Exam 2 Material Flashcards
What is the difference between climate and weather?
Define climate change. What is causing it?
How are humans contributing to climate change? How do we know? What specific molecules are involved?
What are the 5 main consequences of climate change?
What is lay date?
How is it affected by climate change in some bird species?
Describe how it affects these species:
Northern Lapwing
Pied Flycatcher/Great Tit
How is climate change related to habitat loss and why is it important?
Explain how it is affecting the Bicknell’s Thrush, Boreal Chickadee, and Cassia Crossbill.
What are some ways that extreme weather and other effects of climate change can impact birds during the breeding and non-breeding seasons?
Explain what phenological mismatch is, and why it occurs.
What does climate change have to do with West Nile Virus?
transmitted by insect bites (skeeters)
elevational/latitudinal increase because northern/higher places are warming, expanding its geographic range with expansion of tolerable conditions
How does ocean acidification affect birds?
As these trees change distribution or go extinct due to warming, the bird species that depend upon them will follow suit.
Are the Carolina Wren and Common Loon expected to be climate change winners or losers? What does this even mean?
What is habitat? How does it vary? What is suitable habitat?
What is habitat loss? How is it measured?
Describe how habitat loss is affecting the Kirtland’s Warbler, Cerulean Warbler, and grassland birds.
What is habitat quality and how does it affect the species that depend on it?
What does fitness mean?
Explain the buffer hypothesis.
What is habitat degradation?
How does it affect the species that depend on the habitat?
What are 4 examples of measures of body condition for birds?
Describe foraging success and provisioning rates.
What do these indicate, and how are they measured?
Describe source/sink dynamics and how they relate to habitat quality.
How is habitat degradation affecting Red Knots and Ovenbirds?
Name a special individual Red Knot and explain why it is called that.
What is urbanization?
What are 2 types?
How does it affect various bird species?
What are some ways urbanization degrades habitat within the urban area and in adjacent areas?
also windows and cars
What are urban avoiders and what are 4 examples?
What type of impact on diversity do these have?
What are foraging guilds?
How are various guilds affected by urbanization?
Give 7 examples of bird species that thrive in urban areas.
Describe 2 bird species that require anthropogenic habitat components.
Describe 2 examples of behavioral changes that have occured in urbanized areas.
What are some examples of general impacts on breeding season birds in urban areas?
What general category of predators may be increased in urban areas? Why?
Which type of wild nest predator is especially prone to increased presence in urban areas?
What about cats?
What about birds of prey? (name a few that thrive in urban areas)
Differentiate between native and exotic, invasive and non-invasive plants.
What is an important trait that allows many exotic plants to become invasive?
What is an ecological trap?
Describe the case of the Northern Cardinal and honeysuckle.
How does urbanization impact “nest survival” and how do we know this?
What is it about windows that makes collisions such a big threat to bird populations?
What is one action that can help?
About how many birds are killed annually in the US by window collisions?
Why are radio/cell towers a threat to bird populations?
What is an especially susceptible species?
Describe a famous occurence of this problem.
tall timbers case was in 1955, 4k-7k birds killed by radio tower in one night
Describe the presence of weather stations in urban areas has benefitted ornithology.
Describe how artificial food sources in urban areas affect bird populations.
Describe how urban light pollution affects bird behavior and development.
Describe a prominent example of such a behavior change.
Describe 2 threats to bird populations that are caused by vehicles.
Describe a couple specific cases.
woth = wood thrush, tuvu = turkey vulture, result of scavenging roadkilled woth
Name 4 examples of exotic bird species that compete with natives in urban areas.
What do most of them have in common?
Name 2 pairs of species that compete with each other where the exotic one usually wins.
eabl = eastern bluebird, rbwo = red-bellied woodpecker
Define, describe, give examples, and relate these terms:
native species
endemic species
invasive species
exotic species
“native invasive” species
About what percentage of exotic species become invasive?
What are they called if they survive after introduction but don’t become invasive?
Describe ways (and examples) of how invasive species spread.
Describe the example of the Cattle Egret.
Describe the factors that make invasive species harmful to the native ecosystem.
blue-winged warbler and ruddy duck outcompete their own native sub-species for mates due to better plumage
invasives are released from pressure of their predators and diseases that keep them in check in their native ranges
What areas are most non-native bird species in the US?
What’s a group of non-natives that don’t spread much?
What types of birds are intentionally introduced?
What’s an example of a non-native that is spreading and one that is declining?
What was the first domesticated bird species?
What was it domesticated from, and for what?
What kinds of problems do they cause?
When, why, and from where was the Mute Swan introduced?
What kinds of problems do they cause?
What is being done to manage them?
When was the House Sparrow introduced to the US and why?
What kinds of problems do they cause?
How are they doing in their native range, and where is that?
When/where/why was the European Starling introduced in the US?
What kind of problems does it cause?
When, where, and why was the Eurasian Collared Dove introduced in the US?
How far has it spread?
What are its impacts?
Describe the problem with Ruddy Ducks that have been introduced to England. When were they introduced?
Describe the range shifts of the Brown-headed Cowbird. Why did it occur?
How have they been managed in relation to the Kirtland’s Warbler?
Name a wetland grass (common/scientific) that very few birds will use that is spreading and converting entire marsh ecosystems.
Name an invasive plant that was actually spread by state wildlife agencies for its perceived value to wildlife. What kind of ecological damage do we now know that it causes?
Describe “the vine that ate the south” and what kinds of problems it causes. Why was it introduced?
What is a common invasive plant that grows along riparian areas? Why is it a problem? What group of people actively resist its removal, and why?
Describe tree-of-heaven and Norway maple (native range, problems caused, etc.).
When, why, and from where was the spongy moth introduced? By who?
Why is it a problem? Which direction is it spreading?
What are 2 introduced types of ants in the US?
Where has each been introduced?
What problems do they cause for birds?
Why are exotic earthworms a problem?
What is the most important domesticated insect (common and scientific name)?
Where is its native range?
What problems does it cause?
Why are white-tailed deer overabundant in modern times, and why is this a problem for birds?
What is a prominent example of a “trophic cascade” from the reduction/elimination of top predators from an ecosystem?
What introduced invasive mammal puts even more pressure on bird populations than habitat loss or climate change?
How many birds per year are estimated to be killed by them? How many small mammals do they kill?
What percent of birds killed by cats are attributable to feral cats?
What are 5 common threats to feral cats?
What is a large group of feral cats in an area known as? How many might there be in one group?
How are they often maintained?
What ecosystem impacts do they have?
What is a common control techique for feral cats that has been shown not to work? Why doesn’t it work?
How much of the cat population must be managed in this way for it to have an effect?
The cats are not fucking the birds to death.
What are pesticides?
What are some different types?
Are they safe?
What are herbicides used for? To maintain what?
Describe 2 ways they can be used selectively in agriculture.
What is biomagnification?
When was DDT first used and when was its peak usage?
Who brought attention to its negative impacts, and what prompted her to do so?
What problem did it cause?
What year was it banned?
What outrageous claim did pesticide lobbyists make about the aforementioned person?
What were some bird species that recovered after it stopped being used?
also bald eagle
What is a class of pesticides that is still widely used and has been shown to cause problems in songbirds?
What kinds of problems does it cause?
How widespread has its effects been shown to be?
What groups of bird species have been most affected?
In what ways have herbicides been shown to be ‘bad’ for birds in some cases, and ‘good’ for birds in others?
How are fencerows related to this?
How is acid rain formed? How acidic is it?
How (specifically) does it affect an ecosystem and why?
How does this ecosystem impact affect birds in turn? What are 2 example bird species affected?
What else do feathers do for birds besides help them fly?
What 2 general types of feathers do they have?
What are some ways they maintain the quality of their feathers?
What is the name of the gland used for one of these ways?
preening with oil from uropygial gland
What/when/where were the 2 largest oil spills in US history?
What kinds of immediate effects do oil spills have on birds? How are these situations managed?
What kinds of chronic effects might oil spills have on some birds, even if they do not directly get oiled?
Exxon Valdez: SE Alaska 1989, Deepwater Horizon: Gulf of Mexico 2010
What is acid mine drainage and how is it formed?
What does it produce in surface water?
What kinds of invertebrates and vertebrates are directly impacted by this?
What is an example of a bird species that is negatively impacted by this, and why?
Describe exactly how this species was shown to be affected by AMD.
What’s the problem with ‘biodegradable’ plastic?
Where is it an especially concentrated problem?
Why does it cause problems for many fish and other aquatic organisms?
What is an iconic bird species especially affected by plastic? What is unique about this species (2 things)? Describe how plastic affects the species.
Describe the California Condor (range, size, diet, conservation status).
What has been one of the main environmental threats to the species? Why is it such a threat?
Describe how lead pollution affects both waterfowl and birds of prey.
How does it get in the environment?
What regulation was put into place (and when) to help the problem with waterfowl?
What does it actually do to the birds affected by it? How are they treated?
Describe an example of how a bird species has been affected by pharmaceuticals.
Describe the difference between Preservation and Conservation.
Why is prevention of habitat loss preferable to habitat restoration?
Describe when Preservation is a practical approach, and when Conservation is the more practical approach.
What’s the difference between land sparing and land sharing?
What is SLOSS? How is it applied?
Explain Island Biogeography.
Who proposed this idea, and in what year?
What concept provides a mathematical framework for thinking about Island Biogeography? Explain the concept.
Define habitat management.
What’s an example?
Who typically does the work?
What are BMPs?
Why are they called “gray literature”?
What are the 2 big overarching steps in habitat management?
Explain each in further detail.
Explain why natural disturbance is important.
What ecosystems in the plains, SE, NE, midwest, and NW are fire dependent?
How do some plant species adapt to and even promote wildfire, and why?
What is the biggest threat to these fire-adapted ecosystems?
How are disturbance loss (like fire suppression) and habitat loss related?
How is forest maturation related to habitat loss?
Why is this important?
If forest maturation causes habitat loss by shading out some scrubby understory plants, how were these plants able to persist before humans were here to manage the forest?
What were two major players in this dynamic?
Who was one of the biggest players in squashing this dynamic?
What is the process of changing forest structure over time called?
How does this process get ‘reset’?
Define and give examples of umbrella, flagship, and keystone species.
What other role do keystone species often play?
What is timber management, and what is its role in habitat management?
What is an example bird species that depends upon this?
What is shrubland management and what is its role in habitat management?
How is it different from timber management?
Name a bird species and a mammal species that depend up on it.
What kind of habitat management is necessary in many southern pinelands (like longleaf)? Why?
Name 2 bird species that depend up on this. Why?
What are 3 broad categories of constraints on habitat management?
Explain each in detail and give examples where appropriate.
Name and describe 3 general management strategies for invasive species.
What are 3 factors that make some invasive control programs successful and others not?
Give 4 examples of some programs.
Philornis downsi: avian vampire fly; accidentally introduced in Galapagos; threatens some finch species because larvae feed on nestlings
Why is early detection important to invasive species control?
What is a prominent example of this in the US?
What is even better than early detection when it comes to invasive species management? Why?
How are herbicides used in the control of invasive plants? What kinds of applications/types are there?
How can herbivory be used in the control of invasive plants?
Name and describe one specific type of non-mammal herbivory that is often used.
biological control - use of natural enemies (often introduced) to control undesirable organisms (i.e. using certain insects to control invasive plants, or parasitoids to control invasive insects)
Besides herbicides, herbivory, and biological control, what are some alternative methods used for controlling invasive plants?
Talk about control vs. eradication (define, drawbacks, benefits, etc.)
benefit: allow native species to persist in presence of established invasives
drawback: expensive, time-consuming, must be repeated regularly
How do many invasive species spread after establishment, and what can we do about that?
Are herbicides beneficial to birds? How do we know?
Name 2 insecticides we have discussed in class.
How do insecticides work?
Are they harmful?
What are natural enemies?
What is a good example of this?
What is a special type of natural enemy that is often used in biological control?
parasitoid - insect that lives in close association with its host, eventually killing the host
Talk about the case of the spongy moth in the US.
How have we had some success against it?
What ecosystems have benefited the most, and what 3 bird species?
Are most insecticides species-specific?
Talk about 3 examples of this.
How do Brown-headed Cowbirds affect avian demography?
What is a common technique for controlling them? Describe how it works.
What is another indirect way for managing the impacts of BHCO? How does this apply to the Golden-winged Warbler?
How has BHCO management affected the Kirtland’s Warbler?
What are the drawbacks to trapping and removal of feral cats?
What is another method that is often proposed for control of feral cats? Is it effective?
Has there ever been a success story with regards to eradication of feral cats?
the cats are not fucking the birds to death.
TNR can’t practically trap and neuter enough cats to make a difference. it’s not a closed system. it is a waste of time and money.
Is it possible for a native species to be considered an invasive species?
How does this happen?
Name and explain 2 examples of this. What can be done about it?
What regulations (and when) have been passed in the US to combat the problem of lead poisoning in birds?
How has this affected bird populations?
Why are hunters and anglers so important to wildlife conservation?
Pittman-Robertson (not Robinson)
Dingell-Johnson taxes fishing gear, not P-R
What are the 7 pillars of the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation?
Explain “hunted species = happy species” and why this is so.
ugh…some misinformation in that last bullet point
Despite the 1991 lead bans for waterfowl, why/how is lead still a persistent problem for birds?
Talk about what DDT is, why it was banned, and the results of those bans.
What class of insecticides is still used heavily in the US despite some obvious dangers?
Talk about some of these dangers.
How can this problem be managed?
one piece of neonic treated corn fucked up the white-crowned sparrow’s ability to migrate
Define and describe IPM.
What are 3 methods used to clean up oil spills? What is a major problem with one of them?
What is the main method that is supposed to prevent oil spills? Why is it not always effective?
Exxon Valdez: what, where, when?
How much coastline was affected? How much spilled?
How has wildlife recovery been?
What is AMD and how is it formed?
Why is it bad for birds?
What is the main tool used to manage the effects of acid mine drainage? How does it work?
What is another benefit to this method, besides directly managing AMD?
What are examples of physical and chemical methods for cleaning up microplastics? What is the biggest challenge to implementing these?
Explain biological cleanup of microplastics and give 2 examples.
What is The Ocean Cleanup?
Besides traditional recycling, what is another method for potentially re-using plastics as a way to reduce their presence in the environment?
What is the biggest drawback to this method?
How much plastic is actually recycled, and why is this?
What are some examples of what recycled plastic can be made into?
Is recycling just a scam? Why or why not?
“greenwashing”
What are the two main strategies for reducing acid rain? How are they implemented?
sulfur dioxide = one of the components of acid rain
What are some ways we can reduce the threat of windows to birds?
moving feeders closer to windows reduces velocity of collisions
What are some ways we can make windows more visible to birds to prevent collisions?
Name and describe a prominent study that tested these techniques.
Describe some specific designs that have been shown to be effective.
bird savers don’t work: too much open space, not realistic enough
What are some ways to manage noise pollution?
Why is food availability a threat to birds, and how can we combat the problem?
What are several things that can be done to reduce the frequency/severity of vehicle strikes as a threat to birds and other animals?
What are some ways we can lessen the effects of light pollution on birds?
