midterm 1

biological, social, political, economic

principle of wildlife management: decisions are informed by _____, _____, _____, and _____ factors.

manage, species

principle of wildlife management: we cannot ______ for all _____ simultaneously

wildife, environment/people

principle of wildlife management: management is not just _____ management, often involves managing _____/______, or controlling other species

K (carrying capacity)

principle of wildlife management: _ (_____ _____) is complex and determined by the intersection of ecological, social, economic, and political factors

biological carrying capacity

the number of individuals of a species that can be supported by the available resources

social carrying capacity

the population of a species that humans find acceptable

food, water, cover, space

4 components of habitat

first order selection

selection of physical or geographical range/distribution

second order selection

selection of home range of an individual or social group within the geographical range

third order selection

how/when coarse habitat components within the home range are used

fourth order selection

how/when finer habitat components within the home range are used

niche

A species' unique role in a community, emphasizing function within an ecosystem

habitat selection

A hierarchical process involving a series of innate and learned behavioral decisions about what habitat an animal uses at different scales

habitat use

The way an animal uses the physical and biological resources in a habitat (e.g., nesting, foraging, cover)

habitat preference

Assumed when habitat use reflects a choice, usually determined by comparing use to habitat availability.

habitat availability

The accessibility and procurability of physical and biological components of a habitat

habitat quality

The ability of the environment to provide conditions appropriate for individual and population persistence (ranging from low/survival to high/persistence)

distribution

The geographic area where individuals of a species occur, describing the spatial arrangement within the overall geographic range

abundance

the number of individuals in a given area

limiting factor

The habitat component that is in most limited supply, or not available, to support a wildlife population

critical habitat

A legal term for physical or biological features that provide resources essential for population persistence

trophic level

Feeding categories based on the number of steps an organism is separated from autotrophs (primary producers)

limiting period (food quantity)

Times of the year when food is least available (amount likely limits the population size of a species

cover

Any physical or biological features or arrangements of features that provide shelter for a given species.

escape cover

Space that protects or conceals an animal from predators, conspecifics, or prey; concealment or a place to hide is the simplest type

thermal cover

Provides shelter from weather or climatic conditions (cold, heat, precipitation)

reproductive cover

specific locations used for producing offspring, such as parturition (birth) sites, eggs, or young animals

special cover requirements

Specific features needed for survival, such as snags, caves, burrows, hollow logs, vernal pools, or dense vegetation

young forest

Early successional habitat (0-20 years old) characterized by tree seedlings, saplings, woody vines, shrubs, and grasses

predation

Any species interaction where one species benefits and another is harmed (+/-)

lotka-volterra prey equation

Prey exponential growth (dN/dt = rN) minus rate of prey removal by predators (aNP) (= dN/dt = rN - aNP)

lotka-volterra predator equation

Predator growth rate considering prey consumed (dP/dt) minus predator death rate (mP) (= dP/dt - mP)

functional response

The predator response that varies with feeding behavior in response to changes in prey density

numerical response

The predator response that increases and decreases via reproduction or movement (into or out of the area) in response to changes in prey density

mesopredator response

The disappearance of a dominant carnivore (apex predator) leading to elevated numbers and activity of smaller predators (mesopredators), resulting in strong predation pressure on native prey species.

home range

The specific area an individual animal uses for its daily activities, including foraging, roosting, and raising young. Influenced by reproductive season, migration, habitat availability, and population density.

territory

Any defended area. Defense occurs when the benefits of holding a territory (exclusive access to limited resources) exceed the cost of defense

group living

A social system where individuals associate closely, offering benefits such as reduced predation risk, thermoregulation, and higher reproductive success

mating systems

Fundamental components of animal social organization that influence behavior, distribution, reproductive success, population dynamics, and disease dynamics

disease

Any impairment that interferes with or modifies the performance of normal functions, including responses to environmental factors, infectious agents, or congenital defects. Impairment reduces fitness

major causes of disease

Congenital defects, Deficiency diseases (inadequate nutrients), Trauma, Poisons (toxicants), and Parasites/Pathogens

active surveillance

form of surveillance which is proactive; the organization takes direct action in collecting data, often a targeted study of a particular disease agent

syndromic surveillance

surveillance which looks for changes in symptoms as an early warning sign of something emerging or re-emerging

passive surveillance

surveillance which is reactive; reporting is left to individuals/groups; sick/dead animals are the target

reservoir host

An organism that harbors the pathogen while suffering little or no illness

vector

A living organism that can transmit infectious pathogens between humans, or from animals to humans

density-dependent transmission

The per capita contact rate between susceptible and infected individuals depends on the population density

population size (N)

The number of individuals in a population at a specific time

population density

The number of individuals per unit area

BIDE parameters

Births, deaths, immigration, and emigration; 4 factors influencing population size change

age structure

the distribution of number of individuals in each age class

fecundity

the number of eggs per female

recruitment

the number of new individuals reaching breeding age or reaching a new age class

exponential growth model

Model where individuals reproduce continuously and generations can overlap (model = dN/dt = rN)

intrinsic rate of increase (r)

exponential growth rate: r = b - d

___ > 0 is growth, ____ = 0 is stable population

lambda

ratio of population size at time t + 1 to population size at time = N (t+1)/ N(t)

when ___ = 1, population is stable

logistic growth

population growth model incorporating carrying capacity into the exponential equation: dN/dt = rN (K-N / K)