Exam 1

Question 1

Goal of wildlife ecology

Answer 1

Seek mechanisms for the purpose of prediction

Question 2

Theories

Answer 2

Not speculation but helps us think about a phenomenon through scientific examination

Question 3

Hypothesis

Answer 3

Educated guess based on an observation or theory

Question 4

Statistical hypothesis

Answer 4

Predictions. If rejected, biological hypothesis reduced in likelihood. Supported, biological hypothesis can contribute to theory

Question 5

Habitat

Answer 5

Any area offering the resources and conditions that promote occupancy by a species

Question 6

Resources

Answer 6

This animals need (food, water, nesting materials, etc)

Question 7

Conditions

Answer 7

Abiotic factors off area (climate, terrain, topography, pH, etc); environmental features that are tolerable or intolerable to a species

Question 8

Occupancy

Answer 8

Proportion of habitat units occupied

Question 9

Habitat quality

Answer 9

Not binary; continuous variable; linked to demography, not necessarily density or vegetative characteristics; individual fitness and high growth rate=high quality

Question 10

Habitat use

Answer 10

Often measured in relative amount of time spent in different areas within habitat; function of what animal would like to do + what it is forced to do

Question 11

RUFs (resource utilization function)

Answer 11

Map areas of high and low use within habitat (looks like topographical map)

Question 12

Confidence interval

Answer 12

If doesn’t overlap with 0, is significant (usually CI=95%)

Question 13

Multiple regression

Answer 13

Multiple predictor variables; analyzes relationship between single DV and multiple IVs; used to predict value of DV

Question 14

Covariate

Answer 14

IV that can influence outcome of analyses but is not of direct interest

Question 15

Habitat selection

Answer 15

Effort to say something about animal preference in habitat; can infer selection or avoidance by relative availability

Question 16

RSF; resource selection function

Answer 16

Look at patterns of animals using habitat areas more or less than what you would expect from randomization (can infer preference and avoidance)

Question 17

Habitat preference

Answer 17

To be used carefully; selection of one habitat over another when both are equally available (hard to demonstrate in lab)

Question 18

Mechanisms underlying use/selection

Answer 18

Ex: foraging of prey, diminishing forest (less stalking cover,etc.). Can help us understand how anthropogenic changes to landscape will impact populations

Question 19

Game theory in ecology

Answer 19

Contingent on what other players are doing

Question 20

Patches

Answer 20

Relatively homogeneous area within landscape that differs from its surroundings

Question 21

Landscape

Answer 21

Composed of mosaic patches; heterogenous

Question 22

Patch differentiation

Answer 22

Scale, species, and time dependent

Question 23

Optimality theory

Answer 23

Make decisions based on costs and benefits

Question 24

Foraging

Answer 24

Search for and exploitation of food resources

Question 25

Foraging theory

Answer 25

Like consumers shopping in marketplace, foraging animals make decisions based on benefits and costs

Question 26

IFD

Answer 26

If foragers have perfect understanding of spatial distribution of food and are free to assort themselves, then forager distribution will match that of food (equilibrium)

Question 27

Isodar

Answer 27

If there’s an equilibrium in IFD, two patches should promote same level of fitness; isodar is the line along which the fitness of individuals in two habitats is equal

Question 28

Deviations from IFD

Answer 28

Can occur when better competitors monopolize resources in good patch

Question 29

IDD

Answer 29

Ideal despotic distribution; cap on good patch due to physical exclusion; socially driven by best competitors. Disproportion off fitness

Question 30

Niche

Answer 30

Represents the range of conditions and resources within which a species can exist

Question 31

Conditions

Answer 31

Needs, abiotic

Question 32

Competition

Answer 32

Any use or defense of a resource that reduces availability of a resource to others

Question 33

Fundamental niche

Answer 33

In a perfect world, where would animal live?

Question 34

Realized niche

Answer 34

Part of n-dimensional hyperspace to which organism is restricted by other organisms or other negative interactions

Question 35

Niche differentiation

Answer 35

Result of niche overlap, which drives divergence either immediately or long term

Question 36

Intraspecific competition

Answer 36

Driver of individual differences

Question 37

Niche Variation Hypothesis

Answer 37

Niche variation allows for resource partitioning within a population; reduces pressure (dolphin care study); allows for high density existence

Question 38

Stable isotopic analysis

Answer 38

Non-invasive way to reconstruct overall diet of individual over time