Landscape Ecology

Question 1

ecology scales

Answer 1

until recently small scale , large scale recent development- based on aerial photography and satellite data

Question 2

GIS

Answer 2

Geographical information systems

Put together geographical co-ordinates with info from satellites

Question 3

Why do we need to consider landscape in ecology

Answer 3

landscape is not homogenous

Question 4

what is constitutes a landscape from an ecological perspective

Answer 4

Landscape is a mosaic of interacting systems
;An area spatially heterogenous in a least one factor of interest
any scale

Question 5

Landscape from an organism perspective

Answer 5

Spatial distribution of a suitable habitat
Same physical area may represent different ‘landscapes’
Dependent on different species

Question 6

Landscape ecology allows understanding of the relationship between

Answer 6

connectivity and biodiversity:

species distribution maps a particular landscape
barriers to migration –> speciation
structure of genetic diversity
biodiversity dirvers

Question 7

For landscape ecology we must

Answer 7

“abstract” what the real landscape looks like in terms of useful variables

Question 8

How does GIS work

Answer 8

allows integration of data for use in landscape ecology
Data collection by satellites, filter
Integration of multiple variables
Computer storage, processing, and spatial analysis

Question 9

How does data collected vary

Answer 9

different materials reflect light at different wavelengths

Vary in grain size and extent

Question 10

grain size

Answer 10

min resolution of the data, defined by the cell or minimum polygon size

Question 11

Extent

Answer 11

The scope or domain of the data, defined as the size of the landscape or study area under consideration

Question 12

Types of variables

Answer 12

Raw and Transformed

Question 13

Examples of raw variables

Answer 13

temp, altitude, reflectance

Question 14

Examples of transformed variables

Answer 14

land cover as inferred from a combo of variables

Question 15

Binary variable

Answer 15

eg see water vs not see water

yes or no

Question 16

Categorical variable

Answer 16

combine measurements

Question 17

Gradient variable

Answer 17

% likelihood that something is present in a given place

Question 18

landscape heterogeneity affects

Answer 18

species richness

Question 19

Other ways in which landscapes can be classified

Answer 19

• composition (types of habitat, %)

- configuration: patch size, patch shape, type of patch, shape of patch, connectivity between patches

Question 20

3 ways to describe landscape structure

Answer 20

cover types, composition, configuration

Question 21

Species richness and habitat diversity: there are 2 processes operating..

Answer 21

Species area curve explain relationship between patch size and species richness

Heterogeneity affects species richness

Question 22

larger patch=

Answer 22

higher diversity

Question 23

In real life, patch size is associated with

Answer 23

fragmentation

Question 24

Landscape smaller areas

Answer 24

hold on to species more

Question 25

degree to which composition matters depends on

Answer 25

the organism

Question 26

If there is lots of habitat available

Answer 26

composition matters

Question 27

if there is a medium amount of habitat available

Answer 27

there is an interaction between composition and configuration

Question 28

delineating patches procedure

Answer 28

define rule for connectivity (4 neighbours, 8 or 12) depending on the organism

• Join cells to clusters

- Derive statistics

Question 29

Edges are equivalent to

Answer 29

ecotones- might have higher diversity, different species from th ecore

Question 30

edges may have different ecological properties eg

Answer 30

microclimate
reduced access to resources
more susceptible to invasion
Exposure to invasive species and diseases

Question 31

Changes in patch size effects

Answer 31

relative proportion of edge core habitat

Question 32

More complex shapes will have

Answer 32

more edge areas than core