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Biodiversity

Biodiversity. Mr. Kling.

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Biodiversity

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  1. Biodiversity Mr. Kling

  2. “The worst thing that can happen during the 1980s is not energy depletion, economic collapse, limited nuclear war, or conquest by totalitarian government. As terrible as these catastrophes would be for us, they can be repaired within a few generations. The one process ongoing in the 1980s that will take millions of years to correct is the loss of genetic and species diversity by the destruction of natural habitats. This is the folly our descendants are least likely to forgive us.” - E. O. Wilson, testifying before Congress in support of the Endangered Species Act, 1982

  3. What is Biodiversity? • 1. Species Diversity - The number of different species within a given area or habitat. • 2. Habitat Diversity – The number of different habitats per unit area that a particular ecosystem or biome contains. • 3. Genetic Diversity – The range of genetic material present in a species or population.

  4. How did we get our Biodiversity? • Speciation • Process by which genetic traits in the population occur in response to environmental pressure. • Caused by natural selection • Often the result of isolation of populations • Sometimes the result of behavioral differences • Can take VERY long periods of time

  5. What is at stake? • 1/4 of bird species are extinct. • The following are threatened: • 24% of mammal species • 12% of bird species • 25% of reptile species • 30% of fish species • The rate of species extinction today is estimated at 100 to 1000 times the normal rate at which species disappear.

  6. Definitions • Extinct Species: No longer exists. • Endangered Species: Has so few individual survivors that the species could soon become extinct. • Threatened Species: Still abundant, but because of declining numbers is likely to become endangered in the near future.

  7. Extirpated: Locally extinct. • Endemic species: Those only found in one place. • Hotspot: Region with a high abundance of biodiversity. • Keystone Species: Have a large effect on their environment.

  8. International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) • Publishes the annual Red List, the world standard for listing the world’s threatened species. • www.iucnredlist.org

  9. Quantitative Measure of Biodiversity • Simpson’s reciprocal index • Measures both number of species present (species richness) and the abundance of each (species evenness) • 1 is the lowest biodiversity and a higher value means greater biodiversity

  10. Threats to Biodiversity - IB • Habitat degradation, fragmentation and loss • It is estimated 80% of species loss is due to habitat destruction. • Natural hazard events (ie: volcanoes, drought) • Global catastrophic events (ie: ice age, meteor impact) • Pollution • Overexploitation • poaching • overharvesting • collecting • Introduction/escape of non-native (exotic) and genetically modified species • Modern agriculture (tends toward monoculture) • Spread of disease

  11. HIPPO(5 major causes of species decline - AP) • Habitat Destruction, Degradation, and Fragmentation • Invasive Species • Pollution • Population Growth (Human) • Overexploitation

  12. Risk Factors for becoming an Endangered Species (AP): • K-strategist – low reproductive potential • Specialized niche • Have a small range – Example: live on an island • Require a large territory – Ex: Grizzly Bears • Feed at high trophic levels – Ex: Bald Eagle • Unique behaviors • Valuable Parts – Snow leopard, rhinoceros, bengal tiger • “The first species to go are the big, the slow, the tasty, and those with valuable parts such as tusks or skins.” –E.O. Wilson

  13. Risk Factors for becoming an Endangered Species (IB): • Narrow geographical range • Small population size or declining numbers • Low population densities and large territories • Few populations of the species • A large body • Low reproductive potential • Seasonal migrants • Poor dispersers • Specialized feeders or niche requirements • Hunted for food or sport

  14. Causes of Premature Extinction Habitat loss Pollution Overfishing Habitat degradation and fragmentation Commercial hunting and poaching Climate change Sale of exotic pets and decorative plants Introducing nonnative species Predator and pest control Secondary Causes • Population growth • Rising resource use • No environmental • accounting • Poverty Basic Causes Fig. 9-7, p. 190

  15. Reasons to Preserve Biodiversity • Direct Values • Food Sources • Natural products • Indirect Values • Ecosystem productivity • Scientific and educational value • Biological control agents • Genes • Environmental monitors • Recreation • Human health • Human rights (indigenous people) • Ethical/intrinsic value

  16. Nature’s Economy • Biodiversity provides direct economic benefits. • Agriculture • Fishing • Forestry • Nature-based tourism • Recreation

  17. Pharmaceuticals • 1/3 of all prescription drugs are derived from chemical compounds originally found in nature. • 10 of the 25 best-selling drugs are nature’s invention.

  18. Nature’s Pharmacy Fig. 9-6, p. 189

  19. Pharmaceutical Potential • The saliva of the vampire bat is used to unclog arteries. • There are MANY other possibilities to explore! • Most plant and coral species have yet to be tested for their medicinal properties.

  20. Aldo Leopold • “A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, beauty and stability of the biotic community.” -A Sand County Almanac • One of the most remarkable ideas of our time: that the role of humans is not to conquer the land, but to be a citizen of it. • This is known as the “Land Ethic”

  21. Approaches to Protecting Biodiversity • Conservation Biology: The sustainable use and management of natural resources. Sustainable harvesting and hunting are permitted. • Preservation Biology: Attempts to exclude human activity in areas where humans have not yet encroached. Non-anthropocentric viewpoint.

  22. Sustaining Biodiversity: The Species Approach • Identify endangered and threatened species. • Create a plan to restore their populations to historical levels, or some other goal based upon current realities. • Protect one species at a time.

  23. Sustaining Biodiversity: The Ecosystem Approach • A strategy for the integrated management of land, water and living resources that promotes conservation and sustainable use in an equitable way. • If you protect the habitat, they will come.

  24. Island Biogeography • Protected areas may become “islands” within a country and will normally lose some of their biodiversity. • Typically, we observe that a 90% loss of habitat causes a 50% loss of the species living in the habitat. • We need to create wildlife corridors to prevent this form happening.

  25. Designing Protected Areas • SLOSS Debate: Single Large Or Several Small • See page 129 Fig. 6.6

  26. In-situ Conservation(on-site conservation) • Protecting endangered species in their natural habitat. • Ex: wildlife refuges and other protected areas • Maintains populations in the surrounding where they developed their unique properties. • Helps ensure the ongoing processes of evolution and adaptation.

  27. Ex-situ Conservation(off-site conservation) • Removing an endangered species and protecting in a new location under the care of humans. Often used as a last resort. • Ex: zoos, aquariums, botanical gardens, arboreta, wildlife farms, seed banks. • Used as a last resort. • Serve to educate the public and gain support for wildlife conservation.

  28. “We need a million Noah’s with a million arks.” –Thomas Friedman

  29. Biodiversity Laws • Endangered Species Act (1973) • Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES Treaty) – ratified by over 150 nations. • Marine Mammal Protection Act (1972)

  30. Organizations Dedicated to Preserving Biodiversity • World Wildlife Fund (WWF) – non-governmental organization • United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) – governmental organization

  31. World Conservation Strategy • The World Conservation Strategy was published in 1980. It emphasized that humanity, which exists as a part of nature, has no future unless nature and natural resources are conserved. It asserted that conservation cannot be achieved without development to alleviate the poverty and misery of hundreds of millions of people. Stressing the interdependence of conservation and development, the WCS first gave currency to the term "sustainable development".

  32. "An apt analogy for this problem is a man prying rivets out of the wing of an airplane so that he can sell the rivets--he sees no reason to worry about the consequences of his action since he has already removed numerous rivets from the wing with no ill effect."- Walter Reid, Keeping Options Alive: the scientific basis for conserving biodiversity, (World Resources Institute), 1989 p.55

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