CORE Wildlife Conservation 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is 'edge effect' in wildlife habitat management?
- The tendency of animals to avoid forest interiors
- The increased species diversity found at the boundary between two habitat types (Correct answer)
- The decline in population at the edge of a species' range
- The negative impact of roads on wildlife movement
Correct answer: The increased species diversity found at the boundary between two habitat types
Edge effect refers to the higher species richness and activity often found where two different habitat types meet, as species from both habitats can use the area.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes 'habitat fragmentation'?
- The natural succession of a habitat over time
- The division of large, continuous habitats into smaller isolated patches (Correct answer)
- The seasonal migration of animals between habitats
- The removal of invasive plants from native habitat
Correct answer: The division of large, continuous habitats into smaller isolated patches
Habitat fragmentation occurs when large continuous areas of habitat are broken into smaller, isolated pieces by roads, development, or agriculture, reducing their value for wildlife.
Question 3: A keystone species is best defined as one that:
- Has the largest population in an ecosystem
- Has a disproportionately large effect on its ecosystem relative to its abundance (Correct answer)
- Is found only in one specific geographic location
- Is at the top of the food chain
Correct answer: Has a disproportionately large effect on its ecosystem relative to its abundance
A keystone species has an outsized ecological impact on its ecosystem, and its removal can cause dramatic changes or collapse of the system.
Question 4: What is the primary purpose of a wildlife census or population survey?
- To relocate animals from overcrowded areas
- To estimate population size and trends to inform management decisions (Correct answer)
- To identify diseased individuals for removal
- To tag animals for commercial purposes
Correct answer: To estimate population size and trends to inform management decisions
Wildlife censuses provide population size estimates and trend data that wildlife managers use to set harvest quotas and conservation priorities.
Question 5: Which land use practice is generally MOST harmful to ground-nesting birds?
- Rotational grazing
- Early mowing of hayfields during nesting season (Correct answer)
- Delayed crop harvest
- Leaving field borders unmowed
Correct answer: Early mowing of hayfields during nesting season
Mowing hayfields during the spring and early summer nesting season destroys nests and kills flightless chicks of ground-nesting birds like bobolinks and meadowlarks.
Question 6: The 'trophic cascade' effect occurs when:
- A prey species overpopulates after predator removal
- Nutrient runoff from farms enters a river system
- Top predators are removed, triggering chain reactions down the food web (Correct answer)
- Migratory species spread disease across regions
Correct answer: Top predators are removed, triggering chain reactions down the food web
A trophic cascade happens when removing a top predator causes a ripple effect through lower trophic levels, often leading to overabundance of prey and degradation of vegetation.
Question 7: What does 'biodiversity hotspot' refer to in conservation?
- An area experiencing rapid population growth of a single dominant species
- A region with exceptionally high species richness and significant habitat loss (Correct answer)
- A zone where multiple invasive species have established
- An area with high hunting pressure on native species
Correct answer: A region with exceptionally high species richness and significant habitat loss
A biodiversity hotspot is a region with exceptionally high numbers of endemic species that is also significantly threatened by human activity and habitat destruction.
CORE Wildlife Conservation 3
What is 'edge effect' in wildlife habitat management?