Practical Methods in Ecology isan introductory manual of methods used by ecologists to collect and analyze data. Aimed at students with little practical or computational experience, it is an ideal text for university and senior high school students on field trips or taking courses in field ecology.
Based on the classic textbook by Southwood, Ecological Methods, it begins with a discussion on planning of field work, followed by a brief overview of the statistical tests that can be used to analyze the data. The book then divides into two main sections, the first covering techniques used to sample communities and estimate population size from pitfall trapping to mark-recapture methods, the second looking at techniques for population and community analysis including diversity indices, life-tables, and multivariate techniques.
Each chapter provides a summary of the theoretical principles, followed by specific examples and ideas for project work. Examples are selected for use in ponds and streams, the sea shore, fields, and woodland, and carefully chosen so at least one of these widely available habitats should be accessible to students almost anywhere in the world.