CF Wildlife Habitat & Biodiversity Management Flashcards

Which of the following best describes an 'umbrella species' in conservation planning?

Answer: A species whose conservation protects many other co-occurring species

An umbrella species has large habitat requirements, so protecting enough area for it simultaneously benefits numerous other species sharing that habitat.

What is the recommended approach when a rare plant population is discovered within a planned harvest area?

Answer: Establish a buffer around the population and modify harvest boundaries

Standard professional practice requires establishing protective buffers around rare plant populations and adjusting operations to avoid disturbance.

Which silvicultural approach is most commonly prescribed to restore early-successional wildlife habitat in the eastern US?

Answer: Group selection or small clearcuts that mimic natural disturbance

Group selection or small clearcuts create patches of dense shrubby regrowth that provide the dense cover and food needed by golden-winged warblers, ruffed grouse, and other early-successional species.

What does 'habitat suitability index' (HSI) measure in wildlife management?

Answer: The relative suitability of a given site to support a target wildlife species

HSI models quantify habitat quality for a target species by evaluating key habitat variables and producing a score from 0 (unsuitable) to 1 (optimal).

A forester is managing for ruffed grouse habitat in the Lake States. Which stand age class is most critical to retain or create?

Answer: Dense young aspen 5–15 years old

Ruffed grouse depend heavily on dense young aspen regeneration for drumming logs, nesting cover, winter food, and brooding habitat.

Which federal program provides financial incentives to private landowners for establishing wildlife habitat on marginal agricultural lands?

Answer: Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)

The USDA Conservation Reserve Program pays annual rental rates to landowners who establish permanent wildlife habitat cover, grasses, and trees on environmentally sensitive cropland.