3.3 Threats to Biodiversity Flashcards
Name of the organisation that administers the Red List?
IUCN.
International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Don’t accidentally say ICUN!
IUCN Red List
a comprehensive inventory that assesses the global conservation status of plant and animal species, aiming to highlight those facing the risk of extinction
Evaluate the IUCN Red List
- useful tool for assigning priorities
- recognised internationally
- raises awareness
- verified
- doesn’t contain all species (not all species described)
- changes can occur without it being reflected
- species focus (as opposed to habitat focussed)
- more data for larger more conspicuous species
IUCN Conservation Categories (in order - there are eight)
Extinct
Extinct in the wild
Critically Endangered
Endangered
Vulnerable
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Data Deficient
Threatened
Incorporates the IUCN Red List categories of “Critically Endangered”, “Endangered” and “Vulnerable”
Chytrid fungus
a pathogenic fungus that affects amphibians worldwide, leading to significant declines in amphibian populations through skin infections
Deforestation
large-scale removal of forest or tree cover, typically for agricultural, logging, or urban development purposes, leading to significant ecological, environmental, and climate impacts.
Fragmentation
process by which large, continuous habitats are divided into smaller, isolated patches, often due to human activities, resulting in negative impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning
Overexploitation
the unsustainable harvesting or use of wildlife and natural resources, leading to the depletion or extinction of species and the degradation of ecosystems.
Alien Species
an organism introduced to an environment where it is not naturally found, often causing ecological harm, outcompeting native species, and disrupting ecosystems
Invasive Species
an organism that has been introduced to a new area, establishes itself, spreads rapidly, and causes significant environmental, economic, or health impacts by outcompeting native species and disrupting ecosystems.
Not all introduced species are “invasive”.
Introduced Predators
Cats, foxes, mustelids (weasels, stoats, ferrets), cane toads.
Rats (and other egg eaters) are also considered “predators”
Examples of things that make a species more prone to extinction
Small Population Size
Limited Geographic Range
Specialized Niche
Low Reproductive Rate
High Trophic Level
List of threats to biodiversity
Habitat Destruction
Climate Change
Pollution
Overexploitation
Invasive Species
Disease
Blitzkrieg Hypothesis
Suggests that the newly arrived human populations employ advanced hunting techniques and strategies, leading to a “blitzkrieg” or lightning war against large animal species, which were unaccustomed to human predators and therefore highly vulnerable.
Famous (or infamous) species that have become extinct due to human factors
Dodo
Thylacine
Passenger pigeon
Great auk
Moa
Elephant bird
