Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Ethical considerations and animal welfare in ecological field studies

  • Chapter
Ecologists and Ethical Judgements

Abstract

This paper addresses some of the ethical and welfare considerations implicit in the application of general techniques in common use during the course of collecting data in ecological field work. Even if they are not explicitly constructed as manipulative experiments, many field studies involve some degree of intervention during routine monitoring programmes: through disturbance caused merely by the presence of an observer or where specific sampling techniques themselves involve capture, handling and marking. Such interventive techniques may cause discomfort, distress or loss of fitness, even in the extreme may result in incidental mortality — and the ethical scientist should critically evaluate the implications of each methodology before adopting any procedure. The paper reviews by way of example the types of objective information now available for both small and larger mammals in relation to: (i) distress and mortality during capture operations; (ii) mortality or distress caused at the time by marking; (iii) longer-term consequences of handling and marking in terms of subsequent [delayed] mortality or loss of fitness, before considering a formal framework for assessment of costs and benefits of any given field programme.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Anderson, D.W. and Keith, J.O. (1980) The human influence on seabird nesting success: conservation implications. BioL Conserv. 18, 65–80.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour (1981) Guidelines for the use of animals in research. Animal Behaviour 29, 1–2.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bateson, P. (1991) Assessment of pain in animals. Animal Behaviour 42, 827–39.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bellairs, A. d’A. and Bryant, S.V. (1968) Effects of amputation of limbs and digits of lacertid lizards. Anat. Rec. 161, 489–96.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bender, E.A., Case, T.J. and Gilpin, M.E. (1984) Perturbation experiments in community ecology; theory and practice. Ecology 65, 1–13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blanc, C.P. and Carpenter, C.C. (1969) Studies on the Iguanidae of Madagascar. III. Social and reproductive behaviour of Chalarodon madagascariensis. J. Herpetol. 3, 125–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Broom, D.M. and Johnson, K.G. (1994) Stress and Animal Welfare. London: Chapman & Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Calvo, B. and Furness, R.W. (1992) A review of the use and the effects of marks and devices on birds. Ringing and Migration 13, 129–51.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chalmers, G.A. and Barrett, M.W. (1982) Capture myopathy. In Non-infectious Diseases in Wildlife ( G.L. Hoff and J.W. Davies, eds.) pp. 84–94. Ames, IA: Iowa State University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chapman, N.G., Claydon, K., Claydon, M. and Harris, S. (1987) Techniques for the safe and humane capture of free-living muntjac deer (Muntiacus reevesi). Brit. Vet. J. 143, 35–43.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cockburn, R.H.A. (1976) Catching roe deer alive in long-nets. Deer 3, 434–40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cooper, M.E. (1987) An Introduction to Animal Law. London: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cooper, M.E. (1991) British Mammals and the law. In The Handbook of British Mammals, 3rd edn ( G.B. Corbet and S. Harris, eds.) pp. 24–34. Oxford: Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crowell, K.L. and Pimm, S.L. (1976) Competition and niche shifts of mice introduced onto small islands. Oikos 27, 251–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cuthill, I.C. (1990) Field experiments in animal behaviour: methods and ethics. Animal Behaviour 42, 1007–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Daugherty, C.H. (1976) Freeze-branding as a technique for marking anurans. Copeia 4, 836–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dawkins, M.S. (1980) Animal Suffering: the Science of Animal Welfare. London: Chapman & Hall.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Dawkins, M.S. (1990) From an animal’s point of view: motivation, fitness and animal welfare. Behay. Brain Sci. 13, 1–61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dawkins, M.S. and Gosling, M. (1992) Ethics in Research on Animal Behaviour. London: Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour/Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Diamond, J.M. (1983) Laboratory, field and natural experiments. Nature 304, 586–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diamond, J.M., Pimm, S.L., Gilpin, M.E. and LeCroy, M. (1989) Rapid evolution of character displacement in myzomelid honeyeaters. Am. Nat. 134, 675–708.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duffy, D.C. (1979) Human disturbance and breeding birds. Auk 96, 815–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fairley, J.S. (1982) Short term effects of ringing and toe-clipping on recaptures of woodmice. J. Zool. 197, 295–7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Farnsworth, E.J. and Rosovsky, J. (1993) The ethics of ecological field experimentation. Conserv. Biol. 7, 463–72.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferner, J.W. (1979) A review of marking techniques for amphibians and reptiles. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles; Herpetological Circular 9, 1–41.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freddy, D.J., Bronaugh, W.M. and Fowler, M.C. (1986) Responses of mule deer to persons afoot and snowmobiles. Wildlife Society Bulletin 14, 63–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fullagar, P.J. and Jewell, P.A. (1965) Marking small rodents and the difficulties of using leg rings. J. Zool. 147, 224–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greenwood, J.J.D. (1994) Research on wild birds: ethical issues of ringing. Proceedings of the International Ornithological Congress, Vienna.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gurnell, J. and Flowerdew, J.R. (1982) Live Trapping Small Mammals — a Practical Guide. London: Occasional Publications of the Mammal Society.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haarthorn, A.M., van der Walt, K. and Young, E. (1976) Possible therapy for capture myopathy in captured wild animals. Nature 247, 577.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hairston, N.G. (1980) The experimental test of an analysis of field distributions: competition in terrestrial salamanders. Ecology 61, 817–26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harrington, R. (1991) Guidelines for the capture and handling of deer. In Methods For the Study of Large Mammals in Forest Ecosystems ( G.W.T.A. Groot Bruinderink and S.E. van Wieren, eds.) pp. 74–87. Arnhem, The Netherlands: Rijksinstituut voor Natuurbeheer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hill, S.D. (1985) Influences of large herbivores on small rodents in the New Forest, Hampshire. PhD thesis University of Southampton.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huntingford, F.A. (1984) Some ethical issues raised by studies of predation and aggression. Animal Behaviour 32, 210–15.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jeppesen, J.L. (1987) The disturbing effects of orienteering and hunting on roe deer (Capreolus capreolus). Danish Rev. Game Biol. 13, 1–24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, D.M. (1984) The capture and handling of deer. In The Capture and Handling of Deer ( A.J.B. Rudge, ed.) pp. 34–85. Peterborough: Nature Conservancy Council.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, A.R. and Price, S.E. (1992) Measuring the responses of fallow deer to disturbance. In Biology of deer ( R.D. Brown, ed.) pp. 211–16. New York: Springer-Verlag.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Kania, W. (1992) Safety of catching adult European birds at the nest. The Ring 14, 5–50.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kellert, S.R. (1991) Japanese perceptions of wildlife. Conserv. Biol. 5, 297–308.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kenward, R.E. (1987) Wildlife Radio-Tagging: Equipment, Field Techniques and Data Analysis. London, New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moulton, M.P. and Pimm, S.L. (1983) The introduced Hawaiian avifauna: biogeographic evidence for competition. Am. Nat. 121, 669–90.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moulton, M.P. and Pimm, S.L. (1986) The extent of competition in shaping an introduced avifauna. In Community Ecology ( J.M. Diamond and T.J. Case, eds) pp. 80–97. New York: Harper and Row.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ozoga, J.J. and Clute, R.K. (1988) Mortality rates of marked and unmarked fawns. J. Wildlife Manag. 52, 549–51.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paine, R.T. (1966) Food web complexity and species diversity. Am. Nat. 100, 65–75.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paine, R.T. (1969) A note on trophic complexity and community stability. Am. Nat. 103, 91–3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Putman, R.J. (1990) The care and rehabilitation of injured wild deer. Deer 8, 31–5.

    Google Scholar 

  • Putman, R.J. and Langbein, J. (1992) Behavioural responses of park red and fallow deer to disturbance and effects on population performance. Animal Welfare 1, 19–38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simon, C.A. and Bessinger, B.E. (1983) Paint marking lizards: does it affect survival? J. HerpetoL 17, 184–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith R.H. (1980) The capture of deer for radio-tagging. In A Handbook on Biotelemetry and Radiotracking ( C.J. Amlaner and D.W. Macdonald, eds) pp. 313–17. Oxford: Pergamon Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, J. and Boyd, K. (1991) Lives in the Balance: the Ethics of Using Animals in Biomedical Research. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, R.F. and Dobson, H. (1990) Effects of preslaughter experience on behaviour, plasma cortisol and muscle pH in farmed red deer. Vet. Rec. 126, 155–8.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Southern H.N., ed. (1964) The Handbook of British Mammals, 1st edn. Oxford: Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spellerberg, I.F. (1977) Marking live snakes for identification of individuals in population studies. J. App. Ecol. 14, 137–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Strauss, S.Y. (1991) Indirect effects in community ecology: their definition, study and importance. Trends Ecol. Evol. 6, 206–10.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Strong, D.R., Simberloff, D., Abele, L.G. and Thistle A.B. (1984) Ecological Communities: Conceptual Issues and the Evidence. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sullivan, J.B., De Young, C.A., Beasom, S.L., Heffelfinger, J.R., Coughlin, S.P. and Hellickson, M.W. (1991) Drive-netting deer — incidence of mortality. Wildlife Society Bulletin 19, 393–6.

    Google Scholar 

  • Swingland, I.R. (1978) Marking reptiles. In Animal Marking: Recognition Marking of Animals in Research ( B. Stonehouse, ed.) pp. 119–41. London: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Twigg, G.I. (1975) Marking mammals. Mammal Rev. 5, 101–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tyler, N.J.C. (1991) Short-term responses of Svalbard reindeer to direct provocation by a snowmobile. Biol. Conserv. 56, 179–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van der Zande, A.N., Berkhuizen, J.C., van Latesteijn, H.C., ter Keurs, W.J. and Poppelaars, A.J. (1984) Impact of outdoor recreation on the density of a number of breeding bird species in woods adjacent to urban residential areas. Biol. Conserv. 30, 1–39.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • White, G.C. and Garrott, R.A. (1990) Analysis of Wildlife Tracking Data. London, New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wiens, J.A. (1989) The Ecology of Bird Communities, Volume 2: Processes and Variations. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wiepkema, P.R. and Koolhaas, J.M. (1992) Stress and animal welfare. Animal Welfare 2, 195–218.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, T.D., Cooke, F., Cooch, E.G. and Rockwell, R.F. (1993). Body condition and gosling survival in mass-banded Lesser Snow geese. J. Wildlife Manag. 57, 555–62.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of Southampton School of Biological Sciences, Boldrewood Building, Bassett Crescent East, Southampton, SO16 7PX, UK

    R. J. Putman

Authors
  1. R. J. Putman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. The Rectory, 40 Church Road Rivenhall, CM8 3PQ, Witham Essex, UK

    Nigel S. Cooper

  2. Life Sciences, Chapman & Hall, London, UK

    R. C. J. Carling (Senior Commissioning Editor) (Senior Commissioning Editor)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1996 Chapman & Hall

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Putman, R.J. (1996). Ethical considerations and animal welfare in ecological field studies. In: Cooper, N.S., Carling, R.C.J. (eds) Ecologists and Ethical Judgements. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-6965-3_11

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-6965-3_11

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-412-70980-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-011-6965-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation