Lecture 10

Question 1

define disturbance:

Answer 1

a disturbance is an relatively discrete event in time that disrupts ecosystem, community, or population structure and changes resources, substrate availability or the physical environment

Question 2

disturbances are key processes for sustaining what?

Answer 2

species, communities, ecosystems and landscapes

Question 3

what is abiotic disturbances?

Answer 3

1. wind 2. flood 3. fire

Question 4

What are the limitations or criticisms of NV, NDR and HRV

Answer 4

1. role of humans in reference systems: the disturbance first natives and use cause to the landscape. Not always possible or goo to return land to what it was to 1000 years ago. 2. Amount of data avilable. 3. Will this be relevant for future condtions?

Question 5

what kind of models are used during non equilibrium paradigms?

Answer 5

state and transition models to account for this vairability.

Question 6

what role did the first nations people play in north america?

Answer 6

Had a role in setting fires and the rise of agriculture.

Question 7

what is an example of humans altering important processes?

Answer 7

1. landscape tranformation which altered the natural fire regime by dissecting the prairies.

Question 8

what are biotic disturbances?

Answer 8

1. insects 2. disease 3. animal damage

Question 9

why is approximating past conditions important?

Answer 9

offers one of the best means for predicting and reducing negative impacts on ecosystems

Question 10

equilibrium paradigm:

Answer 10

ecosystems have the capacity for internal regulation through balancing an self-regulating feedback mechaisms, giving rise to predictable and directional responses after disturbance.

Question 11

wolf cull is only a short term plan for woodland caribou. what should be the long term plan?

Answer 11

regenerating and reclaiming forests and providing protected areas!

Question 12

what does natural varaibility mean?

Answer 12

even when places are not influenced by people there is huge variation in the landscape.

spatial and temporal variation in ecological conditions that are unaffected by people

Question 13

what does histroical range of variation mean?

Answer 13

the variation of ecological characteristics and processes over a scale of time and space that are appropriate for a given management application.

Question 14

what does the non equilibrium paradigm mean?

Answer 14

predits that ecosystems are more dynamic and less predictable after disturance than equilibrium systems

Question 15

how do humans reduce spatial and temporal variability?

Answer 15

1. reduces biological diversity 2. decreases resistance to disturbance, increases vulnerability to other forces. 3. decreases resiliency after disturbances 4. reduces sustainability.

Question 16

How can disturbance both create and respond to landscape pattern?

Answer 16

fires create and respond to landscape grazing. Areas that have just been burnt creates grasses that are more pallitable which will be grazed.

Question 17

what is an excellent example of predator prey relationships?

Answer 17

how the wolf changes the rivers.

Question 18

severity:

Answer 18

related to intensity, effect of the disturbance on the community of ecosystem

Question 19

whats types of variation can you expect to occur naturally on the landscape? 6

Answer 19

1. patchy distribution of resources 2. predator prey relationships 3. weather related ike droughts and floods. 4. insect, pest and disease outbreaks 5. fire 6. tree falls
2. grazing burrowing and wallowing

Question 20

what does disturbance create?

Answer 20

heterogenity–> many vegetation patches on the landscape at different stages of succession

Question 21

what is an example of an animal that has a variety of habitats and therefore needs connectivity between those habitats.

Answer 21

woodland caribou! They need different places to forage and a variety of places for refuge!

Question 22

why werewolves able to get to the caribou?

Answer 22

we were creating corrdiors for the wolves to get to caribou easier.

Question 23

ecosystems are assumed to return to their ———— state after disturbance.

Answer 23

pre-disturbance

Question 24

size:

Answer 24

size of the disturbed area.

Question 25

intensity:

Answer 25

physical energy of the event/area/time

Question 26

How do humans alter these processes?

Answer 26

they reduce spatial and temporal variability (we don’t like change ;)