Comparing Populations

Today’s Objectiveslong-term data sets

• Become familiar with exploring

• Test hypotheses

• Understand the benefits & limitations

Schedule

• Background on long-term data sets

• MSU Museum– Tour & Presentation

• Test given hypothesis using long-term data set

• Groups develop new hypothesis and test

Long-term data sets

• Scope global to organismal

• Time period centuries to years

• Benefits Broad patterns

large sample size

• Limitations Time, money, organization

Global Long-term data setsAtmospheric carbon dioxide

Remote sensing

Global Long-term data sets Ice and Glaciers

Global Long-term data sets Sea levels

Global Long-term data sets Sea surface temperatures

Global Long-term data sets Deforestation in Brazil

Ecosystem level Appalachian Mountains

Community level Kellogg Biological Station, MI

All occurrence sampling of known individuals; study behavioral ecology

Mara hyena project (1988-present)Organismal level

MSU: Holekamp Research Group

Kluane National Park, Yukon Canada

- Follow individualsthroughout life- 23 years data- 6000+ individuals in pedigree.

BehaviorEcologyEnergeticsEvolution

Organismal level

MSU/Guelph: McAdams Research Group

Long Term Ecological Research

Established in 1980 for long term ecological processes in the US– Primary production– Population Studies– Disturbance Patterns

• www.lternet.edu• www.lter.kbs.msu.edu

Video: http://www.lternet.edu/ltervideo/?size=full

Dreaming of summer?Dreaming of summer?

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Summer Classes in Field Biology

Maximum Class size of 16!Maximum Class size of 16!

All classes include a hands-on research component

2010 Summer Classes include:

•ZOL 355/355L•PLB 418•ZOL 440

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65 miles from main campus (near Battle Creek)

Kellogg Biological

Station

Interested in animal behavior research?

Join the Boughman Lab!

We need undergraduate assistants to help with our research projects this spring and summer

At Museum

Purpose: get exposure to museum collections that inform long-term data research

• ½ class takes tour of collections

• ½ class gets presentation on long-term data sets

• Groups swap

To the museum!

• Bring:– Coursepack pages– Paper, writing utensil– Jacket

Peromyscus maniculatus (deer mouse)

• Mostly nocturnal

• Breed all year, peak April-August

• Food for snakes, owls and weasels

• Females very territorial

Our exploration of long-term data sets

Peromyscus Sex Ratio

• Sex ratio # males: # females

Expected is 50% males: 50% females

• Why might sex ratio differ from expected?

We’ll start by exploring sex ratio in Michigan.

Collecting Data - MaNIS

• Follow directions in coursepack

• Demo

• http://www.screencast.com/users/acrlackey/folders/Jing/media/75fa3fae-422e-4f93-a227-07fc8b5f7269

Collect data from MaNIS

Once groups have their data,

I’ll show you how to analyze it

using a Pivot Table

Pivot Tables

What?

• Summarize and analyze large amounts of data in a list or table – (regardless of how you have it organized in

your sheet)

– For instance…

Create a PivotTable

• Choose– Microsoft Office Excel list or database

• Select your data range– Easy method is click on the upper left hand

corner, hold shift key and click on the lower right hand corner.

• Choose the output location– New Worksheet

Choosing the categories• Drag the categories to be either rows or

columns.– Don’t worry, play around

Sex Ratio in Michigan

• Each group examines sex ratio (males:females) in Michigan

• Test difference between observed sex ratio and expected ratio using Chi-square (Demo website calculator)

• Observed values come from Pivot Table

• 1st set of Q/H/P• Chi-square table• Chi-square value, p-value• Stat conclusion• Biol conclusion

• 2nd set of Q/H/P• Pick anything.• Need ideas? Think about subspecies, age class,

latitude or month.

Assignment

Next Week

• Behavior lab #3

• Pages 17-28