1. Flamingos and the Scientific Method
A bird’s eye view:
Flamingos and the Scientific Method
Marita Davison
Ph.D Student
Cornell University

2. Past Present 2001 Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
Curriculum Development
Field collections
Cloud Forest
2002
2000
This is meant to be an introductory slide to help students envision how a career in ecology/conservation can come about. I think it is important to highlight that there can be many twists & turns along the way, and that often we end up in unexpected places.
Environmental Science
Ecology, Conservation, Sociology, Economics, Anthropology
1996
Past
Present

3. I am...
Ornithologist
Limnologist

4. A few definitions...
ECOLOGY
“oikos” = house (i.e. the planet, our home)
“logos” = study or knowledge
The study of the relationship between living organisms & their environment
ORNITHOLOGY
“ornithos” = bird
The study of birds
LIMNOLOGY
“limne” = lake
The study of lakes, ponds, & other standing waters

5. Community: a group of interacting organisms living in the same place
And a few more...
Community: a group of interacting organisms living in the same place
Coral Reef
Sonoran Desert
How does predator
abundance affect the
number of species?
Important to note in definition of Community: organisms represent many different species and interact through trophic and/or spatial relationships. The term refers only to BIOTIC factors.
Ecosystem: refers to BIOTIC & ABIOTIC factors
We can ask a set of questions about the same place that are either at the community level (orange) or ecosystem level (green).
How does nutrient
availability affect
primary production?
Ecosystem: a community of organisms and their physical environment interacting as an ecological unit

6. The Scientific Method make an observation ask a question
do background research
Scientific method: make an observation, ask a question, do background research, construct a hypothesis (and generate predictions), test hypothesis (usually by doing an experiment), analyze data & draw a conclusion, report your results (was your hypothesis correct?)
construct a hypothesis
The Scientific Method
test your hypothesis
analyze & report results

7. Flamingos are the most conspicuous organisms in Altiplano salt lakes
1. Observations
Flamingos are the most conspicuous organisms in Altiplano salt lakes
Flamingos spend most of their time eating by grazing algae that has settled on the lake sediment surface
Flamingos are the most abundant grazers in Altiplano salt lakes
Flamingos are large and much more locally abundant than any other avifauna utilizing Altiplano salt lakes.

8. What effect do flamingos have on Altiplano salt lakes? Sub-questions:
1. Do flamingos influence community structure?
2. Do flamingos influence ecosystem processes?
What would happen (ecologically) if flamingos disappear?

9. 3. Background research A. Library search B. Internet search
ecological journals, books, popular articles
Making contacts with experts is important because they may have useful insights relating to your project or unpublished data that may inform your hypotheses.
B. Internet search
active researchers, photographs, videos, maps
C. Make contacts
experts in the field, potential collaborators

10. Algae >2x more abundant when flamingos absent
3. Background research
Algae >2x more abundant when flamingos absent
Protozoa >6x more abundant when flamingos absent
From Hurlbert & Chang 1983

11. 4. Constructing a hypothesis
Hypothesis: a working explanation of observed facts that
leads to testable predictions
Hypotheses must address your question of interest, they are NOT questions themselves!
Note on itallics:
1. A hypothesis is always an explanatory statement, not a question
2. A hypothesis is a “best guess” (given YOUR knowledge) explanation for something you have observed in nature
3. Hypotheses must lead to predictions that can be tested in the field or in the lab
Prediction: a specific forecast of the expected outcome in the situation described in your hypothesis
Predictions must be measurable, and should result in either: (1) acceptance or (2) rejection of the hypothesis

12. Hypotheses vs Predictions
Find the hypothesis!
Question 1: Do flamingos influence community structure?
Biodiversity will be higher when flamingos are present and lower when flamingos are absent
Flamingos impact biodiversity of their lake habitats
This is a simple exercise to encourage students to distinguish between hypotheses and predictions.
Flamingos affect the growth of algae in Altiplano salt lakes
Growth of algae will be higher when flamingos are absent and lower when flamingos are present
Question 2: Do flamingos influence ecosystem processes?

13. How to test a hypothesis

14. 5. Hypothesis testing Experimental design:
Simulate extinction of flamingos by excluding them from certain areas in the lake
2 types of experimental plots:
Exclosure plots: flamingos excluded
Control plots: flamingos present
Each plot: 4x4 meters, 5 of each type placed at 2 locations in the lake

15. 5 pairs of plots (exclosure & control)
Since the lake is quite heterogeneous, pairing allows for a more relevant comparison between plots.

16. Sampling x4

17. Samples obtained from each plot (E & C)
Community structure
Algae for identification
Invertebrates for identification
Ecosystem processes
Biomass of algae (chlorophyll a)
Biomass of of invertebrates