NRES 250: EXAM #3 | QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS |
2025/2026 UPDATE | WITH COMPLETE SOLUTION
What are the ecological services (roles) do wetland provide? Why are these
important? Answer - Water storage to mitigate flooding and erosion, reduce
sediment and nutrients to improve water quality, sequester atmospheric
carbon, groundwater recharge
What do fish use wetlands for? Answer - Spawning and rearing habitat
What is an ephemeral wetland? Answer - Wetlands only wet in spring time
How do land use practices in the watershed affect stream habitats? Answer -
Watershed:
Drainage basin
All land practice impact
Everything on the land flows into the water
Which is more influential related to stream habitat degradation: in-stream
problems or problems in the watershed? Answer - Problems in the watershed
What are some of the important functions of a riparian zone one streams?
Answer - Riparian zones are critical because they link food webs together and
because ag vs. forested
,What are the effects of different forestry practices on riparian zones? Answer -
- forest management critical to stream health
- forests provides erosion control and thermal benefits
- woody debris important stream habitat
- clear-cutting increases sediment loads and stream temperatures
- develop better strategies (selective harvest- small, strategic cuts)
- no logging at all
What are some common stream degradation issues? Answer - - sedimentation
- habitat loss (physical and thermal)
- increase BOD
- altered channel morphology
- flooding
- fish passage
- toxins
- fishing is poor
Point-source pollution Answer - A problem that can be directly attributed to a
specific location
Non-point pollution Answer - Problem might be obvious, but now one single
source can be directly identified
Which is better: preservation or restoration? And why? Answer - Preservation
or "natural" condition in stream and watershed is the best approach
- An ounce of prevention is work point of cure
- Restoration often not 100% successful in replicating natural conditions
, - Preservation takes priority over restoration
What are some types of in-stream habitat modifications that we can do?
Answer - Bank covers often improve populations, de-brushing, brush bundles,
half logs often do not important populations
Which species, brook or brown trout, is more tolerant of lower dissolved
oxygen (DO) levels and warmer temperatures? Answer - Brown Trout
How are trout typically distributed within a stream? Answer - - Headwaters =
brook trout
- Middle sections = both
- Lower sections = brown trout
- Lowest sections = large brown trout
- These are all typically in low order streams (1-3)
How do we typically sample stream trout in Wisconsin?
What gear/s? Answer - Electrofishing
Which performs better in Wisconsin streams, wild or domestic trout? Answer -
Wild trout because they survival is 2-4 times greater
What are some common harvest regulations for trout in Wisconsin streams?
(more than just numbers and sizes) Answer - - Creel and length limits
- Gear restrictions (fish-flying only, artificial only, single hook)
- Many stream-specific
- Many specific to stream segments or reaches
- Trophy regulations
2025/2026 UPDATE | WITH COMPLETE SOLUTION
What are the ecological services (roles) do wetland provide? Why are these
important? Answer - Water storage to mitigate flooding and erosion, reduce
sediment and nutrients to improve water quality, sequester atmospheric
carbon, groundwater recharge
What do fish use wetlands for? Answer - Spawning and rearing habitat
What is an ephemeral wetland? Answer - Wetlands only wet in spring time
How do land use practices in the watershed affect stream habitats? Answer -
Watershed:
Drainage basin
All land practice impact
Everything on the land flows into the water
Which is more influential related to stream habitat degradation: in-stream
problems or problems in the watershed? Answer - Problems in the watershed
What are some of the important functions of a riparian zone one streams?
Answer - Riparian zones are critical because they link food webs together and
because ag vs. forested
,What are the effects of different forestry practices on riparian zones? Answer -
- forest management critical to stream health
- forests provides erosion control and thermal benefits
- woody debris important stream habitat
- clear-cutting increases sediment loads and stream temperatures
- develop better strategies (selective harvest- small, strategic cuts)
- no logging at all
What are some common stream degradation issues? Answer - - sedimentation
- habitat loss (physical and thermal)
- increase BOD
- altered channel morphology
- flooding
- fish passage
- toxins
- fishing is poor
Point-source pollution Answer - A problem that can be directly attributed to a
specific location
Non-point pollution Answer - Problem might be obvious, but now one single
source can be directly identified
Which is better: preservation or restoration? And why? Answer - Preservation
or "natural" condition in stream and watershed is the best approach
- An ounce of prevention is work point of cure
- Restoration often not 100% successful in replicating natural conditions
, - Preservation takes priority over restoration
What are some types of in-stream habitat modifications that we can do?
Answer - Bank covers often improve populations, de-brushing, brush bundles,
half logs often do not important populations
Which species, brook or brown trout, is more tolerant of lower dissolved
oxygen (DO) levels and warmer temperatures? Answer - Brown Trout
How are trout typically distributed within a stream? Answer - - Headwaters =
brook trout
- Middle sections = both
- Lower sections = brown trout
- Lowest sections = large brown trout
- These are all typically in low order streams (1-3)
How do we typically sample stream trout in Wisconsin?
What gear/s? Answer - Electrofishing
Which performs better in Wisconsin streams, wild or domestic trout? Answer -
Wild trout because they survival is 2-4 times greater
What are some common harvest regulations for trout in Wisconsin streams?
(more than just numbers and sizes) Answer - - Creel and length limits
- Gear restrictions (fish-flying only, artificial only, single hook)
- Many stream-specific
- Many specific to stream segments or reaches
- Trophy regulations
