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Conservation Biology (Extinction Risk (The Meaning of Extinct (types of…
Conservation Biology
Extinction Risk
Problems of Small Populaitons
factors that determine effective population size
population fluctuations and bottlenecks
founder effect
when a few individuals leave one population and establish a new population
variation in reproductive output
unequal sex ratio
main reasons for local extinction
environmental fluctuations due to variation in predation, competition, disease, and food supply as well as natural catastrophes that occur at irregular intervals, such as fires, floods, storms, or droughts
demographic fluctuations due to random variation in birth and death rates
loss of genetic diversity and related problems of inbreeding depression and genetic drift
inbreeding depression
an individual receives two identical copies of a defective allele from its parents
genetic drift
random process of allele frequency change
Vulnerability to Extinction
additional features that put species at risk
permanent or temporary aggregations
low tolerance for disturbance
specialized niche requirements
little genetic variation
limited dispersal ablility
slow reproduction
large body size
large home range
features predictive of extinction
hunting or harvesting by people
island habitat
small population size
only one or a few populations
narrow geographic range
Measuring Extinction
island biogeography model
insular biogeography
explores species diversity in isolated natural communities
used to predict how many species will go extinct to habitat loss
explains species-area relationship
S=CA^Z
islands with large areas have more species than islands with smaller areas
background extinction rates
species last about 1-10 million years before it goes extinct or evolves
The Meaning of Extinct
extinction rates in aquatic environments
some of the highest rates of extinction have been recorded for freshwater fishes
human-caused mass extinction
elimination of large mammals from Australia and the Americas when humans first colonized these continents
types of extinction
extinct
no member of the species is found alive anywhere in the world
functionally extinct
it persists at such reduced numbers that its effects on the other species in its community are negligible
locally extinct
the species is no longer found in a specific area it once inhabited
extinct in the wild
individuals of the species only remain alive in captivity
Defining Conservation Biology
Looking to the Future
The Organizational Values of Conservation Biology
The New Science of Conservation Biology
Goals
Investigate human impact on species, genetic variation and ecosystems
Develop practical approaches to prevent extinction of species, maintain genetic diversity and protect/restore biological communities
Document full range of biological activity
Uses broad range of scientific fields
Religious/philosophical beliefs form the foundation of conservation
Michael Soule organized the first international conference for conservation biology in 1978 :
Biological Diversity
"The complete range of species, biological communities, and their ecosystems interactions and genetic variation within species"
Increasing number of humans has direct harmful impacts on diversity of the world
The Value of Biodiversity
Ecological and Environmental Economics
Cost-benefit analysis
Compares the benefits gained against the costs of a project
precautionary principle
the risk of a project may be greater than the benefit
ex. wind turbines that could harm endangered birds
Financing conservation
Cost-effectiveness analysis
How to get the most benefit with our budget
Ecosystem Services
Proisioning services
material/energy output of an ecosystem
Regulating services
regulate quality of air, water, and soil
Cultural services
inspiration for art, design, music, and other cultural expressions
Measuring an Economy
GDP
GPI
EPI
Use Values
Direct use values
examples
Productive use value
resources that are harvested from the wild and sold in national/international commercial markets
Consumptive use value
local goods that do not leave an area
Indirect use values
examples
Water and soil protection
wetland ecosystem services include waste treatment, water purification, and flood control
Climate regulation
plants help regulate local climates
Ecosystem productivity
as species are lost, overall productivity declines
Amenity value
exerience of nature can be enjoyable and improve health
Educational and scientific value
Option Value
Bioprospecting
The search for new plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms that can provide some economic value in the future
The potential of biodiversity to provide an economic benefit to human society at some point in the future
Environmental Ethics
Ethical values
intrinsic value
each species has a right to exist
species/ecosystems are interdependent, so all parts of nature should be protected
Deep Ecology
"the intuition that all things in the biosphere have an equal right to live and blossom and to reach their own individual forms of unfolding"
Non-use Values
existence value
Threats to Biodiversity: Habitat Change
Human Population Growth and Its Impact
major threats to biodiversity
habitat destructions
habitat fragmentation
pollution
global climate change
over exploitation of resources
invasive species
spread of disease
ecological footprint
per capita influence a group of people has on the surrounding environment and locations across the globe
Habitat Destruction
tropical rain forests destruction
commodity-driven
agriculture
mining
energy infrastructure
forestry
shifting cultivation
subsistence farming in which trees are cut down and then burn
wildfires
other threatened habitats
tropical deciduous forests
easier than rain forests to burn
grasslands
almost completely destroyed by human activites
freshwater habitats
marine coastal areas
mangroves
coral reefs
contain 1/3 of the ocean's fish species
desertification
9 million km^2 converted to human-made deserts
Habitat Fragmentation
habitat fragments differ from original habitat
fragments have greater amount of edge per area of habitat
the center of a habitat fragment is closer to an edge
habitat fragments host smaller populations than the original habitat
limits species dispersal and colonization
restricts access to food and mates
creates smaller populations
edge effects
changes in light, humidity, temperature, and wind that may be less favorable for species living there
Environmental Degradation and Pollution
pesticide pollution
bio-magnification
pesticides become concentrated as they ascend the food chain
DDT
water pollution
negative consequences for all species
destroys food sources
contaminates drinking water
microplastics
air pollution
acid rain
lowers pH of rainwater, soil moister and water bodies
most amphibians depend on bodies of water for reproduction
damages plant and animal species
ozone production and nitrogen deposition
smog
toxic metals
directly poisonous to plant and animal life
can cause permanent injury to children
Climate Change and Other Threats to Biodiversity
Global Climate Change
greenhouse effect
traps energy within the earth's atmosphere
caused by greenhouse gasses
increased by human activities
EPICA findings
carbon dioxide concentrations ahve varied significantly over time
temperature fluctuations have followed CO2 levels in a consistent pattern
for hundreds of thousands of years, the level of atmospheric CO2 was never higher than 300 ppmn, while current levels are more than 400 ppmv
effects of rising temperatures
increased incidence of heat waves
melting glaciers and polar ice
rising sea level
earlier spring activity
shifts in species ranges
population delines
ocean acidification
coral bleaching
Overexploitation
international wildlife trade
multibillion dollar industry
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)
major targeted groups
primates
birds
reptiles
ornamental fish
reef corals
orchids
cacti
trees
Commercial harvesting
Invasive Species
sources of invasive species
European colonization
agriculture, horticulture, aquaculture
accidental transport
accidental transport
biological control
threats posed by invasive species
competition for resources
predation and parasitism
changes in ecosystem process
alteration of abiotic conditions
invasive species often thrive in areas where human activities ave changed the environment
GMOs
have the potential to become invasive
Disease
White Nose Syndrome
affects millions of bats across the US
principles of epidemiology
high rate of contactbetween host and pathogen/parasite encourages the spread of disease
indirect effects of habitat destruction can increase an organism's susceptibility to disease
in many conservation areas, species come into contact with other species that they would rarely see in the wild, so infections can spread from one species to another
Restoration Ecology
Conserving Populations and Species
Protected Areas
Establishing New Populations and Ex Situ Conservation
Conservation Outside Protected Areas
What is Biodiversity?
The Challenges of Sustainable Development
An Agenda for the Future