Biodiversity Lecture Nov 4th

Question 1

IUCN

Answer 1

International Union for the conservation of nature. The world’s largest global environmental organization. Provides technical support for conservation across the world.

Question 2

IUCN RED LIST

Answer 2

Scientifically based, transparent, global assessment of species status.

Question 3

9 Categories of IUCN Red List

Answer 3

1. Extinct, 2. Extinct in the wild, 3. Critically endangered, 4. Endangered, 5. Vulnerable, 6. Near threatened, 7. Least Concern, 8. Data deficient, 9. Not evaluated

Question 4

Special concern for endemic species

Answer 4

Species that have very limited geographical ranges, highest concentrations on islands in the tropics

Question 5

Extinct

Answer 5

Best available data indicated last individual of species has died ex. passenger pigeon

Question 6

Extinct in the Wild

Answer 6

Best avail. evidence indicates it only exists in captivity

Question 7

Critically endangered

Answer 7

over 80-90% decline in population over last ten year or three generations, or range is less than 100km and population is fragmented, fluctuating greatly or declining Ex. Vancouver Island Marmot - 35 individuals (endemic to vancouver island)

Question 8

Endangered

Answer 8

Very high risk of extinction in the wild 50-70% decline over last ten years or three generations Ex. Whooping crane 50-249 mature individuals Ex. Blue whale population depleted 70-90% over last three generations

Question 9

Vulnerable

Answer 9

High risk of extinction in the wild 30-90% decline over last ten years or three generations (or population area less than 20 000 km2 and fragmented, declining or fluctuating greatly) Ex. salt march sparrow

Question 10

Near Threatened

Answer 10

Close to qualifying as vulnerable or worse or likely to qualify in the near future. Ex. Wood Bison and Plains Bison- 5 small viable populations

Question 11

Least Concern

Answer 11

Widespread and abundant, not close to qualifying

Question 12

Data deficient

Answer 12

status can not be assessed based on existing data, many endemic species are data deficient

Question 13

Not Evaluated

Answer 13

Ex Banff Springs snail - not evaluated yet

Question 14

IUCN Red List Summary

Answer 14

2% extinct, 10% endangered, 7% critically endangered, 19% Vulnerable, 8% Near threatened. Listed birds and mammals are doing ok, amphibians declining slightly and corals declining

Question 15

SARA

Answer 15

Species at Risk Assessed in Canada

Question 16

SARA Listings

Answer 16

Extinct, Extirpated, Endangered, Threatened, Special Concern, Data deficient, Not at risk

Question 17

SARA Extinct

Answer 17

Species that no longer exists anywhere on earth

Question 18

SARA Extirpated

Answer 18

A species that no longer exists in the wild in Canada but that can be found in other areas of the world

Question 19

SARA Endangered

Answer 19

A species facing imminent extirpation or extinction

Question 20

SARA Threatened

Answer 20

Likely to become endangered if nothing is done to reverse the factors leading to its extirpation or extinction (IUCN Vulnerable)

Question 21

SARA Special Concern

Answer 21

May become threatened or endangered because of a combo of biological characteristics and identified threats (IUCN Near threatened)

Question 22

SARA Data deficcient

Answer 22

Not enough data to assess

Question 23

How many species listed under SARA

Answer 23

518 species, subspecies and populations

Question 24

What are 8 growing threats to biodiversity

Answer 24

Agriculture, growing human population, Mining, Deforestation and forest degradation, Road development, Urban sprawl, pollution and over harvesting, climate change

Question 25

What is a mass extinction?

Answer 25

Relatively rapid, large scale extinction event, must touch many different life forms spread out over whole world

Question 26

What are 5 examples of mass extinctions? and When?

Answer 26

Ordovician- Silurian 460-440 MYA, Late Devonian 375-360 MYA, Permean Triassic 251 MYA, Triassic Jurassic 200 MYA, Cretaceous-Paleogene 65 MYA.

Question 27

Ordovician Silurian

Answer 27

(450-440 MYA) No terrestrial life at this time, around 49% of all marine invertebrates extinct, Likely due to Gondwana drifting south -> global cooling, sea level fall.

Question 28

Late Devonian

Answer 28

374 MYA 50 -75% extinction (only marine?) Occurred over 500 000 to 25 000 000 years. Asteroid? Global cooling? Oceanic volcanoes?

Question 29

Permian Triassic

Answer 29

252 MYA 96% of all marine species and 70% all terrestrial invertebrates extinct. Due to climate warming- ocean surface reached 40 degrees celsius, volcanic eruptions, release of methane, methanogens (bacteria that released carbon in the absence of oxygen)

Question 30

Triassic- Jurassic

Answer 30

200 MYA Over 50% of species extinct. Gradual climate change? Asteroid? Massive volcanic eruptions? Made way for the dinosaurs

Question 31

Cretaceous- Paleogene

Answer 31

65 MYA Caused by huge comet or asteroid->dust->impact winter (evidence: 180 km wide crater in Gulf of Mexico, thin layer of sediment found globally, Iridium- rare on earth but common in asteroids.) 66-75% of species extinct including dinosaurs, photosynthetic plants, herbivores, carnivores. Survivors: detrivores, those who ate dertrivores, stream communities, deep sea and ocean floor communities.

Question 32

Results of Cretaceous Paleogene Extinction

Answer 32

Made way for an adaptive radiation of mammals and birds and plants.