Population Dynamics

Question 1

4 factors that could affect woylies?

Answer 1

Population and distribution could be diminished or restricted by
•disease such as Trypanosome infection and parasites
• predators preying on them such as foxes and cats
• change in climate and natural disasters such as floods, droughts and fires
• insufficient resources such as food and nesting supplies

Question 2

How does the woylies disperse seeds and fungi to help forest?

Answer 2

Woylies feed on fungi and plant seeds.
Disperses them through ecosystem.
Woylie disperses mycorrhizal fungi which has symbiotic relationship with plants and trees.

Question 3

How do the woylies prevent fire

Answer 3

They aid the nutrient cycles by burying leaf litter when foraging for food and can also lower the risk of fire.

Question 4

Describe trend in capture rates of woylies.

Answer 4

Capture rates have increased

From 10% to a range of 40 to 60%

Question 5

Suggest 2 reasons for the trend in capture rates of woylies

Answer 5

Fox baiting has commenced and intensified, intern decreasing the number of foxes, increasing the number of woylies.
Woylies translocated into safer areas, allowing new populations to be established.

Question 6

2 hypothesis discounted.

Answer 6

Their habitats and food resources have not been significantly reduced or changed.
Fire or human interference do not seem to be accociated with the decrease in woylies population.