Kean University Environmental Science Giant Panda Paper

Topic 4 – Evaluation of Factors Influencing the Survival, Spread, and Abundance of a Selected Species

Choose an endangered species or pest species you are interested in learning more about.

For an endangered species, indicate which of the following factors appear to be the most important management problems: reproductive rate or mating restrictions, poor dispersal or mobility, habitat disturbance, food or water requirements, temperature requirements, competition, predation or hunting pressure, disease. (a) What is your evidence or reasoning for the importance (or lack of importance) of each factor? (b) Explain what steps would be most effective in helping to maintain the species, and how practical this would be.

For a selected pest species, which of the following appear to be most important in promoting its spread and abundance: high reproductive rate, ability to disperse, habitat disturbance, broad diet, lack of competition or predation, broad tolerance of enviromental variation such as variation in temperature and water availability. (a) What is your evidence or reasoning for the importance (or lack of importance) of each factor in promoting the growth or spread of the pest species? (b) Explain what steps would be most effective in controlling the species, and how practical this would be.