Maryland Envirothon Study Guide: Wildlife Quiz and Flashcards

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Questions and Answers

What aspect of wildlife ecology focuses on the various interactions between different species in an ecosystem?

Food Chains and Food Webs (correct)

Communities and Ecosystems

Edges and Contrast

Plant Succession and Its Effect on Wildlife

Which of the following is a key factor in wildlife conservation that refers to the maximum number of individuals in a population that an environment can sustain?

Wildlife Population Management and Strategies

Habitat Loss, Fragmentation, and Degradation

Home Range, Movements, and Migration

Carrying Capacity (correct)

Which term refers to the variety of different species in a particular area or ecosystem?

Wildlife Population Dynamics

Biodiversity (correct)

Species Richness and Diversity

Natural Selection and Adaptations

In the context of wildlife identification, which group includes animals like foxes, deer, and raccoons?

Mammal Identification Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of wildlife management focuses on controlling or eradicating non-native species that can harm local ecosystems?

Exotic and Invasive Species Signup and view all the answers

What are two of the greatest threats to biodiversity mentioned in the text?

Habitat destruction and invasive species Signup and view all the answers

Why is habitat management essential for wildlife?

To maximize the amount of wildlife in an area Signup and view all the answers

What are some of the concepts covered in the section about wildlife management for Maryland State Envirothon participants?

Habitat management and carrying capacity Signup and view all the answers

Why is it important to understand basic concepts about habitat for evaluating wildlife habitat?

To make informed management recommendations Signup and view all the answers

What tool is mentioned in the text as a wildlife management tool?

Hunting and trapping Signup and view all the answers

What term is used to describe the addition of a number of young individuals to an adult population of breeders?

Recruitment Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following diseases affects the central nervous system of warm-blooded animals?

Rabies Signup and view all the answers

What term is used to describe the continuing yield of a biological resource by controlled periodic harvesting?

Sustained yield Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following does taxonomy focus on?

Taxonomy Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'species richness' refer to in the context of wildlife ecology?

Number of wildlife species found in a given area Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of a Certificate of Competency in Firearms and Hunting Safety in Maryland?

To purchase a hunting license Signup and view all the answers

What is the term used for species that have been introduced into new areas and can sometimes limit biodiversity?

Invasive species Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary responsibility of wildlife biologists?

Balancing the needs of the public with those of wildlife Signup and view all the answers

Which document provides information on hunting regulations, seasons, and public hunting lands?

Guide to Hunting and Trapping Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes an exotic species from an invasive species?

Not all exotic species are considered invasive, but all invasive species are exotic. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary mission of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)?

Conserving and restoring wildlife habitat in the U.S. Signup and view all the answers

What assumption is crucial for the accuracy of mark-recapture estimates?

Each individual in the population has an equal chance of being caught Signup and view all the answers

Which agency distributes funds to state fish and wildlife agencies for management?

United States Fish and Wildlife Service Signup and view all the answers

What is the main focus of the Maryland Wildlife and Heritage Service?

Conserving native wildlife and plants in Maryland Signup and view all the answers

Where does the USFWS fall under in terms of the U.S. government structure?

U.S. Department of the Interior Signup and view all the answers

What are the 4 key features to pay attention to when identifying birds?

Size & shape, color pattern, behavior, and habitat Signup and view all the answers

Which group is the Maryland Envirothon using for bird identification?

Peterson Field Guide to Eastern Birds (6th edition) Signup and view all the answers

What is included under the term 'wildlife' in the text?

Birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians Signup and view all the answers

Where are the species groupings found in the guide mentioned in the text?

Plates on page vii Signup and view all the answers

What is essential for studying wildlife according to the text?

Field guides and keys Signup and view all the answers

Why is it important to check species ranges and read accounts of similar species before concluding on identification?

To avoid misidentifying juvenile turtles and snakes Signup and view all the answers

What key information is provided on the bottom of the left-hand pages in the species account pages?

Common names for reptile and amphibian families Signup and view all the answers

What does the concept of Wildlife Ecology focus on?

The interrelationships of wildlife with their environment and other species Signup and view all the answers

Which section of the study guide is designed as an introduction to Wildlife Ecology for the Maryland State Envirothon?

Section highlighting Wildlife Ecology concepts Signup and view all the answers

In the context of wildlife, what does 'habitat' refer to?

The natural environment in which a particular species lives Signup and view all the answers

What does the species account pages provide information on at the end of each major group?

Habitat and reproduction details Signup and view all the answers

Why is it crucial to consider reading accounts of similar species before concluding on identification?

To avoid misidentifying different stages of certain animals Signup and view all the answers

What does Wildlife Ecology focus on studying?

The interrelationship between wildlife, other species, and their environment Signup and view all the answers

What is an important consideration when identifying wildlife species according to the text?

To check ranges and read accounts of similar species Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Wildlife Study Guide

Population dynamics refers to the factors that regulate population levels, including natality, productivity, and mortality.
Primary consumers are organisms that feed on plants and/or other producers.
Rabies is a viral disease that affects the central nervous system of warm-blooded animals.
Ranavirus is a DNA-based virus that impacts cold-blooded animals.
Recruitment refers to the addition of young to an adult population of breeders.
Riparian areas are the areas of influence between upland habitats and aquatic habitats.
SAV (submerged aquatic vegetation) refers to vascular plants that live and grow completely underwater.
Scat refers to the excrement droppings of an animal.
Secondary consumers are organisms that eat primary consumers.
Small game refers to a management classification that includes eastern cottontail rabbits, squirrels, quail, ruffed grouse, pheasant, and crow.
Species refers to populations of animals that possess common characteristics and can freely interbreed in nature to produce fertile offspring.
Species diversity refers to the combination of species richness and species abundance in a given area.
Species richness refers to the number of wildlife species found in a given area.
Strata refer to groupings of vegetation based on height of plants.
Sustained yield refers to the continuing yield of a biological resource, such as timber, by controlled periodic harvesting.
Taxonomy is the science of the classification of animals or plants.
Tertiary consumer refers to an animal that eats secondary consumers.
Threatened refers to any species that are vulnerable to endangerment in the near future.
Torpor refers to a state of decreased physiological activity in an animal, usually characterized by a reduced body temperature and rate of metabolism.
Trophic level refers to a feeding level in the food chain of an ecosystem characterized by organisms that occupy a similar functional position.
Vector refers to an organism that transmits a pathogen from a reservoir to a host.
Ventral refers to the lower surface of an organism.
Vernal pool refers to a seasonal or temporary wetland.
Waterfowl refers to water birds, usually referring to ducks, geese, and swans.
Wildlife refers to all non-domesticated plants, animals, and other organisms.
Wildlife population dynamics refers to the study of factors and their interactions that control or influence the growth, stability, and decline of wildlife.
White-nose Syndrome is a fungal disease that causes bats to rouse too frequently from torpor and starve to death through excessive activity.
Zoonotic refers to an infectious disease that is transmitted between species (sometimes by a vector) from animals to humans or from humans to other animals.

Wildlife Identification

Identifying wildlife and wildlife signs using keys and/or field guides is essential for studying wildlife.
Wildlife encompasses any free-ranging, non-domestic animal, including invertebrates and fish.
Bird identification involves paying attention to size and shape, color pattern, behavior, and habitat.
The Maryland Envirothon uses the Peterson Field Guide to Eastern Birds (6th edition) for bird identification.
Field guides are grouped by plates that correspond to species groupings, such as geese, swans, and ducks.

Wildlife Ecology

Wildlife ecology is a branch of science dealing with the interrelationships of wildlife with their own species, with other species, and with their nonliving environment.
Habitat refers to the natural environment in which an organism lives.
Plant succession and its effect on wildlife refer to the changes in vegetation over time and their impact on wildlife.
Edges and contrast refer to the boundaries between different habitats and the resulting changes in wildlife communities.
Food chains and food webs refer to the feeding relationships between organisms in an ecosystem.
Communities and ecosystems refer to the interacting populations of organisms and their environments.
Species richness and diversity refer to the number of species and their relative abundance in a given area.
Natural selection and adaptations refer to the process of evolution and the resulting traits that enable organisms to survive and reproduce.
Biodiversity refers to the variety of ecosystems, species, and genes within an area.

Conservation and Management of Wildlife

Habitat management involves altering the environment to maximize the amount of wildlife using an area or to increase focal species.
Habitat loss, fragmentation, and degradation refer to the destruction, breaking up, or degradation of habitats, leading to population decline and extinction.
Carrying capacity refers to the maximum number of organisms that an ecosystem can support.
Wildlife population management and strategies involve controlling population sizes to maintain ecological balance.
Federal and state roles for managing wildlife involve enacting laws, protecting endangered species, managing migratory birds, and distributing funds to state agencies for management.

Wildlife and Society

Exotic and invasive species refer to non-native species that can pose biological, economic, or human-health related harm.
Rare, threatened, and endangered species refer to species that are at risk of extinction due to habitat loss, hunting, and other human activities.
Wildlife diseases refer to illnesses that affect wildlife populations, such as rabies and ranavirus.
Wildlife legislation refers to laws and regulations that govern human-wildlife interactions, such as hunting and conservation.

Glossary

Ecosystem biodiversity refers to the variety of habitats, biological communities, and ecological processes within an ecosystem.

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Description

Learn about wildlife ecology, management, and legislation affecting wildlife in Maryland with this comprehensive study guide. Topics covered include wildlife identification, habitat, plant succession, food chains, and legislation.

Maryland State Envirothon Wildlife Study Guide

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