Introduction
In this week’s discussion you will explore ideas on how habitat selection can lead to species’ restoration challenges such as ecological or perceptual traps. Habitat management is a primary tool for managing populations. Understanding the process of habitat selection and the implications for actions that modify habitat are important for successful management.
Last week you discussed the myriad of ecological concepts that might be applied to wildlife management, with a more detailed focus on the habitat concept. This week’s discussion starts to focus on habitat-based concepts and ideas that are directly relevant to the applied ecology that wildlife managers practice. As discussed in the Week 1 Video Lecture, wildlife managers typically view management as focused on increasing or decreasing populations or sustaining populations at their current level. Both of this week’s readings focus on the increasing restoration goals and the challenges that animal behavior, habitat selection, pose for managers.
Initial Post
Due Date: 3 AM ET, Thursday
Utilize the Hale and Swearer (2017) and Stadtmann and Seddon (2020) readings as well as other materials to inform your responses to the prompts.
Placing yourself in the role of a wildlife manager, provide your thoughts on how the ideas in Stadtmann and Seddon (2020) and Hale and Swearer (2017) inform the establishment (intentional or unintentional) of exotic species and how you might manage an exotic species of wildlife (i.e., a species not historically found in the area). Your answer should draw from both papers as well as utilize examples from other literature (provide at least one additional citation to justify your stance).
Responses
Due Date: 3 AM ET, Monday
Respond to a minimum of three of your peers. In your response, you should rely on additional sources and address the response prompts. Be sure to follow up on any responses to your comments.
- Provide your perspective on your peer’s thoughts on application of the ecological/perceptual trap concepts to exotic species management. How is their understanding of the role of habitat selection in species establishment/re-establishment different or similar to your own?
Rubric
| Criteria | Ratings | Pts |
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Initial Post
Integrates both discussion readings and applies ideas to exotic species. Discusses how ideas inform both understanding establishment as well as possible management options. Includes at least one outside source. Submits initial post by 3 AM ET on Thursday. Clearly communicates using grammar, formatting, spelling, and terminology effective for the discipline.
threshold: pts
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This area will be used by the assessor to leave comments related to this criterion.
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pts
6 pts
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Responses
Responds to at least three peers. Addresses similarities and differences in understanding of the application of ecological and perceptual traps to exotic species introductions and management. Utilizes at least one outside source. Clearly communicates using grammar, formatting, spelling, and terminology effective for the discipline.
threshold: pts
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This area will be used by the assessor to leave comments related to this criterion.
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pts
6 pts
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Sources
Integrates both learning material sources and outside sources relevant to the discussion and cites using Journal of Wildlife Management style in-text citations with a reference section. Relies primarily on peer-reviewed sources.
threshold: pts
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This area will be used by the assessor to leave comments related to this criterion.
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pts
2 pts
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