Conservation at the Population and Species Levels

Question 1

Problems with small populations

Answer 1

low genetic diversity
demographic issues
vulnerability to change in environment, demographics, natural disasters and disease

Question 2

Establishing new population

Answer 2

reintroductions

Question 3

Ex Situ conservation strategies

Answer 3

captive breeding programmes e.g. zoos

Question 4

population viability analysis

Answer 4

calculating how likely (e.g. 95%) it is for a population of a certain number is to survive for a certain amount of time into the future (e.g. 100 years)

Question 5

factors with small populations pertaining to genetic stochasticity

Answer 5

• loss of variability (loss of environmental flexibility)
• genetic drift
• inbreeding e.g. cheetahs
• outbreeding e.g. wildcats
• effective population size highly vulnerable to fluctuations (var. in reproductive output can be reduce this by 60-85%)

Question 6

minimum viable population

Answer 6

Schaffer 1981

smallest population with a 99% chance of persisting for the next 1000 years (despite changes/natural disasters)

Question 7

tips for reintroducing plants

Answer 7

• take plants from diverse populations
• fence reintroduction area
• have a reasonably sized reintroduction area
• reduce competition by removing surrounding plants

Question 8

tips for reintroducing animals

Answer 8

• excellent quality habitat
• released at CORE of historical range
• wild-caught animals preferred to captive-bred
• greater success with herbivores
• balanced/appropriate sex ratios

Question 9

plant reintroduction example

Answer 9

milkweed (gives Monarch butterflies poisonous characteristic)
short term (3yrs) burning helped growth 
long term (4th yr) burning showed decreased growth

Question 10

animal reintroduction example

Answer 10

European Lynx

• less fragmented habitat
• large habitat
• close monitoring
• farmers on-board

Question 11

guidelines for reintroductions (6)

Answer 11

1. feasibility study
2. selection & evaluation of sites
3. evaluation of sustainability of proposed reintroduction individuals
4. social, economic, political conditions @ site
5. planning and properly financed
6. post-release monitoring

Question 12

hard release

Answer 12

just release individuals into area and leave

Question 13

soft release

Answer 13

animals moved to core of habitat in large enclosure

keep and monitor them, provide food

Question 14

types of ex-situ conservation

Answer 14

long-term - re-establish/augment populations in the wild

short term - research/education

Question 15

example of successful ex-situ conservation

Answer 15

Oryx - introduced last yr

allowed to be hunted in US but income from hunting sustains populations and keeps the gene pool large

Question 16

cause of Mauritius Kestrel decline in 1970s

Answer 16

cats
use of DDT
crab-eating macacques
mongooses

Question 17

London Zoo opened its doors to the paying public in which year?

Answer 17

1847

Question 18

The acronym ‘WAZA’ is short for…

Answer 18

World Association of Zoos and Aquariums

Question 19

23 of what animal were released in Chad in August 2016 as a reintroduction project?

Answer 19

Scimitar-horned oryx