© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Chapter 9 Wildlife Biology and Management

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Study of Life Biology is the study of life –Botany seeks to understand the life of plants –Zoology is the study of animal life

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Study of Life Zoologists study the basic needs of animals –Food, water, shelter, and space These basic needs are of equal importance Suitable wildlife habitat requires a balance of these requirements

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Animal Behaviors and Habits Life is the product of distinct behaviors and habits that help an organism meet basic needs –Way in which organism meets basic needs is often distinctive to it

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Animal Behaviors and Habits Behavior is both learned and instinctive –instinctive: evident at birth –learned: behavior picked up through life experiences

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Life Requires Energy Food –Anything organism consumes to get energy –Amount of food required depends on age, sex, size, location, season of year

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Life Requires Energy Differences exist in ways organisms obtain nutrients –different preferred foods –different digestive systems simple stomach, multiple stomachs, gizzard, etc.

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Food Sources Organisms differ in types of foods consumed –Herbivores: Obtain food directly from plants –Carnivores: Consume other animals also called predators –Omnivores: Consume both plants and other animals

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Water Organisms differ in their relationship to a necessary resource: water –Some require standing water –Some drink water –Others get water from food they eat –Still others absorb water from the environment –Aquatic organisms actually live in water

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Shelter All organisms have basic habitat needs –Habitat: Home where organism eats, rests, and reproduces –Must provide an organism’s basic needs Suitable habitat provides adequate shelter –protection from weather, predators –places to reproduce

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Shelter Shelter can take many forms –often a form of vegetation or vegetative cover –can be pile of rocks, hole, cliff overhang, etc.

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Space All organisms have a home range –Area within which they live and obtain resources –Size of home range varies –Tolerance of others’ presence varies

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Space In any habitat, animals must not be overcrowded –Overcrowding can result in stress, disease, damaged habitat

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Arrangement of Basic Needs All wildlife requires –food –water –cover –space Habitat containing these basic requirements will support life

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Arrangement of Basic Needs Optimal populations achieved when basic needs are appropriately arranged –What if primary food supply is across a four- lane highway?

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Wildlife Relationships Many organisms participate in many types of relationships –parasitism –mutualism –predation –commensalism –competition

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Parasitism Relationship between two organisms in which one feeds on the other without killing it –May be plants or animals –Parasites may be either internal or external

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Parasitism Example of a parasitic relationship –wood tick lives on almost any species of warm-blooded animal

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Mutualism Two types of animals living together for their mutual benefit Example: tick pickers –birds remove and eat ticks from many African animals Wild animals have parasites removed from them Birds receive nourishment from ticks

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Predation Situation in which one animal eats another –predator: does the eating –prey: gets eaten Predators are often critical in controlling wildlife populations

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Predation Populations of predators and prey tend to fluctuate widely –When predators are in abundance, prey becomes scarce because of overfeeding –When prey becomes scarce, predators may starve or move to other areas

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Commensalism Situation in which plant or animal that lives in, on, or with another but does not help or harm it Example –vultures waiting to feed on leftovers from a cougar’s kill

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Competition When organisms contend for same food supply, cover, nesting sites, or breeding sites –Competition may exist among members of same species or between or among different species

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Competition Competition often results in changes in population levels –One species may increase in number whereas the others decline –Often the numbers of both species decrease

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Preserving Wildlife Various efforts have been made to protect wildlife U.S. Endangered Species Act –passed to protect at-risk animal species and their habitats

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Preserving Wildlife U.S. Endangered Species Act –identifies two classes of at-risk species endangered: immediate danger of extinction threatened: at risk of becoming endangered –Strategies include transplanting organisms, hatcheries, breeding programs

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Human Impacts on Wildlife Humans impact wildlife in many ways –Habitat destruction is the single greatest threat facing wildlife Habitat destruction occurs as a result of many human activities –Construction, farming, mining, timber harvesting, and pollution

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Stewardship Wildlife and other natural resources should be managed with a long-term view and commitment to the resources –Will require knowledge of proven management practices and ecology and habitat requirements

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Stewardship Wise stewardship occurs when managers of natural resources make management decisions based on dependable information

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Extinction Extinction of species is serious concern Several factors contribute to extinction –introduction of alien species that outcompete native species –overhunting by humans –lack of adaptability in a species –slow rate of reproduction

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Extinction Destruction or modification of habitat –single greatest cause of extinction

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Managing At-Risk Species Managing populations of endangered or threatened species is difficult –Effective management of endangered species must be based on reliable research Managing at-risk species will involve providing acceptable shelter and food sources

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Managing At-Risk Species Management decisions must be applied in a variety of habitats –farms, forests, wetlands, streams, lakes, and ponds

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Managing Farmlands Management of farm wildlife often involves providing suitable habitat –usually by-product of farming or ranching practices

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Managing Farmlands Farmland management techniques include –leaving corners of fields unharvested –leaving shrubs and brush piles –leaving crop residue standing through winter –planting crops attractive to wildlife –harvesting farm and ranch wildlife by hunting

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Managing Forests Managing forests often focuses on increasing populations of a certain species –If species is present, the goal is to maintain its population

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Managing Forests Management of forests often involves –developing a forest-management plan –making clearings to provide new growth –selective harvesting to produce a variety of habitats –leaving piles of brush for cover

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Managing Forests Developing a forest-management plan –taking an inventory of species –goal setting for habitat and species within it –deciding how to support desired species

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Managing Wetlands Most important habitat to wildlife –provide food, nesting sites, and cover for many species of wildlife Wetland management techniques include –impounding or holding water –cutting trees to open up wetland area –leaving hollow trees for nesting

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Managing Wetlands –establishing open, grassy areas around wetlands –planting vegetation for food and cover –protecting from pollution –providing artificial nesting areas –breeding and release programs

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Managing Streams Protecting existing is critical because we cannot build new streams Stream management plans usually focus on fish Management of streams often involves –preventing overgrazing of stream banks –limiting access to stream by livestock

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Managing Streams –maintaining streamside vegetation –sustaining desirable species of wildlife –balancing populations with food supply –using hatchery and stocking programs –regulating sport fishing

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Managing Lakes and Ponds Management techniques similar to streams Several management practices unique to standing water –controlling pollution –sustaining desired mixtures of species

© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning Managing Lakes and Ponds –maintaining appropriate dissolved oxygen levels –eliminating unwanted species –stocking desired species