Adaptations Of Mammals To Human Impacts

Question 1

What are the two main categories that species can be grouped into within fragmentation

Answer 1

-specialist species (more affected by fragmentation)
-generalist species(less affected since they can adapt)

Question 2

Why are carnivores more sensitive to habitat loss

Answer 2

They have lower population densities, require large home ranges and are often persecuted by humans

Question 3

Are low degrees of fragmentation and high connectivity good or bad

Answer 3

Good

Question 4

What causes linear features in the environment

Answer 4

Habitat fragmentation( fences, roads and powerlines)

Question 5

Name a species that has benefitted from linear features within habitats

Answer 5

Tasmanian Devil (can now hunt faster)

Question 6

Vulnerabilities of species to environmental changes are caused by what

Answer 6

Exposure, sensitivity, resilience and adaptation

Question 7

What are the 3 options for species to deal with climate change

Answer 7

-shift in range within climate tolerant limits
-remain and adjust:genetic composition and phenotypic plasticity
-extinction: local or global level

Question 8

What is phenotypic plasticity

Answer 8

When a single genotype gives rise to different phenotypes within circumstances to allow acclimation, acclimatisation and learning

Question 9

What is phenotypic plasticity

Answer 9

When a single genotype gives rise to different phenotypes within circumstances to allow acclimation, acclimatisation and learning

Question 10

What is genetic composition

Answer 10

Micro-evolution causing a heritable shift in allele frequencies within a population to give morphological features

Question 11

What are the 3 ice-related categories for resilience

Answer 11

Ice obligate, ice associated, seasonally migrant

Question 12

What does selective harvesting impede

Answer 12

Adaptive evolutionary processes which can cause a potential delay in the recovery of populations

Question 13

Why can evolution of wild populations be impacted by harvesting

Answer 13

Since it causes changes in morphological, behavioural and life history traits

Question 14

Give an example of an animal that has been hunted to the extent of causing physiological change

Answer 14

African elephants

Question 15

Name a species that isn’t impacted by habitat fragmentation

Answer 15

African elephants since they have a lower density and so there are no foraging limitations