Lec 30 (Landscapes) Flashcards
What is a landscape?
A heterogeneous (diverse, mixed, varied) area consisting of distinct patches.
These patches are known as landscape
elements, and are organized in a mosaiclike pattern.
what is landscape ecology?
Landscape ecology: the study of the relationship between spatial pattern and ecological processes
over a range of scales
Why is landscape ecology different?
- Involves researchers from multiple disciplines.
- Included humans and human influence from
beginning. - Uses multiple scales
What Makes Landscapes?
- Geological processes (Volcanism, Sedimentation and Erosion)
- Climate (Ice Ages and Global Warming)
- Organisms (Humans and beavers)
- Fire (Lightning-caused or Fire suppression)
Glacial ages?
Glaciations?
Glacial ages: periods of variable cool and warm
global temperatures that can last for millions of
years
Glaciations: cold periods lasting about 60,000-
90,000 years within a glacial age
Interglacial period?
Glacier?
relatively short warm periods (10,000-40,000 years) that occur between glaciations in a glacial age (US NOW)
Glacier= a body of dense ice that can move
under its own weight
U-shaped valley=?
V-shaped valley=?
U-shaped valley=Glacier
V-shaped valley =Stream
Talus?
Glacial till?
Talus: large rock piles pushed aside and left behind by glaciers
Glacial till: mixed (boulders, clay, rocks) material left by glaciers
Moraine?
Drumlin?
Moraine: piles of till either pushed aside or left behind by glaciers
Drumlin: hills created when glaciers pass over moraines
Eskers?
Kettle?
Eskers: narrow ridges of debris left behind by glacial streams
Kettle: lake created by a piece of detached glacier melting into a depression
Glacial retreat leads to __________.
primary succession
Glacial refugia?
Nunatak?
Glacial refugia: areas that occur within the
extent of the glacial landscape that remained
uncovered by glaciers
Nunatak: a type of glacial refugia, in which a
mountain peak was surrounded but not covered
by continental glaciers
Origins of Landscapes: Humans… In the Netherlands
Pre-human was forest, middle ages was sand, now back to forest
The biggest change was from heathland to forest
Origins of Landscapes: Beavers…Kabetogama Peninsula, Minnesota USA
Beavers transformed the landscape from one dominated by forest to a diverse patchwork of several ecosystems. (Beaver pond, wet meadow, moist meadow, and forest)
Origins of Landscapes: Fire and Fire Suppression… Southern California and Baja California
- Frequent fires from lightning
- Dry summers, oil-rich vegetation
• Fire suppression in SoCal, but allowed to burn in
Baja
-Though fires burned equally in southern and Baja California, the median fire area was two times higher in southern California
Landscape structures…
Patch?
Matrix?
Patch: a relatively homogenous area that differs from it’s surroundings
Matrix: element within the landscape that is the
most spatially continuous
Landscape structure influences processes such
as?
Landscape structure influences processes such
as the flow of energy, materials, and species
distributions across a landscape.
How would you measure which landscape is best for forest-dwelling wildlife?
of forest patches?
Avg. patch size?
% cover of forest?
Avg patch shape?
Edge effects?
Impacts to the adjacent ecosystem
caused by changes in the physical environment
along its edge, reduced habitat area, and by
isolation.
Edge Effects: Amazon Rainforest
•Environment along forest edges hotter and drier,
with higher intensity of solar radiation.
- Tree mortality higher at edges and overstory decreases while understory vegetation increases.
- Decreased diversity of many animal groups.
Landscape structure, especially the size,
number, and distance between patches,
can influence the movement of organisms
between potentially suitable habitats.
True or False
True
Habitat fragmentation?
Habitat fragmentation: the division of previously
intact habitat into several isolated patches, typically
due to human development and resource extraction
What is a solution for habitat fragmentation caused by humans?
Corridors…
some sort of strip of habitat connecting similar
habitat types patches across a landscape. Such corridors can help mitigate the effects of habitat fragmentation. (An example are the “animal overpasses” in Banff)
Do habitat corridors work?
Literature reviews have found evidence that not
all corridors work, beyond simply providing more habitat.
Good corridors must be developed in areas that the targeted organisms
naturally use.
What is an example of a habitat corridor? (other than the animal overpasses)
Fish Ladders
What is a Fish Ladder?
a structure designed to allow fish the opportunity to migrate upstream over or through a barrier to fish
Habitat Corridors Can Help Plants Too
True Or False
True… helps isolated plants
