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28 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Why does global warming happen? |
Carbon dioxide, methane, and trace gases are transparent to the sun so light energy through the atmosphere warms the Earth by trapping radiating energy as heat and slowing its return back to space. |
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Describe the greenhouse effect. |
greenhouse gases allow sun in and trap heat |
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What does global warming mean? |
the temperature is increasing due to the greenhouse effect |
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What does global climate change? |
many factors related to climate are changing now and in the future as a result of global warming |
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What is the evidence of global warming? |
increased temperatures and incidence of heat waves
melting of glaciers and polar ice
rising sea level
earlier flowering of plants
earlier spring activity
shifts in species ranges
population declines--Adelie penguin |
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What was the hottest year in US history? |
2012 |
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What is the term that describes a land/sea dedicated by law or tradition to, and managed for, the protection of biodiversity and associated natural and cultural resources? |
protected area |
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Most protected areas have been modified by humans. Furthermore, even the few that are the least directly altered are still affected by what factors? |
climate change
global warming
rising CO2 levels
air pollution |
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More than 180 countries have some protected area but this is only about ____% of the world's land surface. |
13% |
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By whom are protected areas managed? |
government control (national, regional, local)
private land purchase (Ted Turner) or conservation organization |
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Who is the largest US landowner? |
J. Mallone ($5+ billion) |
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What are the 6 protected designations? |
nature reserves, wilderness areas
national parks
natural monuments
habitat or species management areas
protected land/sea scapes
managed-resource protected areas |
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List reasons for protected areas. |
scientific research, wilderness
ecosystem protection and recreation
conservation/intervention
particular land/seascape
sustainable use of natural resource |
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What is the term that describes the rapid loss of species, degradation of habitat quality, or deterioration of a park due to there being no management? |
paper park --> It's real "on paper" but does not really contribute to conservation |
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What allows the rate gentian plant to thrive? |
grazing
Gentian population increases when sheep are excluded at first, but after 3 years, they cannot compete with tall plants or successfully seed. |
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What would be the results of no predation? |
overgrazing
habitat degradation (many edible species)
collapse of animal and plant communities
disease transmission
starving deer |
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Why is fire suppression often a troublesome management regime? |
Fire suppression is often costly and can waste resources.
Fire dependent species require fire for growth and are negatively impacted without regular fire (longleaf pine)
When fire is suppressed, often raging fires eventually occur, damaging natural resources, and burning at an intensity much greater than the natural, uninhibited fires. |
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What kind of habitat is required for a Kirtland's Warbler to thrive? |
Jack Pine (Pinus banksiana) trees that are 5-15 years old
These occur as a natural successional stage after fires. |
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List the 5 management "nots". |
not letting habitat degrade
not allowing over- or under-grazing if habitat is multi-use
not running out of funding that supports the best interests for the ecosystem
not suppressing fires when they are a crucial natural factor in an ecosystem
not being lax on enforcement of not hunting and other regulations |
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Why may protected areas be difficult to manage? |
without proper funding, strong leadership, and in times of war |
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What factor is important when managing a park? |
biodiversity = issues like the water level in ponds, erosion, or the volume of soil washing into the streams |
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What does it mean for maintenance of a park to be a moving target? |
areas outside of a managed area can play a role in maintaining biodiversity and healthy ecosystems inside a managed area |
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What are SLEDS? |
boats ordered to use sea lion exclusion devices -> allow sea lions to be ejected from nets |
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Protected sea lions eat endangered ______________________. |
yellow-eyed penguins --> New England protects both species |
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Invasive exotic species are a major threat to protected areas. Which ecosystems are most affected by this problem? |
wetlands
grasslands
island ecosystems |
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Describe the problems with the European Purple loosestrife. |
invasive
invades North American wetlands and outcompetes many native plants
cannot be eaten by most waterfowl and crowds out beneficial species |
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Describe the problems with the Heath fritillary (Mellicta athalia). |
closer to extinction than any other butterfly in England
decreased in number for 70 years as preferred habitat was overgrown or altered (into farmland)
larvae feed on plants in grassland or recently cleared woodland |
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What is the term that describes species that survive as a network of temporary populations linked by dispersal? |
metapopulation
"population of populations" |
