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Basics of
Various Aspects of Wildlife Ecology Can Be Wildlife
Applied to Many Fundamental Curriculum Concepts. Ecology
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There’s much more to wildlife ecology than . . .
romance and cute little animals!
.
Basics of
Wildlife
WHAT IS WILDLIFE? Ecology
Game species only? Non-game species? Fish?
Insects, worms, bacteria?
How about the plants and fungi that support the
animal population?
Inter & intra-relationships between individuals and
populations?
Reactions to the physical environment?
Origin of the term?
“Wildlife includes all the animals associated with a particular
ecosystem. However, knowledge about wildlife is largely
restricted to game species, threatened & endangered species,
and other species of economic importance”.
Basics of
VERTEBRATES Wildlife
Ecology
Vertebrates are animals with backbones. There are about 400
species of vertebrates that occur in the Upper Peninsula. If you
include all the other types of species, the count would easily reach
into the thousands. Nobody knows that number for certain.
BIRDS: waterfowl, songbirds, raptors & owls, shorebirds, woodpeckers,
gallinaceous birds, crows & jays, hummingbirds, and many others.
FISH: game fish, panfish, minnows, bottom-feeders, cold water, warm water
MAMMALS: rodents, bats, squirrels, weasels, deer, bear, cats, and many
others.
HERPETILES (amphibians & reptiles): salamanders, toads, frogs, turtles,
lizards, snakes, and others.
Basics of
NUMBER OF MICHIGAN SPECIES Wildlife
Ecology
Number of Game
Vertebrates Species Species
• Birds 306 40 Plus . . .
• Fish 146 50 15,000-20,000 Insects
• Mammals 68 23 195 Snails
• Reptiles 30 1 79 Mollusks
• Amphibians 25 1 ?? Other Taxa
Total Species 575 115
Source: Winter 2000 “Spotting Scope.” MDNR databases. MSU Extension sources.
Basics of
THE SPECIES ! Wildlife
Ecology
ABOUT 400 SPECIES OF VERTEBRATES IN THE U.P.
Basics of
Wildlife
THREATENED & ENDANGERED Ecology
Endangered (42 animals in Michigan): Any species of fish, plant life,
or wildlife that is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant part
of its range, other than a species of insect as determined by the
Department, or the Secretary, of the United States Department of the
Interior to constitute a pest whose protection under this part would
present an overwhelming and overriding risk to humans.
Threatened (39 animals in Michigan): Any species which is likely to
become an endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all
or a significant portion of its range.
Basics of
OTHER “T&E” DEFINITIONS Wildlife
Ecology
Special Concern: While not afforded legal protection under the Act, many of
these species are of concern because of declining or relict populations in the
State. Should these species continue to decline, they would be recommended
for Threatened or Endangered status. Protection of Special Concern species
now, before they reach dangerously low population levels, would prevent the
need to list them in the future by maintaining adequate numbers of self-
sustaining populations within Michigan. Some other potentially rare species are
listed as of Special Concern pending more precise information on their status in
the state; when such information becomes available, they could be moved to
Threatened or Endangered status or deleted from the list.
Extinct: Any species which can no longer be found anywhere in the world.
Extirpated (10 animals in Michigan, mostly fish): Any species
which can no longer be found in the State of Michigan, but which can be found
elsewhere in the world.
Basics of
Wildlife
FOREST ECOLOGY BASICS Ecology
COMPOSITION
STRUCTURE
FUNCTION
Basics of
Wildlife
COMPOSITION Ecology
Genetic Diversity - Gene Pools
Species, Number of Species &
Species Abundance
Populations of Animals & Plants
Species Associations & Community
Diversity
Ecosystem Diversity
Basics of
Wildlife
INVASIVE SPECIES Ecology
Ecological - Economic - Aesthetic values
Displaces native plants & animals, including T&Es
42% of USA have declined due to exotics (FWS)
Degrades diverse biological communities
Can alter: hydrological patterns, soil chemistry, erodibility,
moisture-holding capacity, fire susceptibility
Harbors pests, pathogens, toxins
(i.e. garlic mustard, Scotch pine, soybean aphid)
Annual monetary costs run into the billions of dollars
Over 40,000 introduced species are catalogued in N.A.
Basics of
Wildlife
A FEW U.P. EXAMPLES Ecology
Gypsy Moth Dutch Elm Disease
Zebra Mussel Oak Wilt
Purple Loosestrife White Pine Blister Rust
Spotted Knapweed Eurasian Water Milfoil
Garlic Mustard Buckthorn (2 species)
Sea Lamprey Larch Casebearer
Beech Bark Disease Asian Lady Beetle
Michigan Invasive Plant Council:
http://www.msue.msu.edu/mipc
Basics of
Wildlife
STRUCTURE Ecology
Vertical & Horizontal
Spatial Heterogeneity & Density
Edge Effect
Islands & Fragmentation
Dead Trees & Snags
Micro-Environments
Appearance
Basics of
Wildlife
VERTICAL STRUCTURE Ecology
Vertical structure refers to the “ladder-like”
arrangement in a forest.
Dominant
Co-Dominant Co-Dominant
Intermediate Intermediate
Suppressed
Shrubs
Ground Cover
Adapted from Baughman, et al., 1993. Woodland Stewardship. P. 17.
Basics of
Wildlife
HORIZONTAL STRUCTURE Ecology
Stand density and crown cover within timber stands
and across the landscape is horizontal structure.
40% 80% 100%
Adapted from Baughman, et al., 1993. Woodland Stewardship. P. 20.
Basics of
EDGES, SNAGS, AND Wildlife
FRAGMENTATION Ecology
Edge Effect
Large Snags
Forest Fragmentation
Green. 1995. Birds and Forests. P.55. UM-Cartography Lab.
Basics of
Wildlife
FUNCTION Ecology
Energy Capture & Trophics
Weathering
Mineral & Nutrient Cycling
Water Movement
Temperature & Humidity
Succession & Disturbance
Basics of
Wildlife
ENERGY CAPTURE Ecology
10%
Energy Capture
Trophic Levels
Basics of
Wildlife
CYCLING Ecology
Ecosystem
Gains Losses
Nutrient, Mineral, and Water Cycling
Basics of
Wildlife
SUCCESSION Ecology
Grasses Shrubs & Young Mature Old
& Forbs Saplings Forest Forest Forest
Wisconsin DNR, 1995. Wisconsin’s Biodiversity as a Management Issue. P. 22.
Basics of
Wildlife
DISTURBANCE Ecology
Forested ecosystems are dependent upon disturbance for
renewal and to provide biological diversity. The plants and
animals in a forest don’t know whether the disturbance is
caused by natural events or human-caused events.
Natural Events Human-Caused Events
Fire Fire
Wind Harvest
Animals Pollution
Flooding Development
Diseases/Insects Exotic Introductions
Basics of
Wildlife
WHAT IS HABITAT? Ecology
Site Quality
• Soil, Topography, Climate Extremes, Precipitation, Drought Periods
Space and Home Range
• Proximity, Diversity, Seasonality
Food & Water
• Seasonality, Variety, Preferences, Nutrition
Shelter
• Weather, Cover, Young, Display, Resting/Roosting
Variability
• Different Species Can Have Widely Different Requirements
• That Can Change With the Seasons and Life Stage.
Basics of
Wildlife
POPULATIONS vs. INDIVIDUALS Ecology
Age Structure
Sex Ratio
Natality & Mortality Generalists?
Lifespan Obligates?
Interspecific Dynamics Facultative?
Intraspecific Dynamics
Preferences?
Territoriality
Home Range Opportunistic?
Migrations
Carrying Capacity
Basics of
Wildlife
POPULATION DYNAMICS Ecology
S-curve of population growth
Annual cycles
Short and long-term cycles
Irregular and irruptive cycles
Basics of
THEORETICAL Wildlife
Ecology
POPULATION GROWTH
The “S” Curve
s-curve
POPULATION
TIME
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
ANNUAL CYCLES
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Spring
cycles
Summer
annual
Fall
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Spring
Summer
Ecology
Basics of
Wildlife
Fall
Basics of
LONG-TERM CYCLES Wildlife
Canada Lynx, Hudson Bay Company Ecology
1000s Furs
hare
cycle
Year
Source: Elton & Nicholson (1942) in Dasmann (1964), p.173.
Basics of
IRRUPTIVE CYCLES Wildlife
Raccoon, Hudson Bay Company Ecology
Number of raccoon
Raccoons Taken
cycle
Source: Elton & Nicholson (1942) in Dasmann (1964), p.179.
Basics of
AN IRRUPTIVE CYCLE Wildlife
Kaibab Deer Herd Ecology
100
80
60
kaiba Long-term
40 Habitat
b deer Damage
20
0
1900 1905 1910 1915 1920 1925 1930 1935 1940
Source: Elton & Nicholson (1942) in Dasmann (1964), p.166.
Basics of
Wildlife
Ecology
I “toad” you there was more to wildlife ecology than romance
and cute little animals!
Basics of
Wildlife
DEER HABITAT Ecology
Keep in mind that the State of Michigan owns those deer and all
the wildlife, unless … You have lots of money for a fence!
Clearcut mature aspen stands, under 40 acres, maximize edge,
feathered edges.
Encourage small oak groves, stump sprouts.
Plant small openings to nutritious perennial grasses & herbs.
In hardwoods, use group selection or small clearcuts to encourage
oak and other browse species.
Consider the distance between winter thermal cover and winter
feeding areas.
Remember that high deer populations can have negative effects on
forest regeneration and other species of wildlife. High populations
also stress agriculture and cause increased automobile crash rates.
Basics of
Wildlife
GROUSE & WOODCOCK Ecology
Provide a multi-aged patchwork of aspen stands through age 40
or 50 years, especially mature male aspen.
Few grouse move more than two miles from where they’re born,
or move beyond their 8-10 acre home range.
Provide drumming logs and space around the drumming logs.
If possible, watch where grouse feed in tree tops (easiest in
spring during catkin flush) and favor popular clones over lesser
used clones.
Work with adjacent landowners to make small harvests
economical for the logger.
Basics of
Wildlife
SONGBIRDS Ecology
Harvest or cut in the fall or winter. Fewer birds, less disturbance,
not the breeding season.
Think small scale, many species range within a half-acre during the
critical breeding season.
Encourage berry and seed-bearing shrubs.
Encourage large snags … 6-10 per acre.
Canopy with 50-75 percent cover.
Good vertical structure.
Keep the livestock out.
Lots of edge.
Ignore most of the above if you’re interested in deep woods species.
Basics of
Wildlife
FORESTRY AND WILDLIFE Ecology
Woodland wildlife is managed by manipulating the forest
to provide the kind and variety of habitat needed.
Forestry practices in the U.P. have many effects:
• encourages plant diversity
• encourages forest regeneration
• causes multiple age distributions
• provides “edge”
• creates horizontal and vertical structure
• adds more micro-environments
• accelerates system metabolism & nutrient cycling
