Using the Scientific Method to
Study Wildlife Populations
Review of Scientific Method
Information
Analysis
It’s a circular
process used to
answer
questions and
gain knowledge.
Experiment
Hypothesis
We can use the Scientific Method to:

See how far Sage Grouse go to find mates.
 See if there are enough strutting grounds
around.
– to make sure there are enough
– and to make sure they are close enough.

Determine what is their preferred habitat for
strutting.
Question
Do mountains get in the way of Sage Grouse
going to their strutting grounds?
Information
Analysis
Gather all of the
information we can so
that we can get an idea
of what to expect
Experiment
Hypothesis
Information

Sage grouse will visit many strutting grounds
each spring
 Prefer to go to those strutting grounds that are
close together
 Sage grouse can travel up to 13 miles to find
habitat that they like
 Can be seen as far up as 9000 feet on a
mountain
Need to Breed
1.) The offspring gets one gene from
each parent.
2.) Two individuals must come into
contact to reproduce. This may not
be possible if there are obstacles.
Aspects of the Land
Different Animals Like Different Things
a.) large open spaces (quail like to hide)
b.) large lakes (bobcats don’t like to swim)
c.) fences (antelope have trouble jumping)
d.) roads (turtles, frogs, and many deer
can’t
cross quickly enough)
Use the land the way that they know how in order to
find their mates and reproduce.
A dead frog can’t pass on its genes.
Just as frogs must reach
water to breed,
sage-grouse need open
areas to meet and attract
mates. These open areas
are called strutting
grounds.
Bad Sage-grouse Habitat
Good Sage-grouse Habitat
Hypothesis

If the mountain is less than 9000 feet high, a
sage grouse will go over it to get to a strutting
ground.
 If the mountain is more than 9500 feet high a
sage grouse will not go over it to get to a
strutting ground.
 (Had to give ourselves some wiggle room)
Design the Experiment

Need to put radio-collars on the sage grouse so that
we can follow where they go.

Follow them and record the different breeding ground
that they go to during the breeding season.

Plot them on a map and look at the mountains that are
between one breeding ground and the next.

Record the elevation of all the mountains that
separate breeding grounds that sage grouse go to.
Results/Analysis





Radio-tracked 50 sage grouse.
Mountains were crossed 200 times by the 50 sage
grouse on their way to strutting grounds.
182 times, the mountain was less than 9000 feet in
elevation
18 times, the mountain was greater than 9500 feet in
elevation
So what can we say about the results and our
hypothesis?
What about those 18 times that the
sage-grouse went over the mountain
when it was >9500 feet?
Information
Analysis
Sage grouse will
sometimes cross
mountains higher than
9500 feet.
Why do they?
Experiment
Hypothesis
What do you think?