Human Impact on Wildlife Habitats

Study Notes

Landscape Modification and Wildlife Persistence

Modification of a landscape affects wildlife species persistence due to multiple threats such as exploitation, livestock, land-use change, and conflict.
Exploitation was the primary threat to wildlife in Europe, but policy changes have altered the severity of these threats.
Wildlife has retreated primarily due to hunting, rather than landscape modification.

Temporal Dynamics and Spatial Heterogeneity

Landscapes have varied spatial patterns, including intact, variegated, fragmented, and relictual patterns.
Biological diversity makes it challenging to manage all species, as each species responds uniquely to environmental changes.

Biological Levels and Cognitive Abilities

Wildlife species have cognitive abilities, such as learning and processing information, which affect their response to landscape modification.
Incomplete information and limited data complicate decision-making and management.

Landscape Modification Models

Two primary models of landscape modification are used: the Shift model and the Patch-Matrix-Corridor Model.
The Shift model explains how species richness is affected by the number of species present on an island and dispersal abilities.
The Patch-Matrix-Corridor Model provides a pattern-oriented view of landscapes, but its simplicity limits its applicability to all ecosystems.

Species-Oriented View of Landscapes

Species perceive landscapes differently based on their preferences, requirements, and conditions.
Environmental data and species data are used to identify relationships and understand species' responses to habitat change.
Spatial grain, or the resolution at which species perceive landscapes, is essential in understanding species-oriented approaches.

Approaches to Studying Landscape Modification

Observational studies examine relationships between surface area and species richness, as well as population size and body size.
Experimental approaches, such as Simberloff's mangrove islands and forest fragmentation studies, test the effects of defaunation and habitat destruction on species richness.
Species-oriented approaches using modern data and techniques, such as GPS and corridor planning, can inform conservation and management decisions.

Description

This quiz explores the effects of human activities such as exploitation, livestock, land-use change, and conflict on wildlife persistence. It delves into the complexities of multiple threats and how policy changes can alter the severity of these threats. The quiz also touches on the temporal dynamics and spatial heterogeneity of landscape modification.