15: Individual-based conservation

Question 1

What is in situ vs ex situ conservation

Answer 1

In situ = inside place (natural habitat)
Ex situ = outside of place (e.g. zoos)

Question 2

Ex situ conservation often targets…

Answer 2

one or more focal species via intensive work with individuals

Question 3

What is the ‘DUE’ criteria for individual based conservation

Answer 3

Determine what species should be protected
- Distinctiveness:
- Utility (culture, tourism)
- Endangered

Question 4

What species should be protected?

Answer 4

Maybe focal species (indicator, flagship, umbrella)
Keystone species

Question 5

Ex situ conservation stops what gap of the extinction vortex?

Answer 5

Gap between low effective population size and extinction

Question 6

Slide 7

Answer 6

Example of ex situ vs in situ

Question 7

What are the types of conservation translocations

Answer 7

1. Introduce novel species to performance particular ecological functions in new habitat
2. Reinforce declining pop with important ecological functions
3. Reintroduce populations of species that were extirpated
4. Garner support for broader conservation efforts

Question 8

Give examples of introduction, reinforcement, reintroduction and garnering support as conservation translocation methods

Answer 8

Introduction: assisted migration or biocontrol

Reinforcement: head-starting vulnerable spp

Reintroduction: wolves in Yellowstone

Garnering support: Golden lion tamarin in Brazil

Question 9

What is assisted colonization

Answer 9

Creation of new population(s) outside of historic range of species through human translocation

Question 10

When using conservation translocation, it is important to avoid…

Answer 10

Ecological damage, conflict with people, introduction of disease, extinction of other species

Question 11

What is the reason for assisted colonization

Answer 11

Save species from invasive species, continued declines, or climate change

Question 12

Example of bison reintroduction program

Answer 12

16 new animals introduced to Panther River valley from Elk Island National Park on Feb 1, 2017
First calf born April 2017
Released to larger area in spring 2018
Have been growing in pop size every year

Question 13

More examples of reintroduction programs slides 12-16

Answer 13

Take a look

Question 14

Potential problems associated with re-introduction

Answer 14

Disease, damage to communities, genetic impacts

Question 15

Three IUCN guidelines for reintroduction programs

Answer 15

Understand ecology of species
Understand genetics of species and released individuals
Ensure there is enough viable habitat

Question 16

Reintroduction success is more likely when animals are…

Answer 16

herbivores, reintroduced to excellent habitat in the core of their historic range
sourced from wild-born stock
reintroduced in groups
have ongoing support

Question 17

Captive bred ferrets reintroduction example slides 20-21

Answer 17

Look

Question 18

Example of ex situ conservation and management affect behavioural ecology of populations

Answer 18

Supplemental feeding of endangered kakapo (NZ owl parrot) was intended to bolster populations but led to a huge male bias in sex ratio of offspring

Question 19

Why are metapopulations critical to population persistence

Answer 19

Connected populations less likely to go extinct because
- rescue by other individuals
- less inbreeding depression
- adapt to change
- less stochasticity

Question 20

What are the sources of reintroduced individuals

Answer 20

• zoos and aquariums
• parks and botanical gardens
• seed banks
• gene banks
• genetic engineering

Question 21

What are the ethical quandaries in ex situ conservation

Answer 21

1. do they compete financially or logistically with in situ conservation
2. should extinct or extirpated species be brought back into ecosystems that have adapted to continue without them
3. Who should decide which species to protect in zoos, aquaria, seed banks, etc

Question 22

What is wrong with zoos

Answer 22

Population size, costs 50x more than in sity, adaptation to captivity, genetic drift, concentration

Question 23

What is mitigation or biodiversity offset

Answer 23

Directed at legally protected species/habitats
Includes reduction in the extent of damage, establishment of new populations and habitat as compensation for what is being destroyed, enhancement of what remains after development
Cop out

Question 24

What should be given priority over biodiversity offset? Why

Answer 24

Protection of existing populations
Poor success of most attempts to create new populations of rare species

Question 25

What is conservation behaviour? Conservation physiology?

Answer 25

Behaviour: applies knowledge and methods from animal behaviour to understand and solve conservation problems

Physiology: applies knowledge and methods from animal physiology to understand and solve conservation problems

Question 26

What is behaviour

Answer 26

Everything an animal does as they interact with their environment and each other

Question 27

Tinbergen’s questions relating to physiology and behaviour

Answer 27

Mechanism (P): description of an organisms structure and how its mechanisms work

Adaptation (B): explanation for the characteristics of a species based on how they give a selective advantage

Question 28

Why are caribou threatened with relation to behaviour

Answer 28

Human landscape alteration, predation, climate change all affecting behaviour

Question 29

What is conservation behaviour

Answer 29

Implication of all animal (and plant) behaviour for conservation problems and solutions
Observable expression of physiological stress

Question 30

Name some common behaviour-mediated processes in individuals

Answer 30

Conspecific attraction
Social facilitation
Imprinting
Landscapes of fear

Question 31

What are landscapes of fear

Answer 31

behaviour of animals that are preyed upon is shaped by psychological maps of their geographical surroundings which accounts for the risk of predation in certain areas
Animals are aware when their in a high risk region, behave differently

Question 32

Slide 55

Answer 32

Avoider, adapter vs exploiter

Population numbers versus urbanization level