The
Alliance
Quail-Tech
A Project of Texas Tech University Funded by Quail First
Quail-Tech Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. How can a ranch be part of research in one of five years and the research be good research?
A. This is a great question! Research is good science when it helps to support or refute a hypothesis. Poor science often occurs when the results are confounded because the experimental design failed to control extraneous factors that confuse the ultimate conclusion. Poor science can also occur as a result of a lack of adequate replication. This problem (lack of replication) is the heart of the question posed above. Replication of experiments is required because a single result can occur by chance alone and not be the result of a biological process. Replication can occur either by time (repeated more than one year) or by space (repeated in more than one place). Though acceptable, experiments replicated by time in the same space (more than one year on one ranch) lead a sound researcher to question if this result can be extrapolated beyond the current space (ranch). Experiments replicated by space in one time period (multiple ranches for one year) lead a sound researcher to question if this result can be extrapolated beyond the single year. Research or the inference resulting from research is stronger as replication occurs in time and space concurrently. This inference grows stronger as the time period and the geographic separation of the replicated experiments increase. Field experiments conducted as part of the Quail-Tech Alliance will employ both types of replication. Though a single ranch will host an experiment for only a year, the experiments themselves will be replicated on multiple ranches (space) and for 2 - 5 years (time). The design of the Quail-Tech Alliance Anchor Ranch Program strongly supports this approach, because it provides the potential for experimental replicates to be placed in the central, northern, southern, eastern and western areas of the 38 county research area (approximately 22 million acres). Several Quail-Tech Alliance studies (e.g., economics of quail management, genetics, population dynamics, and food variability) will attempt to collect samples from all 38 anchor ranches for all 5 years of the study.
Q. What does "Report of quail recruitment into the fall population on the ranch mean?"
A. Recruitment is defined as survival of young-of-the-year individuals until they can be considered members of the fall population (some would say until they are capable of breeding). Recruitment is measured as the young-to-adult ratio and these data can be obtained by aging a sample of birds. Northern bobwhite and scaled quail are aged using specific characteristics of their wing feathers. Successful recruitment is indicated by a relatively high young-to-adult ratio. High young-to-adult ratios can be achieved when there is some measure of success in breeding hen survival, egg laying, nest survival during incubation, egg hatching, and chick survival to enter the fall population. A low young-to-adult ratio indicates a failure in one or more of these components of the life-cycle.
Q. From how far away should weather records be kept?
A. Anchor Ranches should attempt to record precipitation and temperature data from within 5 miles of the center of their research property. The closer to the research site, the more reliably one can correlate weather data to quail population changes. The Quail-Tech Alliance will work with individual anchor ranches to assist them with obtaining the necessary weather monitoring instrumentation as needed.
Q. To whom would we be providing access? For what purposes?
A. The Quail-Tech Alliance requests access for their investigators, graduate students, and undergraduate technicians for the purpose of gathering data for experiments designed and conducted in consultation with individual landowners. In a separate request, the Quail-Tech Alliance may ask for landowners to participate in a field day by allowing Quail-Tech Alliance personnel and the general public to tour research areas of their property as a member of the field day tour. However, granting access for field days is not a requirement for participation in the Quail-Tech Alliance program.
Q. What does it mean to adhere to study guidelines and how can I agree to that if I do not now know what they are?
A. Research projects will be designed in consultation with individual landowners. No research topics and no specific protocols will be forced on any landowner. However, once study guidelines are agreed upon between the Quail-Tech science team and an individual landowner, we ask that landowners do everything within reason to adhere to these guidelines.
Q. How can a ranch be part of research in one of five years and the research be good research?
A. This is a great question! Research is good science when it helps to support or refute a hypothesis. Poor science often occurs when the results are confounded because the experimental design failed to control extraneous factors that confuse the ultimate conclusion. Poor science can also occur as a result of a lack of adequate replication. This problem (lack of replication) is the heart of the question posed above. Replication of experiments is required because a single result can occur by chance alone and not be the result of a biological process. Replication can occur either by time (repeated more than one year) or by space (repeated in more than one place). Though acceptable, experiments replicated by time in the same space (more than one year on one ranch) lead a sound researcher to question if this result can be extrapolated beyond the current space (ranch). Experiments replicated by space in one time period (multiple ranches for one year) lead a sound researcher to question if this result can be extrapolated beyond the single year. Research or the inference resulting from research is stronger as replication occurs in time and space concurrently. This inference grows stronger as the time period and the geographic separation of the replicated experiments increase. Field experiments conducted as part of the Quail-Tech Alliance will employ both types of replication. Though a single ranch will host an experiment for only a year, the experiments themselves will be replicated on multiple ranches (space) and for 2 - 5 years (time). The design of the Quail-Tech Alliance Anchor Ranch Program strongly supports this approach, because it provides the potential for experimental replicates to be placed in the central, northern, southern, eastern and western areas of the 38 county research area (approximately 22 million acres). Several Quail-Tech Alliance studies (e.g., economics of quail management, genetics, population dynamics, and food variability) will attempt to collect samples from all 38 anchor ranches for all 5 years of the study.
Q. What does "Report of quail recruitment into the fall population on the ranch mean?"
A. Recruitment is defined as survival of young-of-the-year individuals until they can be considered members of the fall population (some would say until they are capable of breeding). Recruitment is measured as the young-to-adult ratio and these data can be obtained by aging a sample of birds. Northern bobwhite and scaled quail are aged using specific characteristics of their wing feathers. Successful recruitment is indicated by a relatively high young-to-adult ratio. High young-to-adult ratios can be achieved when there is some measure of success in breeding hen survival, egg laying, nest survival during incubation, egg hatching, and chick survival to enter the fall population. A low young-to-adult ratio indicates a failure in one or more of these components of the life-cycle.
Q. From how far away should weather records be kept?
A. Anchor Ranches should attempt to record precipitation and temperature data from within 5 miles of the center of their research property. The closer to the research site, the more reliably one can correlate weather data to quail population changes. The Quail-Tech Alliance will work with individual anchor ranches to assist them with obtaining the necessary weather monitoring instrumentation as needed.
Q. To whom would we be providing access? For what purposes?
A. The Quail-Tech Alliance requests access for their investigators, graduate students, and undergraduate technicians for the purpose of gathering data for experiments designed and conducted in consultation with individual landowners. In a separate request, the Quail-Tech Alliance may ask for landowners to participate in a field day by allowing Quail-Tech Alliance personnel and the general public to tour research areas of their property as a member of the field day tour. However, granting access for field days is not a requirement for participation in the Quail-Tech Alliance program.
Q. What does it mean to adhere to study guidelines and how can I agree to that if I do not now know what they are?
A. Research projects will be designed in consultation with individual landowners. No research topics and no specific protocols will be forced on any landowner. However, once study guidelines are agreed upon between the Quail-Tech science team and an individual landowner, we ask that landowners do everything within reason to adhere to these guidelines.