lecture 10

Question 1

issue with defining protected areas

Answer 1

• If we define protect areas, there is an implication that other areas shouldn’t be protected
  
  • Many species reside in areas that are NOT protected
  • 10% of the area in canada is heavily protected - vast majority is not protected at all

Question 2

• Biological reasons for broadening PA boarders:

Answer 2

○ Even for large parks, the area is not significant enough for protection
○ Limiting our scope to protected areas does not cover most of the movement of organisms in their lifetime
○ Migratory patterns can be far beyond the possible scope of protection

Question 3

• Why care about conservation outside of protected areas?

Answer 3

Many species need more
area than is preserved
within protected areas, e.g.,
large or migratory species
• Resources outside
protected areas tend to
attract species, e.g., some
wildlife species are
attracted to crops
• Some species migrate
between protected areas,
e.g., because of seasonal
changes or for access to
mates

Question 4

• Reconciliation ecology

?

Answer 4

• Promoting biodiversity in human-dom. Landscapes (e.g. green roofs, land sharing)

Question 5

• Range of human footprint of unprotected habitat? from industrial to wild

Answer 5

• Not a single type of land being protected- brings challenges related to human use of the land
○ How you think about conservation has to consider this
• Industrial area - very little biodiversity can be maintained in these highly developed areas
○ Between the two extremes: compromise, have the ability to maintain biodiversity

Question 6

how can

Unprotected habitat can be valuable ? ex?

Answer 6

• Even though legislation may protect a species, the habitat they live in may be private
○ Have to balance conservation in private and public areas
• Ex. Panthers
○ Range overlaps with private areas
§ By chance
§ Areas selected for private use tend to be better land for things like agriculture - need for cooperation

Question 7

use of military land

Answer 7

erve as refuges and undisturbed areas for human use

• Well protected area with the exception that this land may be used for training, etc

Question 8

use of private land

Answer 8

• Some land is merely owned as an investment - conservation groups would like to collaborate to maintain that land

Question 9

other unprotected lands?

Answer 9

• Areas used for forestry or exploited otherwise (e.g. mining)
• Better practices can be encouraged
○ Ex. Selective cutting rather than clear cutting - data shows that biodiversity can be maintained when done correctly

Question 10

• Conservation in human dominated areas - balance btwn humans and nature?

Answer 10

• Ex. Hawk nesting in various human made structures
• Organisms that are successful at coexisting with humans can utilize resources that we generate
○ Ex. Magpies using bird feeders, garbage, insects on lawns, etc
○ Bias towards certain species
• Other species cannot
○ Ex. Elk require undisturbed stretches of land

Question 11

why is conservation in human dom areas problematic

Answer 11

• Increase chance of wildlife-human conflict
  
  • Pathogen spread
  • Pests brought into human zone
  • Invite in species such as coyotes, increasing conflict

Question 12

edmonton’s urban ecology?

Answer 12

○ Has greenery with lots of vegetation in residential areas/properties
§ These areas that are discounted may actually be viable for some biodiversity maintainence
□ Requires planning

Question 13

what are UMTs? how is urban ecology managed

Answer 13

• Urban morphology units and types (UMTs): the product of past and present land-use activities; can be distinguished by their pattern of built and open spaces
  
  • Patchwork of different land and uses - urban mosaic of small and diverse UMTs
  • Makes management difficult - need different approaches for different land types

Question 14

describe paved land

Answer 14

Paved

Sealed surfaces

Water run off instead of infiltration (urban flooding may happen)

Anaerobic soil environment

Typically higher conversion of light energy to IR radiation

Inhospitable to most life forms

Question 15

describe vegetated land

Answer 15

Allows evaporation

Promotes infiltration of water into the soil

Soil-air interphase

Less IR radiation (less heat)

Determines characteristics and abundance of other organisms

Question 16

ex of general public helping with conservation

Answer 16

• Ex. Great backyard bird count
○ Reality of humans moving into urban areas
○ Studies of animals that exist in urban environments increasing - understand the ecology
○ Involved public in study effort
§ Disadvantage: might be noise bc people are not experts
Benefit: lots of participation, increasing awareness and contributions of general public

Question 17

conservation strategies for human dom areas

Answer 17

• In situ agriculture conservation
  
  • Extractive reserves
  • Payments for ecosystem services

Question 18

describe in situ agri- land sparing vs sharing ex

Answer 18

§ Shade grown coffee vs sun grown
□ Shade grown - coffee plants grown with natural vegetation surrounding them- sharing the land
® More effective bc encompasses larger area
® More sustainable
□ Sun - clear cut, only coffee plants grown - monoculture
® Advantage: cost effective
□ Can combine both of these - allocation of land

Question 19

why is working w local people important

Answer 19

• Collaborative efforts rather than colonization