Sustaining Terrestrial Biodiversity: Saving Ecosystems and Ecosystem Services
Question 1
1.
Core Case Study
Costa Rica is considered a global conservation leader. Describe 2 strategies it has used to protect its biodiversity.
10-1 What Are the Major Threats to Forest Ecosystems?
Question 2
2.
Define old-growth (primary) forest.
Question 3
3.
Define second-growth forest.
Question 4
4.
Define tree plantation (i.e, tree farm or commercial forest).
Question 5
5.
Explain one advantage and one disadvantage of tree plantations.
Question 6
6.
List 3 reasons why we should care about sustaining forests.
Question 7
7.
There are different methods to harvesting trees. Explain each of the following:
Selective cutting
Clear cutting
Strip cutting
Question 8
8.
What is a surface fire? What are some of the benefits?
Question 9
9.
What is a crown fire? Under what conditions can they occur?
Question 10
10.
Define deforestation.
Question 11
11.
Read the Case Study on p. 224. Bill McKibben views forest regrowth as “the great environmental success story of the United States, and in some ways, the whole world.” Defend this statement.
Question 12
12.
What are some of the underlying causes of tropical deforestation?
Question 13
13.
What are some of the direct causes of tropical deforestation?
Question 14
14.
True or false. Fragmented rainforests are more susceptible to fires. Explain your answer.
10-2 How Should We Manage and Sustain Forests?
Question 15
15.
List 3 ways that we can manage forests more sustainably.
Question 16
16.
“We should prevent all forest fires.” Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not?
Question 17
17.
Discuss two strategies for reducing fire-related harm to forests and to people who use or live in the forests.
Question 18
18.
List 2 ways we can reduce our demand for harvested trees.
Question 19
19.
How much of wood harvested globally each year is burned for fuel? ________ How much of the wood harvested in less-developed countries is burned for fuel? _________
Question 20
20.
What is a debt-for-nature swap?
Question 21
21.
What are conservation concessions?
Question 22
22.
What are other ways to reduce deforestation?
10-3 How Should We Manage and Sustain Grasslands?
Question 23
23.
Define rangelands.
Question 24
24.
Define pastures.
Question 25
25.
How is the growth of rangeland grass different from that of broadleaf grass?
Question 26
26.
Define overgrazing.
Question 27
27.
What are the most widely used ways to manage rangelands more sustainably?
Question 28
28.
Environmentalists used to seek to reduce overgrazing and limit livestock permits in the southwestern U.S. Now, ranchers, ecologists, and environmentalists are joining together to try to preserve a number of cattle ranches. Why was there a change of heart on this matter?
10-4 How Should We Manage and Sustain Parks and Nature Reserves?
Question 29
29.
What is the biggest problem for U.S. national parks?
Question 30
30.
What is the buffer zone concept (with regard to establishing nature reserves)? How does it take into account local people?
Question 31
31.
What is a habitat corridor?
Be sure to read the Science Focus on page 235!
Question 32
32.
Define wilderness.
Question 33
33.
What did the 1964 Wilderness Act do? What is a limitation of this act?
10-5: What is the Ecosystem Approach to Sustaining Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services?
Question 34
34.
Define biodiversity hotspots.
Question 35
35.
Define ecological restoration.
Question 36
36.
Explain each of the following methods to speed up ecological succession:
Restoration
Rehabilitation
Replacement
Creating artificial ecosystems
Question 37
37.
List the 4 steps that scientists have come up with for carrying out most forms of ecological restoration and rehabilitation.