Community Landscape Ecology

Question 1

What is community ecology?

Answer 1

The study of relationships between co-existing species.

Question 2

What is landscape ecology?

Answer 2

The study of the interactions between the temporal and spatial aspects of a landscape and the organisms within it.

Question 3

Name 6 major threats to biodiversity.

Answer 3

Habitat disturbance,
Habitat loss,
Habitat fragmentation,
Disruption to ecological processes,
Climate change,
Invasives (including pests and diseases).

Question 4

Name 3 types of UK protected areas.

Answer 4

AONB’s,
National Parks,
LNR’s (local nature reserves).

Question 5

What 4 targets should we set for protected areas?

Answer 5

More,
Bigger,
Better,
Joined.

Question 6

Describe more, bigger, better and joined protected habitats.

Answer 6

More- increase the frequency of protected areas to compensate for rapid habitat loss.
Bigger- many species need large territories, some have become extinct in the UK due to diminishing territory size.
Joined- connecting habitats for migrating species and allowing for larger areas to range and gather resources.

Question 7

Describe habitat fragmentation.

Answer 7

The process by which a large continuous habitat is reduced in size and divided into fragments.

Question 8

What dangers does habitat fragmentation involve?

Answer 8

Many species won’t or can’t cross boundaries. Many won’t leave isolated habitats in search of a mate or resources or may be unsuccessful if they do.

Question 9

What is the island equilibrium theory?

Answer 9

It describes the balance between immigrating species and those going extinct in an isolated habitat.

Question 10

How does distance from larger habitats affect the island equilibrium?

Answer 10

Smaller and further away islands have a lower rate of immigration and a faster rate of extinction.

Question 11

State 3 problems that small, poorly connected habitats face.

Answer 11

Genetic drift,
Inbreeding,
Self-incompatibility.

Question 12

Define metapopulation.

Answer 12

A complex of connected populations, each of which can not persist on its own, but is viable as a whole. Populations can not be seen as separate entities as they rely upon each other for genetic diversity and immigrants.

Question 13

Define rewilding

Answer 13

An approach to conservation that focuses on the restoration of natural ecological processes rather than individual species.