290 likes | 297 Views
Outline. Conservation Biology & Biodiversity Extinction Rates Value of Biodiversity Direct Value Indirect Value Causes of Extinction Habitat Loss Alien Species Pollution Overexploitation Conservation Techniques. Conservation Biology and Biodiversity.
E N D
Outline • Conservation Biology & Biodiversity • Extinction Rates • Value of Biodiversity • Direct Value • Indirect Value • Causes of Extinction • Habitat Loss • Alien Species • Pollution • Overexploitation • Conservation Techniques
Conservation Biologyand Biodiversity • Considers all aspects of biodiversity • General goal is conserving natural resources for this and future generations • Primary goal is the management of biodiversity for sustainable use by humans
Conservation Biology and Biodiversity • Conservation biology supports certain ethical principles • Biodiversity is desirable for the biosphere • Extinctions due to human actions are undesirable • Ecosystem interactions supporting biodiversity are desirable • Biodiversity brought about by evolutionary change has value in and of itself
Biodiversity • At its simplest level, biodiversity is the variety of species on Earth • Estimated that between 5 and 15 million species currently exist • Genetic diversity refers to variations among the members of a population • Community diversity increases biodiversity • Landscape diversity involves a group of interacting ecosystems
Biodiversity • Biodiversity hotspots • Contain about 20% of earth’s species • Represent only about 1% of earth’s land area
Value of Biodiversity • Direct Value • Medicinal Value • Agricultural Value • Crops • Biological Pest Controls • Pollinators • Consumptive Use Value • Wood • Skins
Value of Biodiversity • Indirect Value • Biogeochemical Cycles • Waste Disposal • Provision of Fresh Water • Prevention of Soil Erosion • Regulation of Climate • Ecotourism
Causes of Extinction • Habitat Loss • Occurs in all ecosystems • Recent concern focused on tropical rain forests and coral reefs • Habitat Fragmentation
Alien Species • Nonnative species that move, or are moved, into a new ecosystem • Often have competitive edge against native species • Avenues of Human Introduction • Colonization • Horticulture and Agriculture • Accidental Transport
Pollution • Any environmental change that adversely affects living things • Acid Deposition • Eutrophication • Ozone Depletion • Organic Chemicals • Global Warming
Overexploitation • When the harvest is so great that the population becomes severely reduced in numbers • The market forces driving the harvest: • Exotic Pets • Hunting / Poaching • Over-Harvesting Fisheries
Conservation Techniques • Habitat Preservation • Keystone Species • Metapopulations • Small populations isolated because of habitat fragmentation • Source Populations • Sink Populations
Conservation Techniques • Landscape Preservation • Landscape protection for one species benefits other wildlife in the same space • Edge Effect • The edge around a patch of habitat has conditions different from the patch interior • Edge does not count as effective habitat for species requiring the conditions of the interior
Conservation Techniques • Computer Analyses • Gap Analysis • Find gaps in preservation efforts • Try to identify areas where biodiversity is high outside of currently preserved areas • Population Viability Analysis • Determine how much habitat a species requires to maintain itself
Conservation Techniques • Habitat Restoration - Three Principles • Begin as soon as possible before remaining fragments are lost • Once natural history is understood, use biological techniques to mimic natural processes • Goal is sustainable usage
Review • Conservation Biology & Biodiversity • Extinction Rates • Value of Biodiversity • Direct Value • Indirect Value • Causes of Extinction • Habitat Loss • Alien Species • Pollution • Overexploitation • Conservation Techniques