Conservation biology 2

Question 1

What does landscape genetics do?

Answer 1

Evaluates the impact of landscape on genetic structure + survival

Question 2

Give examples of landscape genetics

Answer 2

> patch size affects carrying capacity
edges affect species fitness
distance + type of matrix determines migration between patches
isolation can lead to extinction but also speciation

Question 3

Which landscapes are affected most by genetic drift?

Answer 3

Small Ne

Low permeability

Question 4

What are the 2 approaches for when we should interfere in conservation?

Answer 4

Small population approach
- protect populations when they’re too small

Declining population approach
- protect populations when they are consistently declining in size

Question 5

What is the extinction vortex?

Answer 5

Small populations = prone to loss of genetic diversity via genetic drift

• > leads to inbreeding depression
• > leads to even smaller population

Question 6

Describe the case of the Greater Prairie Chickens

Answer 6

Bottleneck effects due to reduction in habitat
-> reduction in population
= surviving birds had low genetic variation + only 50% of eggs hatched

Scientists imported genetic variation by transplanting birds = genetic rescue

Question 7

What are the dangers associated with reintroduction?

Answer 7

Captive breeding causes: >behavioural + physiological changes
> loss of genetic variability

Risk of introducing exotic pathogens

Question 8

What is Population Variability Analysis (PVA)?

Answer 8

Assesses combined impacts on extinction risk of:
> deterministic factors
> stochastic events

Compares alternative management options in species recovery programmes

Question 9

What are deterministic factors?

Answer 9

Habitat loss
Over-exploitation
Pollution
Introduced species

Question 10

What are stochastic events?

Answer 10

Demographic (fluctuations in birth + death rates + sex ratio independent of environment)

Environmental (fluctuations due to environment)

Genetic stochasticity (inbreeding depression + genetic drift)

Catastrophes (extreme environmental events)

Question 11

What is the aim of conserving umbrella species?

Answer 11

When habitat is preserved to meet the needs of a primary species that helps to preserve the habitat of many other species

e.g.
> large species w/ huge area requirements
> pretty species to win public affection
> keystone species

Question 12

What are the categories of species vulnerable to extinction?

Answer 12

> economically valuable to us
> not much experience of disturbance
> evolved in isolation w/out human contact
> long distance dispersal
> low adult survival rate
> low intrinsic growth rate

Question 13

What % of birds + plants are located in hot spots?

Answer 13

30% of all bird species

16% of all plant species

Question 14

What is the argument for creating large nature reserves?

What about for small reserves?

Answer 14

Large, far-ranging animals w/ low-density populations require large habitats

More realistic + slows spread of diseases throughout population

Question 15

What are the features of an ideal reserve?

Answer 15

Large
Circular
Single better than a group

If a group:
Close together
Compact
Connected by a corridor

Question 16

What are the classifications of ecosystem services?

Answer 16

Supporting
e.g. soil formation, photosynthesis

Provisioning
e.g. food, fibres, fuel

Regulating
e.g. climate, disease

Cultural
e.g. recreation, tourism

Question 17

What are the types of ecosystem services?

Answer 17

Global scale
- canon sequestration, climate change

Landscape scale
-water purification + erosion control

Community scale
- crop pollution + pest control

Field, plot or individual person scale
- local nutrients + disease prevention