Habitat conservation Flashcards
Why is in situ conservation the most important method of wildlife conservation
the wildlife species are still living in their natural habitat where the conditions for survival are appropriate and the entire community of species are present together
What are the several general approaches to habitat conservation
Landownership; designated protected areas and habitat creation and management
How can land ownership be used to conserve wildlife
Conservation organisations purchase areas to protect Species that live there or will do so once The conditions are suitable
What sort of organisations purchase land for wildlife conservation
RSPB, National Trust, woodland trust
What are designated protected areas
Are protected area establishes the legal status of the protection
Why might an area have to become a designated protected area
The owners of the habitat that needs protection may not wish to manage their land for the benefit of wildlife
What is a site of special scientific interest
Protect areas with the best examples of UK Flora, fauna, geological or physiological features
What is an OLD in terms of the SSSI
This is when the landowner of an SSSI wishes to carry out an operation likely to damage it has to inform the conservation organisation
What is a national nature reserve
Best examples of SSSI Are usually have the best examples of complete communities of species or habitat types
What are special areas of conservation
A habitat that has been identified as having international importance Habitats for vary wildly between different countries and may restrict activities
What are special protection areas
Designated under EU birds directive, place I’ve been identified as having International importance for birds
What are Ramsar sites
An intergovernmental agreement that protects wetlands
Why were voluntary agri-environmental schemes Created
Angri-environmental schemes Recognise that much of the British landscape was produced by farming and can only be conserved by the continuance of appropriate farming practices
How do the voluntary environmental schemes Attract farmers
By providing financial support to farmers to reward and encourage environmentally beneficial developments
What are the aims of the agri-environmental schemes
Conserve wildlife, maintain an enhanced landscape quality and character, Protect the historic environment, promote public access and understanding and protect natural resources
What might the farmers receive an annual payment for? (Agri-environment scheme)
Beetle Banks, Headrow Stonewall and ditch management, field buffer strips, Wild bird seeds, low input grasslands, Protected archaeological sites, management to reduce soil erosion and protection of infield trees
Why do farmers need to plant wild bird seeds
To provide Winter Bird food
Why do farmers need field buffer strips
To protect Rivers
Why do farmers need low input grasslands
To protect wildflowers
What might farmers receive higher payments for? (agri-environmental scheme)
Wildflower-rich grass field margins
Unharvested conservation field headlands for winter bird food
Water Meadow restoration
Public access
What is unintentional habitat creation
When a human activity create a new habitat unsuitable for the current species that suitable for new wildlife
What are examples of unintentional habitat creation
Reservoirs, flooded sand and gravel pits, roadside verges, hedgerows And ornamental Gardens
What is intentional habitat creation
When the abiotic and biotic factors in an area are altered to make species colonise into the space
What are the first species that will colonise an area
Mobile species such as birds and many insects
What can affect natural colonisation
If the habitat is isolated from other similar areas species may need to be introduced by humans
What habitants of intentionally created for wildlife conservation
Wetlands, New Woodlands, wildflower meadows And artificial reefs
How does size of habitat affect success of conservation
The area must be large enough to support viable populations As the population doesn’t want to drop solo that interbreeding Occurs
What’s the typical size of Intentionally created habitat areas
In general species that are higher on food chains have low population density meaning a larger habitat area may be needed
What’s the territory of a single tiger
Up to 100 km² so a large area is needed to support a viable population
What’s the problem with a small habitat size
Unable to support small populations of less abundant species which possibly could make it unsuitable for other species if services were being provided for
What species benefit from small habitats
Frogs, toads and newts
Why do frogs toads and newts prefer small ponds
As Small ponds are unable to support predatory fish that eat the eggs and tadpoles
What are biological corridors
Ways in which I said it areas of the same habitat can be connected it means if a population dies out in an area then recolonisation from other areas as possible allows young individuals to move to other suitable habitats without coming into contact with hazards
what will the perimeter of a habitats conditions be like?
the conditions will be a combination of the two neighbouring habitats
how might habitat shape affect the species that live in that area
some species benefit form conditions near the edge of a habitat (etc higher light levels), some species might however require the core habitat conditions
what is habitat diversity?
natural habitats are rarely uniform and usually have local variations in conditions, producing a greater range of possible niches
what is the benefits of greater range of niches?
increases biodiversity as different species colonise the areas to which each is best adapted
what is a biological niche?
the role in which an organism plays in a ecosystem and the conditions they require
how can light levels affect habitats?
the shading effect of dense tree cover inhibits the growth of plants on the woodland floor
How can the shading effect of trees be reduced?
this can be reduced by selectively felling trees to create suitable conditions for smaller plants that need more light
how can water depth affect a habitat?
many plants and animals that live in aquatic habitats will colonise areas with a particular water depth.
what makes a plant dominant?
those that can absorb the most sunlight often by being taller
How do plants with emergent vegetation remain upright?
plants with emergent vegetation above the water level can only support their weight in shallow water where their roots can get a firm hold in the sediments
what happens to the plant community as water depth increases?
The plant community changes as root anchorage and nutrient absorption from the sediments becomes more difficult
How does vegetation age structure affect a habitat?
some habitats are dominated by plant species with individuals that can live for a long time, during the time where trees are fully grown light levels on the forest floor drop and biodiversity will decline reducing value of the woodland
what is an example of a habitat with a old vegetation structure?
woodlands where trees will live for hundreds of years
what will the age structure of a natural woodland be?
it will have trees of all ages with younger trees growing to fill the clearings created by the death of older trees
how long will it take for trees to start to die in a new woodland?
could take over 200 years
what is the problem with creating an old woodland?
not immediately possible as the habitat needs time for the conditions to develop but similar
what is the problem with creating an old woodland?
not immediately possible as the habitat needs time for the conditions to develop but similar
how can conditions similar to an old woodland be created?
conditions can be created by selective felling to create clearings leaving dead wood to provide habitats for species.
why is provision for abiotic features important?
the survival of a specie may rely on suitable abiotic conditions. If these are provided for then biodiversity of a habitat can be increased
why must water be provided in a habitat?
providing water, such as a pond, will allow birds and mammals to drink, amphibians to breed, and provide a habitat for aquatic plants and animals
does a slow moving river produce high dissolved oxygen levels?
no the lack of turbulence in slow moving rivers often produces low dissolved oxygen levels as less oxygen dissolves from the air
how can dissolved oxygen levels be increased in a habitat?
making a river narrower will increase flow rates and turbulence which allows more oxygen to dissolve
why is a high dissolved oxygen level important?
as it creates suitable conditions for fish such as trout and insects such as mayfly larvae both which need high dissolved oxygen levels
what are warm temperatures needed for?
warm temperatures are needed for the development of the eggs of many species
how can water depth affect temperature?
Areas of shallow water warm up rapidly
what species use shallow waters due to fast warming?
eggs of fish, newts and frogs to develop more quickly
how can temperature be controlled on land?
clearings where vegetation has been removed provide warmer areas of soil or sand where lizards may lay their eggs
How can light levels be controlled?
creating clearings to provide suitable conditions for plants that need higher light levels, while retaining a dense tree cover and shaded conditions needed by other species
why is light essential?
light is essential for photosynthesis
what is photosynthesis?
when energy is captured and converted to chemical energy that drives metabolic processes
what pigment is most common in plants?
chlorophyll which mainly absorbs red and blue light while most green light passes through
how do plants in low light level environments survive?
they have additional pigments which can absorb light that has passed through chlorophyll of canopy vegetation
why cant many plants survive in acidic conditions?
may be because there are few nitrogen fixing bacteria which make nitrates available for pant growth
why is it good for pants that can survive in acidic conditions?
they will have few competitors so even small plants can survive without being out shadowed
what is an example of a plant that can survive acidic conditions?
the sundew
how do plants that live in acidic soils receive nitrogen?
capturing and digesting insects
what is the problem with acidic conditions?
denatures the proteins of the cells of exposed tissues, can also inhibit the production of calcium based exoskeletons
how can availability of nutrients affect a habitat?
plants that live in areas with nutrient deficient soils might not be able to compete in areas with nutrient rich soil
how can habitats be tailored to acidic condition plants?
removal of fertile topsoil or not adding fertilisers
what animals requires intertidal conditions?
the opossum shrimp is normally found in inter-tidal habitats that are more saline that fresh water but not as saline as sea water.
What is an example of how foods can be provided for in a habitat?
Wildflower grasslands that support seed eating birds
What does control of predation improve
Survival of animals
How can ground nesting birds be provided for
Breeding sites for nesting water birds that cannot be reached by stress your predators such a foxes
How can predators be controlled
Trapped and removed or culled
Where are introduce mammal predators a real problem
An island with no indigenous mammal predators were colonies are ground nesting birds became established
Where have eradication programs been carried out
Rats in the Scilly islands were eradicated a total of 3000 rats were killed
How is the control competitors beneficial (Conservation)
The survival of a species may be increase if your competitor species are controlled
What is an example of control of competitors
 Removing invasive rhododendron bushes allows wildflowers to grow because they are not outcompeted for light
Why are pollinators important
Many flowering plants need insects pollinate the flowers so they can produce seeds
What are some examples of pollinators
Bees, hover flies, wasps and butterflies
How can pollinators be provided for
Having a range of flowering plant species present with different flowering times so that insects have food available all through the seasons that they are active
What Species are Important for seed dispersal?
Some animal species are important to plants for disperse their seeds such as hippopotamus, forest elephants, Seed eating birds, many species of monkey
Why is control of pathogens important
Diseases are density dependent factor which can maintain the health of the surviving population by removing the weak individuals
What is the problem with introducing a pathogen
Introduce diseases can wipe out indigenous species that have no resistance to them
 What type of trees did Scotland used to be covered in
Pine
oak
birch
Rowan trees
Why were most of the mixed forests of Scotland cleared
For fuel 
What have the mixed forest of Scotland been replaced by
Moorland grazed by sheep and deer
What species of already been reintroduced to Scotland
The European beaver 
 What animal are they planning to reintroduce to Scotland
Eurasian lynx and grey wolves
What needs to take place for populations to recover in Scotland
Removal of grazing animals and reafforestation
How have humans impacted how habitats function
Human activities are produced a semi natural habitat have continued for such a long time at the habitat produced has become so familiar that may before to be natural
What is a plagioclimax Community
A Plagioclimax community is an area or habitat in which the influences of the humans have prevented the ecosystem from developing further
What are some examples of plagioclimax communities
Hey Meadows on Machair grassland On the outer Hebrides in Scotland
What does grazing do
Prevent establishment of taller plants and maintains a grassland plagioclimax
What does trampling by livestock produce
Fairground which is important for germination of wildflower seeds
What do wildflower meadows produce
Warmer clearings needed by some invertebrates and reptiles
What does animal Dung produce
Small areas with higher nutrient levels which may support different plant life and many invertebrates
How do sheep graze
Eat shorter grasses, Some breeds eat bushes and can be used to control invasive scrub
How do ponies Graze
Selectively eat grass And usually avoid flowering plants but they will eat invasive Bracken which is avoided by most grazing animals
How do cattle graze
Good for removing long, rough grass
What is mowing
This removes The same vegetation that would be removed by grazing herbivores but it also removes the thorny stinging or bad taste in plants that herbivores may avoid
What is burning
This can be used to remove vegetation that will not be eaten by grazing animals
What is an example of vegetation that won’t be eaten by grazing animals
Mature Heather bushes and young trees on heathland
What is coppicing 
Trees are cut to the ground every 3 to 30 years depending on the intended use of the harvested branches
What was the process of traditional coppicing
About 0.5 ha were cleared on an eight year rotational cycle
What is Pollarding
This is similar to coppicing With branches cut above the height of a deer or livestock could eat the regrowing branches
What is population control
Actively controlling populations of selected species either by increasing or reducing then depending on which species are desirable
How can the undesirable population be controlled
Culling, trapping or removing the species
