Habitat Restoration and Rewilding

Question 1

Why is habitat restoration and creation sometimes more important than conservation of a species?

Answer 1

supports a large number of species

increases biodiversity

creates food chains/webs

interspecies dependencies

Question 2

Semi-natural habitats: hay meadows

Answer 2

grasslands - grow in spring/summer and are cut in autumn for hay

support soil microbes, insects, birds, fungi, small mammals

Question 3

Semi-natural habitats: chalk (calcareous) grassland

Answer 3

originated from clearance of trees

maintained by grazing livestock

found over chalk and limestones (alkaline) - this leads to habitat specific plant species

Question 4

Semi-natural habitats: upland moorland

Answer 4

maintained by human management (grazing + controlled burning)

popular for game shooting

supports mosses, lizards, adders, ground-nesting birds

Question 5

Semi-natural habitats: lowland heathland

Answer 5

infertile, well-drained, sandy soils

managed by grazing and controlled burning

heathers, grasses

important for lizards and night jars

Question 6

Semi-natural habitats: hedgerows

Answer 6

line of closely packed shrubs and trees

link together isolated habitats

important as nesting habitats

show boundary ownership

Question 7

Semi-natural habitats: wetlands

Answer 7

land is covered by water seasonally/permanently

act as natural water filters - trap pollutants

rivers, marshes, bogs, mangroves

supports ducks, geese, kingfishers, otters, beavers

Question 8

Semi-natural habitats: fen, marsh and swamp

Answer 8

3 main types of wetland

swamp = forested wetland

marsh = water logged to rain

fens = accumulate peat

supports dragonflies, beetles, spiders

Question 9

Semi-natural habitats: saltmarsh

Answer 9

coastland wetland that is flooded by sea water

filters runoff and surface pollutants

salt tolerant plants

used for grazing and fishing

important for birds

Question 10

Why do most semi-natural habitats in the UK require management?

Answer 10

the original reasons for these habitats no longer exist (e.g. winter food/seed can be sourced from anywhere)

Question 11

Principles of Nature Reserve Design

Answer 11

Should cover a whole ecosystem/ecosystems

Highly biodiverse habitats are more important to protect

Wildlife corridors should be used to connect isolated reserves

Uniform shape to reduce edge effects

Smaller reserves may prove more effective if used as “stepping stones”

Question 12

Abiotic features of a habitat

Answer 12

temperature
water availability
pH
mineral availability
salinity
wind velocity
light availability
soil type

Question 13

Manipulation/Management: temperature

Answer 13

add a body of water = moderates temp

increase = remove vegetation/trees & decrease wind velocity

Question 14

Manipulation/Management: water availability

Answer 14

increase = plant vegetation (transpiration), create ponds and dams/introduce beavers

decrease = remove dams, drain the area

Question 15

Manipulation/Management: pH

Answer 15

increase = introduce rock salts

Question 16

Manipulation/Management: wind velocity

Answer 16

increase = remove trees/ vegetation

decrease = plant thick vegetation in wind direction

Question 17

Manipulation/Management: light availability

Answer 17

increase = clear trees/large shrubs

decrease = plant trees and shrubs

Question 18

Manipulation/Management: soil type

Answer 18

sand = dry, clay = wet

introduce to balance the extreme

Question 19

Manipulation/Management: salinity

Answer 19

plant adapted species

decrease = build dams to prevent water getting inland

Question 20

Manipulation/Management: mineral availability

Answer 20

increase = use permeable rocks, slow down flow of water

Question 21

Manipulation/Management: dissolved oxygen (aquatic ecosystems)

Answer 21

increase = introduce aquatic plants, increase water movement

decrease = fish

Question 22

Biotic features of a habitat

Answer 22

type + number of predators
pollinators
seed dispersers
competitors
presences of pathogens/disease
plants + vegetation
food availability

Question 23

Manipulation/Management: food availability

Answer 23

increase = plant vegetation (shrub=berries=birds), leave things to decay

Question 24

Manipulation/Management: type + number of predators

Answer 24

biological controls

removal of invasive species = controlled cull

sometimes are keystone species (wolves at yellowstone)

Question 25

Manipulation/Management: pollinators

Answer 25

increase = plant more wildflowers, reduce amount of pesticides (especially neonicotinoids)

Question 26

Manipulation/Management: seed dispersers

Answer 26

increase = increase wind velocity, increase amount of birds

Question 27

Manipulation/Management: competitors

Answer 27

reduce number of deer

remove invasive species (grey squirrels/rhododendrons)

Question 28

Manipulation/Management: pathogens and disease

Answer 28

decrease = removal of disease vectors (e.g. grey squirrels) via controlled culls, administer vaccines and medicine

Question 29

What is rewilding?

Answer 29

progressive approach to conservation

allows damaged ecosystems to repair themselves

Question 30

Positives of rewilding

Answer 30

mass restoration of ecosystems

provides job opportunities

cost-effective

Question 31

Example of rewilding causing a trophic cascade

Answer 31

reintroduction of wolves to yellowstone:

deers avoided valleys

trees grew faster

more migratory birds

increased beaver population

changed the meander of the river - banks were stabilised

Question 32

Example of a trophic cascade caused by the removal of a keystone species

Answer 32

whales:

stimulate growth of phytoplankton

sequester millions of tonnes of carbon every year

when removed krill and crabs died

Question 33

Rewilding examples UK: Wild Woodbury

Answer 33

170 ha community rewilding project in Dorset

red list bird populations increased

butterfly abundance rose 25% in 2022

Question 34

Rewilding examples UK: Knepp Castle Estate

Answer 34

West Sussex

reintroduced old english longhorn cattle, exmoor ponies and tamworth pigs