CF CF Wildlife Habitat & Biodiversity Management 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the term for a species that has a disproportionately large effect on its ecosystem relative to its abundance?
- Keystone species (Correct answer)
- Indicator species
- Pioneer species
- Umbrella species
Correct answer: Keystone species
A keystone species exerts a structuring influence on the ecosystem that far exceeds what would be expected based on its biomass or numbers.
Question 2: Which habitat feature is most critical for black bear denning in the eastern United States?
- Large hollow trees or root masses in dense cover (Correct answer)
- Open grassland patches
- Rocky stream banks
- Mature pine plantations with no understory
Correct answer: Large hollow trees or root masses in dense cover
Black bears den in large hollow trees, root masses, or dense brush that provide insulation and concealment through winter months.
Question 3: What index is commonly used to quantify wildlife species diversity within a forest stand?
- Shannon-Wiener diversity index (Correct answer)
- Basal area index
- Site index
- Stocking index
Correct answer: Shannon-Wiener diversity index
The Shannon-Wiener index combines species richness and evenness into a single metric widely used to measure biological diversity.
Question 4: A certified forester notices a stream-adjacent buffer strip is being proposed for timber harvest. What is the primary wildlife concern?
- Loss of riparian habitat critical for amphibians, birds, and mammals (Correct answer)
- Reduction in timber revenue
- Increased wind throw risk
- Reduced soil nutrient cycling
Correct answer: Loss of riparian habitat critical for amphibians, birds, and mammals
Riparian buffers provide unique structural and moisture conditions used disproportionately by amphibians, songbirds, and mammals for breeding and foraging.
Question 5: Which practice most directly benefits neo-tropical migratory songbirds nesting in US forests?
- Maintaining large blocks of interior forest with minimal edge (Correct answer)
- Increasing road density for access
- Reducing canopy closure to below 40%
- Planting fast-growing exotic tree species
Correct answer: Maintaining large blocks of interior forest with minimal edge
Many neo-tropical migrants are area-sensitive interior forest species that decline with increased fragmentation and edge effects.
Question 6: In a forest wildlife management plan, what does the term 'mast production' refer to?
- Hard and soft fruits produced by trees and shrubs used as wildlife food (Correct answer)
- The height of dominant trees in a stand
- Annual timber volume increment
- Canopy gap size measurement
Correct answer: Hard and soft fruits produced by trees and shrubs used as wildlife food
Mast production refers to the crop of hard mast (acorns, beechnuts) and soft mast (berries, cherries) that serves as a critical food source for many wildlife species.
CF CF Wildlife Habitat & Biodiversity Management 2
What is the term for a species that has a disproportionately large effect on its ecosystem relative to its abundance?