NATRS 461 Wildlife Ecology

Background Notes & Developing Hypothesis

Use the library encyclopedias and online indexes on this page to locate basic profile information for species or habitat features, or concerns that might lead to the development of an observation-based research question. Note that classifications and level of documentation vary between federal and state resources, so check both!

Species Profiles - Federal, State, Reference

Habitat Profiles - Federal, State, Reference

Key to the ECOS profile

  • Name of the Speciesincludes the scientific name
     
  • Federal Endangered / Threatened Listing Status - The Federal status and the Washington State status might be different!
     
  • Federal Register documents - includes notes from any Congressional hearings / reviews on the "Endangered/Threatened" status of the species, if any are available. Depending on the species this can be a useful way to review recent concerns about conservation / habitat / recovery of the species. (Be patient and be prepared to zoom the document to read as needed- the formatting is compact.)
     
  • Recovery & Critical Habitat - if the species has any federally monitored recovery conditions or key habitats, they are listed here.
     
  • Conservation Plans - if available, completed conservation plans for specific areas are available here. These can be useful local examples.

NatureServe Species Profile Key

In order to expand or collapse any of the sections, click on that section's heading. The table of contents (all available sections) is on the lower-left.

  • Species Name - includes the scientific name and other common names (English)
     
  • Conservation Status - includes information about the federal classification of the species and estimated populations sizes. Also includes some brief comments on threats / population trends / stability.
     
  • Distribution - shows where the species occurs within the U.S. and the level of threat the species faces in each state. Includes listings of the counties / watersheds the species is believed to inhabit.
     
  • Ecology & Life History - Notes on the life cycle and major characteristics of the species, as well as any co-dependent habitats or species.
     
  • References - Listing of reports and research works cited for the profile. A useful list to start tracking down more information.

Other Useful eBooks

Reference Books