Biotic Systems Flashcards
What should plant community information should be documented during inventory and analysis
location, health, character and type of exisitng vegetation
note: available moisture and temperature extremes have greatest impact on the type of veg on site
What is an eco tone and how are they different
transitional area between ecolgoical communities - tend to be more diverse than the adjacent communities a round them
Describe the concept of carrying capacity
term from ecology that describes the measure of density of development that can be supported without detrimental impacts to society ecoomony and the environment
Describe the concept of an ecological footprint
describes the impact of a person / community / or use on the environment
typ expressed as thea mount of land required to sustain their use of the environment
describe the way plants are classified based on water needs
xerophytes - xeric plants require little moisture
mesospheres - grow best with moderate water
hydrophytes - plants adapted to living in aquatic and wetland conditions
Describe the nature and contraints of wetlands (according to LARE)
wetlands should NEVER be built on or disturbed
stormwater should never be drained into wetlands without being treated for volume and quality
they are highly valuable and ecologically important site assists that require protection. and are heavily impacted by upstream issues
they often requires taking a watershed level approach
What are the benefits of wetlands on a site
groundwater recharge
sediment stabilization
flood attenuation
water quality mx
wildlife
climate moderation
shoreline protection
How are wetlands defined and what are the five major classifications
defined by hydrology, soils,. and the presence of specific veg (hydrophytes)
US fish and wildlife wetland classification defines 5 types
- Marine
- Estuarine (SECOND MOST PREVALENT)
- Riverine
- Lacustrine (lakes res and ponds
- Pallustrine (marshes wet meadows, fens bogs and swamps. (MOST PREVALENT TYPE)
describe wetland types
bog - acidic soils and rich organic (like peat) bogs and fens are same cept bogs fed by rain and fens fed by groundwater
estuary - semi enclosed coastal body connect to open sea with brackish water
marsh - herb veg no taller than 6 feet
swamp - wetland dominated by woody veg
Desribe specimen tree and site inventory and analysis the require
speciment trees are trees that cannot be replaced
arborist will often be hired to conduct a tree survey to document:
tree location and size
tree species
tree condition, health and tolerance to disturbance
Describe the following common diseases
blacks spot
canker
chlorosis
fascination
powerdery mildew
black spot - fungal diseas that leaves black spots on foliage - due to being overly wet
a wound infected by fungus or bacteria - mostly on woody trees
chlorosis - caused by iron deficiency - yellow leaves and green veins - also caused by high pH soils, overwatering, lack of aeration
genetic mutation in plants apical mari stems - causes malformed growth
powedery mildew - fungal causes white powered appearance eon upper leaf surfaces - low soil moisture and high humidity caused
Describe wildfire considerations for planting in wildlife prone areas
maintain 30’ clear zone (defensible space) around structures or planted with low flammable plants
ensure that “fire ladders”don’t exist where flames could jump from trees to house
What areas are most at risk of wildfire -
urban-wild land interface is most at risk because of high urban use and fire catalysts (grills, cigs, fires ect)
What is focus of wildlife inventory and analysis
identifying critical habitat and establishing the presence or lack of threatened and endangered species
**note the presence of endangered species triggers regulatory constraints that can alter or preclude site development
What are the wildlife goals of sustainable site planning
to look for opps to strengthen natural corridors, ID gaps in these corridors, ID opps to strengthen connectivity
ID larger (higher value) natural areas to prioritize preservation
