NR 220 Wildlife Ecology &
Conservation Study Guide OA Final
Exam Questions with Correct
Solutions|| Updated 2025/2026 A+
Graded||100% Guaranteed Pass!!!
This guide covers fundamental principles of wildlife ecology, management techniques,
conservation challenges, and key species concepts.
Section 1: Basic Ecological Principles
1. What is ecology?
ANSWER ✓ The scientific study of the interactions between organisms and their
environment, including both biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) components.
2. What is a population in ecological terms?
ANSWER ✓ A group of individuals of the same species that live in the same area and can
potentially interbreed.
3. What is a community?
ANSWER ✓ An assemblage of different populations of various species that live together
in a defined area.
4. What is an ecosystem?
ANSWER ✓ A community of organisms (biotic) interacting with their physical
environment (abiotic) as a system. (e.g., a forest, a lake, a grassland).
,5. What is a biome?
ANSWER ✓ A large geographical area characterized by its distinct climate, flora, and
fauna. (e.g., Tundra, Tropical Rainforest, Desert).
6. What is the difference between a habitat and a niche?
ANSWER ✓ A habitat is the place where an organism lives (its address). A niche is the
organism's role in that place, including its use of resources and interactions with other
species (its profession).
7. Define carrying capacity (K).
ANSWER ✓ The maximum number of individuals of a species that an environment can
support sustainably, given the available resources like food, water, and shelter.
8. What are density-dependent factors?
ANSWER ✓ Factors that influence population growth based on the population's size.
Their intensity changes with population density. (e.g., competition for food, disease,
predation, parasitism).
9. What are density-independent factors?
ANSWER ✓ Factors that influence population growth regardless of the population's size
or density. (e.g., natural disasters like wildfires, hurricanes, droughts, and human
activities like deforestation).
10. What is the difference between exponential and logistic growth?
ANSWER ✓ Exponential growth (J-curve) is unlimited growth under ideal
conditions. Logistic growth (S-curve) is growth that slows as the population
approaches carrying capacity due to limiting factors.
, Section 2: Wildlife Management & Conservation
11. What is the goal of wildlife management?
ANSWER ✓ To balance the needs of wildlife with the needs of people using science to
manage populations and habitats for a desired outcome.
12. What is the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation?
ANSWER ✓ A set of principles that define how wildlife is managed in the U.S. and
Canada. Its core tenets are that wildlife is held in the public trust (not private ownership),
and should be managed such that populations are sustained in perpetuity.
13. Name three key practices of habitat management.
ANSWER ✓ Prescribed burning, creating water sources (guzzlers), planting native
vegetation, and selective timber harvesting.
14. What is a keystone species?
ANSWER ✓ A species that has a disproportionately large effect on its environment
relative to its abundance. Their removal causes major shifts in the ecosystem. (e.g.,
beavers, wolves, sea otters).
15. What is an indicator species?
ANSWER ✓ A species whose presence, absence, or abundance reflects a specific
environmental condition. (e.g., amphibians like frogs indicate water quality; lichens
indicate air quality).
16. What is the difference between in-situ and ex-situ conservation?
ANSWER ✓ In-situ conservation is protecting species in their natural habitat (e.g.,
national parks, wildlife refuges). Ex-situ conservation is protecting species outside their
natural habitat (e.g., zoos, seed banks, aquariums).
17. What is the IUCN Red List and what do its categories (LC, NT, VU, EN, CR, EW,
EX) mean?
ANSWER ✓ The International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List categorizes
the global extinction risk of species.
Conservation Study Guide OA Final
Exam Questions with Correct
Solutions|| Updated 2025/2026 A+
Graded||100% Guaranteed Pass!!!
This guide covers fundamental principles of wildlife ecology, management techniques,
conservation challenges, and key species concepts.
Section 1: Basic Ecological Principles
1. What is ecology?
ANSWER ✓ The scientific study of the interactions between organisms and their
environment, including both biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) components.
2. What is a population in ecological terms?
ANSWER ✓ A group of individuals of the same species that live in the same area and can
potentially interbreed.
3. What is a community?
ANSWER ✓ An assemblage of different populations of various species that live together
in a defined area.
4. What is an ecosystem?
ANSWER ✓ A community of organisms (biotic) interacting with their physical
environment (abiotic) as a system. (e.g., a forest, a lake, a grassland).
,5. What is a biome?
ANSWER ✓ A large geographical area characterized by its distinct climate, flora, and
fauna. (e.g., Tundra, Tropical Rainforest, Desert).
6. What is the difference between a habitat and a niche?
ANSWER ✓ A habitat is the place where an organism lives (its address). A niche is the
organism's role in that place, including its use of resources and interactions with other
species (its profession).
7. Define carrying capacity (K).
ANSWER ✓ The maximum number of individuals of a species that an environment can
support sustainably, given the available resources like food, water, and shelter.
8. What are density-dependent factors?
ANSWER ✓ Factors that influence population growth based on the population's size.
Their intensity changes with population density. (e.g., competition for food, disease,
predation, parasitism).
9. What are density-independent factors?
ANSWER ✓ Factors that influence population growth regardless of the population's size
or density. (e.g., natural disasters like wildfires, hurricanes, droughts, and human
activities like deforestation).
10. What is the difference between exponential and logistic growth?
ANSWER ✓ Exponential growth (J-curve) is unlimited growth under ideal
conditions. Logistic growth (S-curve) is growth that slows as the population
approaches carrying capacity due to limiting factors.
, Section 2: Wildlife Management & Conservation
11. What is the goal of wildlife management?
ANSWER ✓ To balance the needs of wildlife with the needs of people using science to
manage populations and habitats for a desired outcome.
12. What is the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation?
ANSWER ✓ A set of principles that define how wildlife is managed in the U.S. and
Canada. Its core tenets are that wildlife is held in the public trust (not private ownership),
and should be managed such that populations are sustained in perpetuity.
13. Name three key practices of habitat management.
ANSWER ✓ Prescribed burning, creating water sources (guzzlers), planting native
vegetation, and selective timber harvesting.
14. What is a keystone species?
ANSWER ✓ A species that has a disproportionately large effect on its environment
relative to its abundance. Their removal causes major shifts in the ecosystem. (e.g.,
beavers, wolves, sea otters).
15. What is an indicator species?
ANSWER ✓ A species whose presence, absence, or abundance reflects a specific
environmental condition. (e.g., amphibians like frogs indicate water quality; lichens
indicate air quality).
16. What is the difference between in-situ and ex-situ conservation?
ANSWER ✓ In-situ conservation is protecting species in their natural habitat (e.g.,
national parks, wildlife refuges). Ex-situ conservation is protecting species outside their
natural habitat (e.g., zoos, seed banks, aquariums).
17. What is the IUCN Red List and what do its categories (LC, NT, VU, EN, CR, EW,
EX) mean?
ANSWER ✓ The International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List categorizes
the global extinction risk of species.
