#12 Landscape Ecology Flashcards

1
Q

Define Community

A

A group of plant and animal species occupying a given area
- ecological communities have a spatial boundary and a spatial context within the larger landscape

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2
Q

Define Landscape Ecology

A

The study of the formation of patches and boundaries and how these interactions affect ecological processes

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3
Q

What is a “mosaic”

A

the patchwork of different types of land cover.
the landscape mosaic is defined by changes in the structure of the distinct communities called patches
- although each patch is continuously changing, the average characteristic of the forest may stay relatively contstant

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4
Q

A _______ is composed of patches, which changes in succession over time due to ecological processes

A

shifting mosaic

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5
Q

Define Patches

A

Homogenous community types that differ from their surroundings in structure and species composition

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6
Q

Inherent vs Induced Edges with regards to changing over time

A
  • inherent edges are stable and permanent
  • induced edges are subject to successional changes over time
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7
Q

What are edge species

A

restricted exclusively to the edge environment

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8
Q

Edge species can create 2 problems

A
  1. attract more predators
  2. restricts dispersal
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9
Q

Assuming that the depth of a patch remains constant, the ratio of edge to interior ____ as the habitat size ______?

A

Ratio of edge to interior decreases as the habitat size increases if the patch edge is constant

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10
Q

Which of the following is most important for plants?
- persistence
- environmental conditions
- patch size

A

Environmental conditions

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11
Q

What are corridors?

A

strips of vegetation similar to patches that they connect, many of human origins (windbreaks, drainage ditches)

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12
Q

List some negative impacts of corridors

A
  • offer scouting positions for predators
  • avenues for disease spread
  • provide a pathway for the invasive species
  • if too narrow they can inhibit the movement of social groups
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13
Q

The community structure of a patch on the landscape is a function of its _______?

A

size, shape, and connectivity (position on the landscape relative to other patches)

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14
Q

Difference between disturbance event and pattern?

A

events are instant, where patterns characterize a landscape over time

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15
Q

Disturbance regime is based on what three characteristics?

A
  • intensity: the proportion of total biomass that is eliminated
  • scale: refers to the spatial extent of the impact relative to the size of the landscape
  • frequency: mean number of disturbances within a particular time. Frequency is linked to intensity and scale
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16
Q

Small scale vs large scale disturbance

A

death of a tree (occurs frequently) vs a fire (rare)

17
Q

What is a gap?

A

Generated by a small-scale disturbance and becomes a site of localized regeneration and growth within the community.
- The environmental conditions differ from the surrounding area

18
Q

Fire releases nutrients through _______?

A
  • pyromineralization, preparing the seedbed
  • increase in light, water, and nutrient availability to the surviving colonizing plants