Spring 2024_Bios 236_Ecology of Fear HW

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Apr 3, 2024

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Name ___Almaas Syed_______ BIOS 236—Spring 2024 Ecology of Fear Homework Due Tuesday, March 12 th , 2024, at 11:59pm 30 pts. This homework is about the NOVA episode, Nature’s Fear Factor. The episode takes place in Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique. Formerly a world-famous wilderness filled with diverse species, it had been heavily affected by a 15-year-long civil war and the following aftermath. When researchers returned to evaluate what wildlife was left, they found that the ecosystem was out of whack, with many species absent and some species abnormally abundant. Watch the 53-minute video below and answer the questions that follow. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/video/natures-fear-factor/ Homework must be typed and submitted via blackboard as a PDF or WORD document only. 1. What percentage of Gorongosa’s large mammals had disappeared as a result of the war? (2 pts.) Between 90-95% of large mammals had disappeared as a result of the war. 2. What two grazing species had overpopulated Gorongosa before the reintroduction of predators? (2 pts.) The waterbuck and the bushbuck overpopulated Gorongosa before the reintroduction of predators. 3. What species of predator was re-introduced to Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique? (2 pts.) African wild dogs were reintroduced to Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique. 4. Why were they reintroduced? (2 pts.) They were meant to control the herbivore population which in turn creates a healthier ecosystem within Gorongosa National Park 5. What is a “landscape of fear?” (4 pts.) Landscape of fear is when predators are present, the entire area shifts its behavior to reduce the risk of being hunted.
6. What is a major impact of fear on prey species? (2 pts.) The major impact of fear of prey species is that their diet is affected. They will find food in closer areas consisting of dense nutrients. 7. Studies of insects raised in enclosures with and without predators showed what? (2 pts.) Fewer offspring were produced as well as poorer reproduction quality with predators present were shown. Without predators, more offspring were produced as well as higher quality offspring. 8. What did experiments with predator vocalizations show? (2 pts.) Prey species alter their behaviors such as decreasing movements, foraging and other vital factors for survival. 9. How did researchers use fear to keep elephants from raiding villages near the park border? (2 pts.) Researchers used beehive fences around the perimeter of the village to prevent elephants from entering it; elephants are highly afraid of bees due to the damage their sting causes. 10. What did the DNA research on bushbuck diet reveal about the quality of food the animals were eating? (2 pts.) Bushbuck diets show that they consist of plant-based nutrient foods. 11. What happened to the bushbuck diet when wild dogs were reintroduced? (2 pts.) The bushbucks avoided areas that were more open and vulnerable to predators, they changed their location of foraging, which in turn resulted in a different diet. 12. In Illinois, large predators like wolves, mountain lions, fishers, martens, and bears were wiped out more than 100 years ago. Discuss how this absence of large predators might affect the populations of grazing mammals and meso-predators (medium-sized predators) like raccoons and opossums. (6 pts.) There may be a surplus of species that are herbivores, thus the ecosystem become less diverse, and healthy.
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