Nature in the City Quiz

IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEM

• What is a Disturbance Ecologist?
  
• What are some examples of exotic species, and how do they effect an ecosystem? Can you name some exotic species from your area?
  
• The earthworms that Lee studies are originally from Europe. How do you think they got to North America all the way from Europe? In what way are these earthworms damaging the edge of urban ecosystems?
  
• Cindy Hale also works with earthworms, but she works in a greenhouse. Why might it be a good idea to run an experiment in a greenhouse instead of in the field?
  
• Lee Frelich and Andy Holdsworth use deer exclosures in their research in their research projects. Would you expect to find more sugar maple seedlings inside or outside the deer exclosure?
  

FINDING A SOLUTION

• Jeff Gillman works with certain plant diseases. What major disease affects urban American Elm trees all over North America?
  
• How many species of elm tree does Jeff work with? Why does he work with so many different kinds?
  
• What disease is Jeff using in his rosebush research? In his experiment, what particular defensive chemical element is Jeff studying? So far, are his experimental results agreeing with his hypothesis?
  
• What are some ways plants protect themselves from hungry insects?
  
• What are hydroponics? Why might researchers use hydroponics instead of soil?
  

APPLYING THE CONTROL

• Why do cities need natural resource managers like John Moriarty?
• Why might deer populations in urban areas get so high? What are some negative impacts on the urban ecosystem due to large population sizes?
  
• What are some ways natural resource managers control white tailed deer populations?
  
• What characteristics do managers look for in deer that are being removed from an area? What does this information tell them about what would happen if they didn't remove the deer? How do they figure out how old a deer is?
  
• What is the name of the exotic plant species that John works with? How can this non-native species be so abundant? What can the introduction of exotic species do to a healthy, balanced ecosystem?