Conservation Flashcards
Human-caused extinction
Different from ‘background’ extinction rates that are part of the evolutionary process
Affecting more species at a much faster rate
Conservation is predominantly about preventing extinctions caused by humans
Locally extinct
Extinct from part of its range, but still exists elsewhere
Functionally extinct
No longer enough individuals present to fulfill their role in the ecosystem
Co-extinction
When the loss of one species leads to the loss of another
Endling
The last living individual of a species
Lazarus effect
When a species is thought extinct, but rediscovered
Vesk’s plant louse:
a co-extinction risk
Named after UniMelb ecologist Peter Vesk
Lives in the biodiversity hotspot of the Sterling Ranges, WA
Only feeds on the sap of the wattle Acacia veronica
Both are in decline
Benjamin the Tasmanian Tiger
Died in Hobart Zoo
September 7th 1936
Now memorialized as
“Threatened Species Day”
Once thought
extinct”
39 of Australia’s threatened species only occur in cities
12 “thought extinct” at some point
Often because we built houses over the last known site
Still threatened by the same processes
How does extinction happen
Extinction happens by affecting population dynamics
Population
‘viability’
The ability of a population to ‘persist’ – to survive through time
Also referred to as persistence
Population Viability Analysis (PVA)
Common approach that drives conservation
Determines the likelihood that a population will go extinct within a certain period of time
Can compare different scenarios
Change in vital rates
Effect of threats
Effect of conservation action
Population viability closely linked to size
Smaller populations = greater risk of extinction
Big changes to the Australian environment
Colonisation led to sudden (relatively) and dramatic change in the environment
Disrupted existing management by Indigenous people
Widespread clearing for settlement, agriculture and grazing
Introduction of new species into the system
Extensive persecution of many native species
Dams, concreted or covered waterways
Attempts to ‘tame’ the landscape
Australia’s extinction record
~100 species extinct since colonization
Probably more
Worst mammal extinction rate of any country in the world
35% of all modern mammal extinctions worldwide
More than 1800 species on our federal threatened species
list
Christmas Island Pippistrelle
1900-wide spread 1994- concern about the decline 2001-Endangered 2004-intensive monitoring began 2005-80% population decline 2006-Critically Endangered Recommend immediate captive breeding
3 years later…
January 2009
Fewer than 20 individuals left
Scientists: “Hey, we should really, REALLY do captive breeding”
February 2009
Government: “OK, we’ll do a trial on a different species and set up an expert working group”
Expert working group recommended captive breeding
July 2009
Government: “OK, OK, let’s do captive breeding”
August 2009
Only one pipistrelle was heard during surveys
It was never captured
And after August 26th it was never heard again
Preventing extinction
Research
Understand the species ecology, threats and actions
Monitoring
Be aware of its status and potential decline
Action
Do something!
Leadership
A champion for the species
Accountability
Must be responsible for decisions to save the species and be accountable for
these decisions (or lack thereof)
Why conserve biodiversity?
1. Utilitarian vBenefits to people vE.g. ecosystem services, clean water, clean air, food and medicinal value 2. Inherent vNature for nature’s sake vE.g. species have a right to exist
What are we conserving?
Biodiversity consists of all living things at all levels of organization and all of their interactions
This means conservation might focus on the:
1. Genetic level – genetic traits that allow species to adapt to environments, resist disease
2. Species level – the number and types of species
3. Ecosystem level – entire communities of species, their physical environment and the interactions between them.
Two broad types of conservation action
In situ Conserving the species in their habitat. - Habitat protection - Habitat restoration and enhancement - Removing threats - Behaviour change Ex situ Conserving the species away from their habitat - Captive breeding - Insurance populations - Gene banking - Zoos and botanic gardens
Which approach to use?
First protect species in their natural range (in situ) When might we add ex-situ? - Population is becoming too small - We don’t know why it is declining - The risks to the population cannot be mitigated
How does biology help us conserve species?
- Understand the species’ needs
- Understand the threats
- Understand the possible actions
- Understand the benefits of those actions
How do people fit in the story
Conservation action affects people
Conservation action is driven by people
People bring new knowledge to conservation practice
Conservation affects people
Benefits • Connection to nature • Health and well being • Ecosystem services • Tourism and resources Costs • Loss of income or access to land • Human-wildlife conflict • Loss of a resource • Loss of culture and traditions conservation should be built to masimise benefit and minise cost
Grey-headed
flying fox
Endangered
Increasingly found in cities along the east coast
Source of enormous conflict due to smell and droppping
Currently no solution
People driving conservation
Community groups
“Friends of…”, LandCare, Gardens for Wildlife
Volunteers
Probably responsible for most of the conservation action
Often the source of leadership
An engaged and aware community can achieve amazing things for conservation`
Sunshine diurus
- used to be extremely common
- only 1% left
- one remaining natural population only occur in sunshine railroad
- community effort to preserve it
- 50k raised
- 24/7 watch to prevent arsonist and criminal
Citizen observers
There is so, so, so much to monitor Unusual finds Noticing species in new places Finding species we thought we’d lost Citizen scientists and naturalists contribute a wealth of data
Indigenous knowledge, perspectives and participation in biodiversity conservation
All land in Australia is Indigenous land - It was never ceded.
Cultural and ecological connections still important today
Western science and conservation is starting to realise indigenous knowledge
Incorporating Traditional Knowledge systems and cultural values into biodiversity conservation
Working with Traditional Owners on cultural harvests and protected areas
Indigenous ranger programs and Caring for Country principles
Developing respectful and appropriate ways of engaging and learning together
Cultural burning
Strategic use of fire to manage the environment
‘cool’ burns at the right time of year, promote seed germination, change vegetation structure
Shaped the Australian landscape for millennia
Colonisation disrupted this process
Major consequences for Australia’s flora and fauna
Cultural burns are being reinstated across the country
Martu method for monitoring Mankarr
Martu Native Title Determination Area
Managed by the Martu Rangers, in partnership with Bush Heritage
Mankarr (bilby) restoration and research
Traditional tracking techniques
Map burrows
Track feral predators
Including Indigenous knowledge in species distribution modeling for increased ecological
insights (Skroblin et al, 2021)
Understanding of the importance of habitat features that would ordinarily be overlooked
Eel story
Bringing Indigenous stories to the fore – restoring cultural connection in urban
landscapes
The University of Melbourne – an important Wurundjeri place
Built on top of a wetland and ‘Bouverie Creek’
The Living Pavilion art-science event in 2019
Foreground Indigenous culture and place
Recreated wetland landscape through planting, stories and exhibitions
Eels still remember their ancient migration route
What we set out to learn
Australia’s history of extinction
The range of threats to Australia’s flora and fauna
and the strategies used to conserve them
How a biology can be used to guide a conservation response
The factors affecting conservation success and failure
The role of people in conservation
The role of biological knowledge
Identify that a species was in decline
Identify the reason for decline
Evaluate the success of a conservation approach
Modify an approach to be more successful
