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BCIT Classes > Conservation Bio Final Exam > Flashcards

Conservation Bio Final Exam Flashcards

1
Q

What are the key findings from Benson et al. - Problems associated with a small population of large carnivores?

A
  • Extinction vortex: a model describing the process by which extinction risk is elevated in small, isolated populations, owing to interactions between environmental, demograhic, and genetic factors
  • Population dynamics of small mountain lion population isolated by anthropogenic barriers in LA were modelled to evaluate the influence of demographic, genetic, and landscape factors on extinction probability
  • Population exhibited strong survival/reproduction, with 15% extinction probability in absence of inbreeding depression
  • But, model predicted that the population will lose 40-57% of its heterozygosity in 50yrs
  • When factoring in inbreeding depression, extinction probability rose to 99.7%
  • Simulating greater landscape connectivity by increasing immigration (greater than or equal to one migrant per generation) appears sufficient to maintain genetic diversity, and reduce extinction probability
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2
Q

What are the key findings from Chichorro et al. - Effects of species trait on extinction risk?

A
  • Extinction risk hasn’t been assessed for many species
  • Vertebrates and the palearctic are the most studied taxon and region because of the higher data accumulation in these groups
  • Only 3 traits had enough data for the meta-analysis, and two of them are potentially useful in assessing extinction risk for lesser-known species
  • Species with small ranges and a narrow habitat breadth are more vulnerable to extinction
  • Body size (the most studied trait) did not present a consistently positive or negative response
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3
Q

What are the key findings from Dorey and Walker - Limitations of listing species in Canada?

A
  • Listing species is a useful tool in conservation but there are problems with the process in Canada (bias, legislative requirements, and data discrepencies)
  • Species at Risk lists (Canada), and Endangered Species list (Nova Scotia) were assessed to determine:
    i) Coverage of IUCN-listed vulnerable, endangered, and critically endangered species
    ii) Recovery compliance
    iii) Recovery plan completeness
  • Results: many globally threatened species lack adequate protection nationally and regionally in Canada
  • Different taxonomic groups received different listing and recovery priority
  • Mammals had highest likelihood of listing/recovery action, while fish were less likely to be listed
  • Many nationally threatened and endangered species have recovery plans, though most were developed later than legislated
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4
Q

What are the key findings from Iacarella et al. - Vessel impacts on MPAs?

A
  • Invasive species pose a significant threat to marine conservation
  • There is limited research quantifying invasion risk to MPA
  • 29% of MPA overlapped with invasion nodes, and 70% were connected to invasion nodes via vessel traffic
  • Recreational vessels were most common in MPAs/invasion nodes, made the most connections between MPAs/invasion nodes, and spent the most time in nodes
  • Vessel connections increased in summer
  • Highlights risks posed by vessels in spreading invasive species to MPAs
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5
Q

What are the key findings from Stefanes et al. - Incorporating reslience and cost in ER?

A
  • Costs associated with restoration at great scales greatly challenges implementation of ER framework
  • Compared 3 scenarios:
    1) Minimal legal compliance
    2) Selection by ecological reslilience
    3) Selection by restoration cost
  • Some areas can be particularly important for reconciling agriculture and landscape restoration
  • However, there is another important message here,
    that some areas can be productive at the same time that they maintain levels of resilience above the legal compliance, which facilitates
    win-win scenarios in human-dominated landscapes.
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6
Q

What are deterministic and stochastic threats to small populations?

A

Deterministic: systematic forces that cause population change (e.g., rates of harvest, human impacts to habitat, disease).

Stochastic: random forces that cause population change.

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7
Q

What are the three categories of stochastic threats to small populations?

A
  1. Environmental - variability in birth/death rates from one season to the next in response to weather, disease, competition, predation, or other factors external to the population.
  2. Demographic - variability in population growth rates arising from random differences among individuals in their survival/reproduction within a season.
  3. Genetic - changes in genetic composition of a population that are unrelated to systematic forces such as selection, inbreeding, or migration.
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8
Q

In what three areas does research on small populations focus?

A
  1. Population size
  2. Genetic diversity
  3. Critical habitat
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9
Q

Describe Ne

A

Ne is effective population size, which provides an estimate of the extent to which a population is impacted by genetic problems.

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10
Q

Contrast the small and declining population approaches/paradigms.

A

The small population paradigm focuses on highly endangered species. Efforts are aimed at studying why very small populations go extinct, and preventing extinctions. Driven by crises.

The declining population paradigm seeks to discover why a population is declining and how to prevent further declines. Proactive work to stop declines before a population becomes small.

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11
Q

What do MVP and PVA models entail?

A

Minimum viable population (MVP) - the minimum size a population must be to avoid extinction due to environmental, demographic, or genetic stochasticity. Entails estimating the population size needed to ensure a 90-95% probability of survival for 100-1000 yrs.

Population viability analysis (PVA) - modeling technique to predict whether a population of a given size will persist over a given period of time.

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12
Q

(1) When did genetics become an important field within conservation biology? (2) How is genetic diversity defined, and (3) what determines it?

A
  1. 1980’s
  2. the frequency of different alleles that occur
  3. Mutations, sexual reproduction, and genetic drift
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13
Q

Define DNA, genes, and alleles

A

DNA - occurs within cells and consists of informational molecules that entail the genetic instructions for how all living organisms develop and function

Genes - segments of DNA that code for a specific trait

Alleles - Different forms of a single gene that arise from mutations

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14
Q

Why is genetic diversity important (2)?

A
  1. In the long term, it effects evolutionary potential (ability to adapt to changing environments)
  2. In the short term, it affects fitness (level of fertiliy and/or survival)
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14
Q

Define Homozygous and Heterozygous

A

Homozygous - when the two alleles for a gene are the same in an individual

Heterozygous - when the two alleles for a gene differ in an individual

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15
Q

What four levels is genetic diversity often measured at?

A
  1. Within individuals
  2. Within populations
  3. Among populations
  4. Among species
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16
Q

What are the two mechanisms affecting heterozygosity and polymorphism in small populations?

A
  1. Inbreeding (deterministic) - in small populations, related individuals are more likely to interbreed. Offspring of related parents have far lower heterozygosity
  2. Genetic drift (stochastic) - effects of genetic drift are greater in smaller populations:

a) alleles more likely to be lost –> lower polymorphism

b) deleterious allels can become more frequent and even ‘fixed’ in a population.

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17
Q

What is an extinction vortex?

A

A downward spiral unique to small populations.

For populations that have greatly decline, extinction vortexes entail positive-feedback loops of a) inbreeding depression, (b) genetic stochasticity, and (c) demographic stochasticity that result in increasingly small numbers until extinction is inevitable

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18
Q

What are the two main ways of defining a species? Which types of biologist are most likely to use each way?

A
  1. Morphological definition - group of individuals that is distinct from other groups in terms of morphological, phsyiological, or biochemical traits. Taxonomists usually rely on this definition.
  2. Biological definition - groups of individuals that can potentially breed with one another in the wild, and that do not breed with individuals of other groups. Evolutionary biologists usually rely on this definition.
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19
Q

What problems are inherent with the species concept?

A
  1. How to handle subspecies, varieties, races, breeds?
  2. How to handle hybrids? (e.g., lions and tigers having fertile offspring)
  3. Drawing the line between species is inherently subjective (‘lumpers vs. splitters’)
  4. Taxonomic studies aren’t complete, difficulty in sampling some locations
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20
Q

What are the different types of rarity (3)?

A
  1. Species are rare if they have small populations
  2. Species are rare if they occupy small geogaphic ranges
  3. Species are rare if they have narrow habitat niches (habitat specialists)
21
Q

What is background extinction? How is it estimated?

A

The rate at which species go extinction due to factors other than current human impacts.

It is estimated from the geological/fossil record.

22
Q

Why do current extinction rates underestimate threats to species?

A

They don’t include the widepsread problem of: population deletions; the loss of local populations (extirpations) which may or may not be genetically unique

These occur when species are eliminated from their former range and persist in smaller refuge areas.

23
Q

Describe traits that make species particularly vulnerable to extinction (13)

A
  1. species with few, small, or declining populations
  2. Species with small geographic ranges
  3. Species with narrow habitat niches
  4. Species that deped on stable environments
  5. Species with large home ranges
  6. Species with large body sizes
  7. Species with slow life histories
  8. Species at high trophic levels
  9. Species that are not effective dispersers
  10. Species that are seasonal migrants
  11. Species that form temporary/permanent aggregations
  12. Species with low genetic diversity
  13. Species that are harvested by humans
24
Q

What three types of species receive relatively greated conservation attention?

A
  1. Native species (including indigenous and endemic species)
  2. Larger species
  3. Financially vulnerable species
25
Q

What species have been biased against in the legal listing process in Canada?

A
  1. Harvested species
  2. Marine species
  3. Northern species
26
Q

Why are species biased against when it comes to listing in Canada (2)?

A
  1. Reluctance of DFO to take on added responsibility of managing listed species
  2. Deficiencies in cost-benefit analyses - before a species is listed under SARA, a regulatory impact analysis (RIAS) is performed to assess the financial consequences of listing
27
Q

What is the explanation Czech et al. (1998) provide for the inconsistencies that exist between public valuation versus money spent on conservation efforts for different groups of species.

A

Expenditure is based on both: social construction, and political power

Differenct levels of social construction and political power led to four groups:
1. The advantaged, these species have political power and positive social construction
2. Contentenders, these species have political power but often negative social construction
3. Dependents, these species lack political power but have positive social construction
4. Deviants, these species lack political power, and have negative social construction

28
Q

What are the two main purposes of the BC Red and Blue lists?

A

i) they highlight species that should be considered for more formal designation (either provincially or federally)

ii) they help inform conservation priorities for species/ecological communities at risk in BC

29
Q

What are the two main levels at which species are listed in Canada?

A
  1. Provincial level: in BC, the BC conservation data centre assigns species to red/blue lists
  2. The Federal level: in 2003, the SARA was proclaimed. Under SARA, COSEWIC was designated as an independent body of science experts responsible for identifying and assessing species considered at risk
30
Q

What are BC identified wildlife?

A

Species at risk or regionally important wildlife that have been designated by the Minister of Environment under BC’s Forest and Range Practices Act

31
Q

What are Wildife Habitat Areas?

A

Mapped areas that are necessary to meet the habitat requirements of an Identified Wildlife element

32
Q

What do Habitat Stewardship Programs do?

A

They provide funding for projects submitted by Canadians that contribute directly to the recovery objectives and population goals of species at risk listed on Schedule 1 of SARA or designated at risk by COSEWIC

33
Q

What factors influence the effectiveness of the listing process? (what helps/impairs recovery)

A

Listing helped recover population sizes when:
1. Critical habitat was designated
2. Recovery plans were present

Recovery is impaired by?
1. Delays in species assessment
2. Biases in listing
3. Failure to meet legal requirements of listing

34
Q

What are the main categories of goals for reserves?

A
  1. Conservation of large, intact, functioning ecosystems
  2. Conservation of areas with high biodiversity
  3. Conservation of species or groups of species of special interest
  4. Conservation of significant natural communities
  5. Conservation of important ecosystem services
35
Q

What key results of Island Biogeography Theory have direct application for reserve design?

A

Because reserves (or habitat patches) can be viewed as islands, two results of the theory are very relevant to reserve design:

  1. Size effect (species-area relationship) - larger islands have species with larger populations, and thus lower extirpation rates
  2. Distance effect - closer islands (patches, reserves) have higher immigration rates because more individuals reach them through dispersal
36
Q

What is the focus of landscape ecology, and how is this important for designing reserves?

A

Landscape ecology is the study of how the spatial structure of habitats affects species abundance, and the functioning of the landscape as a whole

37
Q

Define Patch

A

Relatively homogenous area that differs from its surroundings (also called an island)

38
Q

Define Matrix

A

Area surrounding patches

39
Q

Define Edge

A

Area of patch (or matrix) near its perimeter, where effects of adjacent aras often cause differences in environmental conditions between the interior of the patch an its edge

40
Q

Define Corridor

A

Links between patches that are suitable for movement of a target species

41
Q

Define Network

A

Interconnected system of patches and corridors

42
Q

Define Connectivity

A

Measure of spatial continuity among patches

43
Q

Define fragmentation

A

Breaking patches into smaller sizes

44
Q

What are the effects of fragmentation?

A
  1. Dividing large forest patches into smaller patches may mean they’re too small for species with large home ranges
  2. As patches get smaller, they have proportionally less interior area and proportionally more edge area
  3. Even if species can inhabit a smaller patch, fragmentation usually means a patch becomes more isolated, which reduces dispersal and thus reduces likelihood that a population will be “rescued” by migrants
45
Q

What are the effects of edges?

A
  1. Edges have different physical properties that have effects on plants/animals
  2. Generalists respond favourably to edges
  3. Specialists don’t respond favourably to edges
46
Q

What do Island Biogeography and landscape ecology mean for reserve design? (Jared Diamonds predictions)

A
  1. Larger is better than smaller (SAR)
  2. Single is better than several (reduces fragmentation/edges)
  3. Connected is better than seperated (increases connectivity/dispersal)
  4. Closely spaced is better than widely spaced (increases connectivity/dispersal)
  5. Round is better than irregularly shaped (reduces edge effects)
47
Q

What debate did Jared Diamonds predictions start?

A

These predictions initiated the SLOSS debate, which entailed questioning whether single large (SL) or several small (SS) reserves would have greater conservation benefits

48
Q

Have empirical results supported Jared Diamonds predictions?

A

No, several small reserves usually contain at least as many species (often more) compared to a single large reserve of the same total area

Three likely reasons for why:
1. Several small reserves have more types of habitat
2. SS reserves better snure that stable/increasing populations can disperse to ‘rescue’ islands with declining populations (reducing rates of extirpation)
3. Large reserves are mainly in biomes of low diversity, this has skewed studies

49
Q

What three questions did Soule and Simberloff indicate must be addressed when designing a reserve?

A
  1. What are the goals of the conservation reserve?
  2. Where should reserves be located?
  3. How should reserves be designed?
50
Q

What often determines reserve design, and why should we move beyond the SLOSS debate?

A
  1. Whether SL or SS is best depends on target species and ecological processes
  2. Habitats are never the same when choosing between SL or SS potential reserve locations
51
Q

When might SL or SS be best?

A

SS is poor for top carnivores

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