Rhode Island Envirothon Wildlife Section Presented by Paul

Rhode Island Envirothon Wildlife Section Presented by Paul Ricard, RIDEM Division of Forest Environment

Concepts - Self Study • • • Biomes, Ecosystems, Communities Adaptations Niches Food chain/food web, trophic pyramid Population dynamics (Predator/Prey relationship)

Concepts and Definitions

Wildlife – includes any living organism other than plants. Generally wildlife is neither tamed nor domesticated, and is free roaming. This includes insects, spiders, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals.

Biodiversity Biological diversity refers to the variety and abundance of species, their genetic composition, and the communities, ecosystems, and landscapes in which they occur. It also refers to ecological structures, functions, and processes at all of these levels. Biological diversity occurs at spatial scales that range from local through regional to global. There are three types of biodiversity:

Genetic Diversity/Species Richness The variation in genetic composition of individuals within and among species (e. g. variation within a population of rabbits). Species Diversity The variety of different species found in an area; (e. g. the variety of species found in a forest). Ecosystem Diversity The variety of physical environments and biotic communities over a landscape (e. g. wetlands, grasslands, forests, over a region).

Edge • The border between two different plant communities, or similar plant communities of different age classes

Wildlife Use of Various Stages of Land Cover Type

Ecotone • The area directly affected by edges; the transition zone between different plant communities which are different species or different age classes

Old-field Succession Showing Changes of Vegetation and Wildlife

Vertical Diversity • The extent to which plants are layered within a stand • The degree of layering is determined by the arrangement of growth forms (trees, shrubs, vines, lichens, and mosses); by the distribution of different tree species having different heights and crown characteristics, and by trees of the same species

Horizontal Diversity • The complexity and arrangement of plant communities and other habitats and habitat components over a given area

The four components every species requires are…

Carrying Capacity/Limiting Factor Biological Carrying Capacity (BCC) – The maximum number of individuals that the habitat can maintain over time before experiencing habitat decline. Cultural Carrying Capacity (CCC) – The maximum number of individuals that society will tolerate. Limiting Factor – The element that limits the number of individuals that utilize suitable habitat. A limiting factor may not prevent a population from reaching the habitat’s carrying capacity.

Wildlife managers determine a species needs, evaluate the habitat to determine what the limiting factor(s) is(are), and then decide how best to manipulate (manage) the habitat to attain the desired goal.

Wildlife Management Goal: To balance the needs of wildlife and the needs of people for the benefit of all.

Wildlife Management: A Historical Perspective

Pre-colonial Forest

Early Settlements 1600’s

Height of Intensive Farming 1790

Early Farm Abandonment 1840’s

White Pine Forest Late 1800’s

Early Successional Oak Forest Early to mid-1900’s

How do we manage wildlife?