Exam June 2017, questions PDF

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BIO00010H

Examination Candidate Number: _____________ Desk Number: _____________

University of York Department of Biology B. Sc Stage 3 Degree Examinations 2016-17 Conservation, Ecology and Biodiversity Time allowed: 2 hours Total marks available for this paper: 100 This paper has two parts: Section A: Short Answer / Problem / Experimental Design questions (50 marks) ● Answer all questions in the spaces provided on the examination paper Section B: Essay question (marked out of 100, weighted 50 marks) ● Answer either question A or question B ● Write your answer on the separate paper provided and attach it to the back of the question paper using the treasury tag provided ● The marks available for each question are indicated on the paper ● A calculator will be provided

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SECTION A: Short Answer / Problem / Experimental Design questions Answer all questions in the spaces provided Mark total for this section: 50

1. a) Imagine you are a PhD research student interested in studying the ecological impacts of tropical forest fragmentation on Borneo. These rainforests are dominated by dipterocarp trees, and you have the opportunity to observe and carry out experiments on dipterocarp seedlings. Draw a graph of how you predict the species richness of seedlings to vary among forest fragments in relation to fragment area. (2 marks)

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b) Insects are important herbivores of dipterocarp seedlings and you wish to understand if herbivory is related to site area. Describe the methods you would use to carry out this research investigation, including the data you would collect, how these data would be analysed, and the expected statistical outputs. (12 marks)

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c) Your research is examining whether study fragment area affects herbivory of seedlings, but imagine that you find no significant effects of area. Explain what you think the main reason for this non-significant result might be. (5 marks)

d) Describe an experimental manipulation you could carry out at your study sites to investigate if herbivory affects seedling growth and survival. (6 marks)

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2. Kerinci Seblat National Park in Sumatra is home to an estimated 180 tigers. Poaching has been monitored using ranger-based data since 2005 with snares detected per unit effort reported in the figure below. Females give birth to an average of three cubs every two years. Adults of both sexes survive with an average probability of 0.8 and cubs (up to one year) with 0.6.

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a) Rangers found evidence (blood / fur) on the snares that 20 tigers were poached in the last two years of high poaching activity. Assuming an even sex ratio, is this rate of poaching likely to reduce the population? (6 marks)

b) Assuming snare success has not changed, approximately how many tigers may have been poached during the period 2007 - 2011. (2 marks)

the space above this line should be sufficient for your answer

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c) Why is the estimate of 20 tigers poached likely to be an underestimate of true poaching rates, and what additional information could you gather to enable more accurate estimates? (7 marks)

the space above this line should be sufficient for your answer

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d) Sumatra is losing about 30% of primary forest per decade. It is also home to invasive species such as the tree Cecropia peltata that could transform forest ecosystems and feral dogs that carry Canine distemper virus, a disease that is rapidly fatal in tigers. If the Indonesian government asked for your help prioritising limited conservation resources for tigers, how would you advise them? (10 marks)

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SECTION B: Essay question Answer one question on the separate paper provided Remember to write your candidate number at the top of the page and indicate whether you have answered question A or B Mark total for this section: 50

EITHER A. What are the potential benefits and problems associated with conserving species outside their historical geographic distributions? OR B. Discuss whether priorities for conservation should be similar in tropical and temperate landscapes.

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