Natural Resource Conservation, Policy, and Law

Flashcards focused on key concepts related to natural resource conservation and the roles and perceptions of predators in ecosystems.

Predator

An organism that lives by killing and eating other organisms.

Predator Control

The management practices aimed at controlling predator populations, often a debated topic in wildlife.

Public Conditioning

A societal process by which the public is led to perceive predators negatively, often seen as threats.

Bounty System

A form of predator control in the 1800s that offered cash rewards for the tails or scalps of predators.

Compound 1080

A toxic agent used in predator control; potently lethal and banned in the US due to public outrage.

Leopold Report

A report by Starker Leopold recommending the restoration of national parks and revised predator control measures.

Cain Report

A 1971 document questioning widespread predator control and making various recommendations for improved management.

Strychnine

A highly toxic alkaloid used as an instrument of destruction for predators in the late 1800s.

Federal Government Predator Control

Initiatives started in 1915 responding to livestock interests, leading to significant reduction of predator populations.

Predation Dynamics

The relationship between predators and prey, including the productivity of prey species often exceeding that of predators.