Nature Reserves

Question 1

Manning et al., 2009

1

Answer 1

The absence of an organism from a landscape for a long time can be a major barrier to the restoration of that species due to factors such as environmental conditions changing since extinction.

Question 2

Manning et al., 2009

2

Answer 2

A key argument for reintroduction [of wolves] has been that native red deer (Cervus elaphus) numbers, considered by many to be ecologically unsustainable, would be reduced through wolf predation.

Question 3

Banks and Bryant., 2007

Answer 3

dog walking in woodland leads to a 35% reduction in bird diversity and 41% reduction in abundance

Question 4

Rushton et al., 2001

Answer 4

Mink predation effectively doubled the probability of [water vole] extinction over that arising from [habitat] fragmentation alone.

[So habitat fragmentation and mink predation both play a role in the water vole population decline but mink predation has a larger impact]

Question 5

Give five reasons for creating a nature reserve

Answer 5

1) Protect unknown species (e.g. rainforest biosphere reserves)
2) Protect nationally scarce species (e.g. bitterns)
3) Protect a habitat (e.g. lowland heath)
4) Protect a local population (e.g. globe flower wood in Yorkshire)
5) Educate children

Question 6

Who is planning to create a Pleistocene park in Scotland?

Answer 6

Paul lister, a conservationist

Question 7

Where is the Pleistocene park planned to be in Scotland?

Answer 7

Alladale in North West Inverness

Question 8

How many native trees has Paul Lister planted in Alladale?

Answer 8

over 900,000

Question 9

Why does Paul Lister want to introduce wolves?

Answer 9

So that they can control the deer population and in turn allow the regrowth of the caledonian forest

Question 10

What is a major problem Paul Lister faces with his rewilding ideas?

Answer 10

To keep animals in a fenced enclosure means being covered by the zoos act, which prohibits carnivores being kept together with live prey.

And people are scared of bears/wolves/lynx

Question 11

What does a warden of a nature reserve do?

Answer 11

1) Know the site intimately
2) Guards records of site history and gather new data
3) Involves means planning and running the site management
4) People management; shooing away tresspassers, giving talks and showing visitors around

Question 12

What is an issue (epitomised in Africa) with the locals?

Answer 12

parks/reserves meant areas in which white people told the real locals how they could/could not use their land. Without goodwill, conservation will not work.

Question 13

How do you get locals involved in conservation?

Answer 13

Many places (inc. Costa Rica, Madagascar) the policy is that park wardens must be locals - this involves locals in park policy.

At a lower level, it is always worth taking the time to keep local people informed of developments or plans.

Question 14

Name the common features all management plans have

Answer 14

1) Site information: geology, habitat composition, management history etc
2) Biological records; bird populations, plant surveys etc
3) Legal constraints; footpaths can’t be blocked, common land can’t be fenced off
4) Future plans (typically extend 5-20 years into the future)

Question 15

Which species are usually the most damaging creatures on a site?

Answer 15

Humans!

But they provide money for the reserve so we need them

You need secure boundaries and an introduction to the entrance and signs for unstaffed areas

Question 16

Why are paths important?

Answer 16

For controlling people (they should be kept to paths if possible

Question 17

Some people dump garden waste in nature reserves because they think it’s good. Why is this not the case?

Answer 17

May contain alien species and over-fertile soil.

It is also illegal!!!!

Question 18

How do dogs negatively impact nature reserves?

Answer 18

1) chase animals
2) disturb ground nesting birds
3) foul the soil

Question 19

How do you protect people from the habitat?

Answer 19

Keep paths clear

Fence off any potentially dangerous cliff edges or water bodies

Question 20

Why is dead wood above head level dangerous?

Answer 20

It can kill. Dead standing branches are sometimes called widowmakers

Question 21

Grazing animals are a good way to maintain nature reserves. What do you need to do to have grazing animals?

Answer 21

1) Arrange fencing

2) Arrange vet cover

Question 22

Name two undesirable alien plant species

Answer 22

1) Japanese knotweed (spreads rapidly)

Under schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, it is an offence to cause Japanese knotweed to grow in the wild.

2) Giant hogweed
(sap can cause severe burns)

Question 23

What features could you add to a nature reserve?

Answer 23

For pristine sites, the best thing to do is to leave them alone, otherwise;

1) ponds
2) Scrapes (good for bitterns and cranes)
3) Nestboxes (benefit mammals too)
4) Wildflower meadows

Question 24

Are BMX bikers bad for a nature reserve?

Answer 24

They can be because they churn up soil and trample vegetation,

BUT

bare soil is good for invertebrates so bikers may have a place (as they stop weeds)

Question 25

Sometimes animals need to be controlled. What is a more preferable method to shooting birds?

Answer 25

Egg pricking e.g. for gulls (they are serious egg predators or canada geese (destroy vegetation on lakes in summer)

Question 26

If you are warden of a site with water voles, what must you do?

Answer 26

Leave traps out for mink! Under DEFRA guidelines you must shoot them when caught

Question 27

How do the RSPB catch magpies or carrion crows?

Answer 27

Larson traps!

They catch them because they are effective predators of eggs and chicks