Community Ecology III | Lecture 35

Question 1

The Tragedy of the Commons:

Answer 1

Use of the commons is below the carrying capacity: Benefits.

If one or more users increase the use of the commons beyond carrying capacity the commons become degraded. The cost of degradation is incurred by all users.

Unless environmental costs are accounted for and addressed in land use practices, eventually the land will be unable to support the activity.

Question 2

Socio-ecological systems:

Answer 2

Based on the principle that humans are part of nature. A set of critical resources that whose flow and use are regulated by a combination of ecological and social systems.

Question 3

Parts of the Socio-ecological System:

Answer 3

Actions Interventions: Logging, Fishing, etc.

Ecosystem: Structure and functions.

Ecosystem Services: Fue, Fibre, Food, Water Regulation, Recreation, etc.

Human System: Individuals, Groups, Institutions.

Question 4

Urban Ecology:

Answer 4

The study of ecological systems embedded in developed area.

Question 5

What is Urban:

Answer 5

United Nations defines ‘urban’ as an area with more than 20,000 people.

Urbanization often related to industrialization. Just 200 years ago, the proportion of the world’s urban population was only about 5%.

Currently over 50%

Question 6

Why Can Urbanized Areas be Viewed As Ecosystems:

Answer 6

Need for Enormous Inputs of Energy and Material.

A Complex metabolism, webs of transfer, processing and storage of materials.

Immense output of heat and other waste materials.

Question 7

Trends in Urbanization:

Answer 7

Global population is moving toward urbanization. Trend of more people in urban than rural since 2009.

Question 8

Positives of Urbanization Ecologically:

Answer 8

Less use of space per capita.
Public transport opportunities.
Efficient Planning of Space.
(Integrated) Recycling Cycle.

Question 9

Negatives of Urbanization Ecologically:

Answer 9

Air pollution
Water pollution.
Increased health problems.
(Toxic) Waste removal.

Question 10

Redlining: What is it?

Answer 10

Discrimiatory practice in which servies are withheld from potential customers who reside in neighborhoods classified as ‘hazardous’ to investment.
These residents largely belonged to racial and ethnic minorities.

Question 11

Benefits of City Green Space:

Answer 11

Public Health: Opportunity for exercise. Asthma mitigation. Psychological well-being.

Neighborhood stability: Building social cohesion to address local concerns. Early education, adult job training.

Environmental Remediation: Storm runoff reduction. Pollution absorption. Wildlife protection. Noise buffering.

Question 12

Common Urban Issue #2: Noise

Answer 12

Noise Levels: Of some common sounds. Prolonged exposure to lower noise levels and occasional loud sounds can greatly increase internal stress

Question 13

What’s the background noise of a city:

Answer 13

Typically 2kHz rumble. Causes many songbirds unable to hear other birds. Ex: Great tit bird sings in a higher frequency.

Question 14

Human-wildlife Interactions:

Answer 14

Avoiders
Adapters
Exploiters

Question 15

Human-wildlife Interactions: What are Avoiders?

Answer 15

Sensitive to human activity and not able to use anthropogenic resources.

Question 16

Human-wildlife Interactions: What are Adapters?

Answer 16

Edge species are well-adapted to the typical suburban backyard or forest/park matrix.

Question 17

Human-wildlife Interactions: What are Exploiters?

Answer 17

A homogeneous group of species that are often not native to the region and are highly adapted to urban environments.