unit 9 test (ecosystem approach)
national marine fisheries service
protects ocean species
clear cutting
removal of all trees in a swath of land (least environmentally friendly)
reasons why fire is a good thing
surface fires; stimulates germination, free nutrients, prevent more destructive fires (crown fires)
USFWS
the agency that coadministers the endangered species act in the US
what is the criteria for a diversity hotspot?
total # of species, # of endemic species, # of threatened species
how much of the earth's land is covered by forests?
30%
what percentage of wilderness areas do conservationists suggest be protected?
30%
what percentage of wilderness areas are protected by law?
5%
how much of the earth's land is covered by tropical forests?
6%
intrinsic value
has value merely because biodiversity exists
what are reasons to protect biodiversity?
intrinsic value, instrumental value, nonuse values
what kinds of things would be involved in the restoration of grasslands?
limit the number of grazing animals, practice rotational grazing, fence out riparian zone areas, suppress invader plants, replant barren soil
biocultural restoration
the science and practice of restoring ecosystems and human/cultural relationships to place
how should a nature reserve be designed?
- buffer zones: a means to protect an inner core of a reserve, by giving buffer zones which allow for sustainable extraction of resources w/o harming core - locals to manage reserves
nature conservancy
a US charitable environmental organization that works to preserve the lands and waters on which all life depends
u.s. forest service
a federal agency that manages public lands in national forests and grassland
roadless rule
a federal regulation that put undeveloped areas of national forests off-limits to road building and logging while they were evaluated for wilderness protection; included cow paths
National Park Service
agency that manages all national parks, national monuments and other conservationist and historical places
wilderness act of 1964
allowed the government to protect undeveloped tracts of public land from development
which countrie(s) contain a large percentage of the world's rainforests and is practicing deforestation?
brazil
crown fires
burn the entire tree, leap from tree to tree, hot fire, occur in forests with lack of surface fires, much more destructive
surface fires
burn undergrowth only (o horizon), cool fire
what are the top five biodiversity hotspots in north america?
california, texas, arizona, new mexico, alabama
principle of multiple use
cells for a variety of uses on the same forest land at the same time (difficult to monitor and enforce)
strip cutting
clear cutting in narrow path enough for natural regeneration to occur; staggered (reduces erosion)
nonuse values
existence, aesthetic, bequest
what are the effects of deforestation?
fragmentation of remaining patches, degrades biodiversity, remaining forests get drier and may burn, more CO2 to the atmosphere, accelerates climate change
forest stewardship council
group of environmentalists and lumber companies dedicated to protecting forests.
endangered species act
identifies threatened and endangered species in the US, and puts their protection ahead of economic considerations
what are the primary causes and factors driving deforestation?
logging, mining, agriculture, population
rehabilitation
making a degraded ecosystem functional again
selective cutting
only mature trees cut singly in clumps (most environmentally friendly)
what are the natural services provided by forests?
photosynthesis (oxygen for respiration, removes CO2, helps stabilize earth's temperature) and is a habitat for other organisms
replacement
replace degraded system w/ another type of ecosystem
restoration
returning a particular degraded habitat or ecosystem to a condition as similar to its natural state
cities
species cannot be commercially traded bc of extinction threat
reconciliation ecology
studies ways to encourage biodiversity in the human-dominated ecosystems of the anthropocene era
principle of sustainable yield
trees should not be harvested faster than they're replenished
instrumental value
usefulness to us in economic and ecological services
what is the effectiveness of the national timber program?
usfs by law must sell timber for no less than the cost of reforesting the land, principle of sustainable yield, principle of multiple use
