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Kunal Shah Period 4 Chapter 10 What makes a keystone species important to an ecosystem?

(case study) What are the ecological services that can be provided by forests? Support energy flow and chemical cycling Reduce soil erosion Absorb and release water Purify water and air Influence local and regional climate Store atmospheric carbon Provide numerous wildlife habitats What are the results of deforestation? Decreased soil fertility from erosion Runoff of eroded soil into aquatic systems Premature extinction of species with specialized niches Loss of habitat for native species and migratory species such as birds and butterflies Regional climate change from extensive clearing Release of CO2 into atmosphere Acceleration of flooding What are the common uses of trees worldwide? Fuelwood Describe the benefits and disadvantages of selective cutting and clear cutting. Selective Cutting Reduces crowding, removes diseased trees, encourages growth of younger trees, maintains a stand of trees of different species, and allows a forest to be used for multiple purposes. However, leads to environmental degradation and loss of biodiversity. Clear Cutting Higher timber yields, maximum profits, can reforest with fast-growing trees, short time to establish new trees, needs less skill, good for tree species needing full sunlight. Reduces biodiversity, disrupts ecosystem processes, destroys and fragments wildlife habitats, leaves large openings, increases water pollution, flooding, and erosion, eliminates most recreational value. Describe Certified Sustainably Grown Timber. - didnt cause harm to environment in process of production What percentage of the US is forest land and how much of that is protected? 30 percent of US are forest land. 40 percent of forest land is protected. Describe the benefits and disadvantages of fire prevention. - saves many lives and prevented billions of dollars in losses of trees, wildlife, and human structures - increases likelihood of destructive crown fires by allowing accumulation of highly flammable underbrush and smaller treses Why are large amounts of tropical forests being destroyed and what are the consequences of this deforestation?

Since so many forests are being deforested, many village people cannot rely on traditional medicines derived from plants in forests. They also provide chemicals used as blueprints for making prescription drugs. They are being deforested because of population growth, poverty, environmentally harmful government subsidies, debts owed to developed countries, and failure to value their ecological services. What is rangeland and how is it sustainably managed? Rangeland is natural grasslands that are unfenced in temperate and tropical climates that supply forage for grazing and browsing. They are being managed is to control the number of grazing animals and duration of their grazing in a given area. The method is called rotational grazing. Also, suppress growth of unwanted invader plants (less used) How are grasslands, forests, and other ecosystems restored? Identify what is causing degradation, Stop abuse by eliminating these factors, Reintroduce keystone or pioneer species, and protect area from further degradation. Where were National parks first established, how are they protected, and what threatens them? 1912. They are threatened by local people searching for wood, cropland, game animals, etc. Loggers, miners and wildlife poachers also operate. Also, they are very small to sustain many large animal species. Invasions by nonnative species also reduce populations of native species. Popularity is a big threat as well. Inholdings consisting of land in private ownership when a park was established is another problem. Commercial development is another problem. Polluted air is another. What is biodiversity and how is it protected and how much of it is needed to maintain a stable ecosystem? What are habitat corridors and how are they beneficial? Habitat corridors are protected areas between isolated reserves which can help support more species and allow migration of vertebrates that need large ranges. They permit migration of individuals when environmental conditions in a reserve deteriorate. They connect natural reserves. Chapter 11 Case study: what happened to the passenger pigeons? Their eyes were sown shut, and were hunted because of their benefits. They soon became extinct (stool pigeon) What makes a species prone to extinction? Big, slow, tasty, valuable parts. Behavioral characteristics make them prone to extinction as well. Why are so many primates threatened with extinction? - hunted for furs and bushmeat What happens to a gene pool when a population drops towards a critical population density? Case study: Bats, our flying mammal friends. Very important ecological roles (pollen, feed on crop-damaging species, distribute plants). Mistaken as scary, rabies-giving animals when in fact they are relatively harmless. Because of this, several bat species have been driven to extinction. What is the current rate of extinction? 0.01 1% What are the economic services performed by wild plants?

Food crop, fuelwood, lumber, paper, medicine. Recreational pleasure, and ecotourism. 500 billion per year worldwide. What is habitat fragmentation? What are its negative effects and limitations? Habitat fragmentation is when a large continuous area of habitat is reduced in area and divided into smaller, more scattered, and isolated patches by roads, logging, agriculture, and urban development. It can block migration routes and divide populations of a species into smaller and more isolated groups,. Limits abilities of some species to disperse and colonize new areas, get enough to eat, and find mates. What are some examples of indicator species and what makes them so? Birds since they live in every climate and biome, respond quickly to environmental changes, and are relatively easy to track and count. Case study: Japanese Kudzu: friend or foe? Kudzus are prolific and difficult to kill. They control soil erosion, however, they engulf many houses and gardens. Yet they are useful in that every part of is edible and contain high levels of Vitamins A and C. It can also help save trees from loggers and used as paper. What are some invasive species purposefully let into the US? Accidentally? Purposefully: Kudzu, European wild feral boars, feral cals, outdoor pet cats. Accidentally: American comb jellyfish, Argentina Fire Ant, Burmese Python Why have humans increased hunting of bushmeat in recent years? Try to provide food for a rapidly growing population, and to make a living by supplying restaurants with bushmeat. Logging roads have allowed miners, ranchers, and settlers to move into once inaccessible forests. Local fish harvests have declined from overfishing. What is CITES and what are its limitations? CITES is a treaty limiting trade of endangered species. The Endangered Species Act of 1973 -- Know it!! And how to strengthen it. The ESA was designed to identify and legally protect endangered species in the US and abroad. To strengthen it, increase the funding, develop recovery plans more quickly, and establish a core of listed species survival habit. Who identifies and lists endangered species? ESA What are gene banks, arboreta, and botanical gardens used for and what are their drawbacks? Gene banks provide genetic info about endangered plant species by storing their seeds in refrigerated, low humidity environments. However, they are expensive to operate and quite small. Too little funding, as well. How does the US approach wildlife management? Federal wildlife refuges. National Refuge System Improvement Act. National Wildlife Refuge Association. These are often called sanctuaries. Chapter 12 Where would you find the most diverse marine life? Coral reefs, estuaries, and deep-ocean floor; higher near coasts; higher in bottom region of ocean. How much of the worlds population depends on the seas for its primary source of food? Half. (3.5 billion)

How are marine habitats effected by climate change? global warming causes sea levels to rise; destroys coral reefs, swamps low-lying islands, and covers many highly productive coastal wetlands What does overfishing do to fish populations? It can cause 80 percent depletion of a target species in 10-15 years. Commercial extinction, which occurs when it is no longer profitable to continue fishing the affected species. Land use activities have increased the amount of nitrate fertilizer by how much since 1860 and how much more by 2050? Doubled, two-thirds. How has the whaling industry changed over the years and which countries still have whaling? Japan, Norway, Iceland. However, it has been reduced. How are marine fish populations estimated and which method is the most beneficial? MSY(maximum sustained yield), OSY (optimized sustained yield), multispecies

management, large marine systems, and precautionary principle.


How has the government helped to reduce the loss of wetlands annually? Federal permit is required to fill or to deposit dredged material. What is mitigation banking and what is it supposed accomplish? Allows destruction of existing wetlands as long as an equal area of the same type of wetland is created or restored. Zero net loss in the function and value of coastal and inland wetlands. What is the largest wetlands restoration project, who primarily is involved with it and who caused the destruction of the habitat in the first place? Florida Everglades (?) , US Army Corps of Engineers. Everglades National Park. US Army Corps of Engineers are trying as well. What are the advantages and disadvantages of dams and reservoirs, particularly to migratory fish? Kill young salmon, dont allow fish to migrate to the ocean where they spent most of their lives. Interrupts life cycle. The National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, what does it do?

Protects rivers and river segments with recreational, geological, wildlife, historical, or cultural values.

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