Conservation Biology

Question 1

The scientific study of the nature and status of Earth’s biodiversity with the aim of protecting, their habitats, and ecosystems from excessive rates of extinction and the erosion of biotic interactions is known as what?

Answer 1

Conservation Biology

Question 2

True or False:

extinction rates have stayed the same even after humans came into existence

Answer 2

False

extinction rates have increase 100-1,000 times faster then before humans

Question 3

True or False:

Homo sapiens have only recently started wreaking havoc on biodiversity

Answer 3

False
homo sapiens have wreaked havoc since prehistoric times; In North America about 80% of mega fauna became extinct after humans arrived

Question 4

True or False:

Africa did not have equivalent mass extinctions

Answer 4

True

Question 5

Why are islands so vulnerable to extinction?

Answer 5

• evolved in the absence of predators
• Humans introduce competitors, diseases
• Island populations are usually small, which increases their risk for extinction

Question 6

Famous ecologist

Answer 6

E.O. Wilson

Island Biogeography theory

Question 7

Current mass extinction is notable because

Answer 7

• It is the only such event triggered by a single species (Homo Sapiens)
• Recovery takes millions of years (Humans are utilizing resources that new species would need to evolve)

Question 8

What are endemic species?

Answer 8

species found naturally in only one geographic area and no place else

Question 9

What are hotspots?

Answer 9

areas where species have high endemism

Question 10

How many hotspots are there?

Contains about ______ of the worlds terrestrial species

Answer 10

25

half

Question 11

By protecting 1.4% of the world’s land surface we would protect…….

Answer 11

• 44% of the world’s vascular plants

- 35% of its terrestrial vertebrates

Question 12

In 1995, __% of the human population was located in a hotspot

Answer 12

20

Question 13

Direct economic value includes resources for our survival. These include:

Answer 13

• Sources of food, medicine, clothing, energy, and shelter
• Food crop genetic variation
• 40% of prescription and nonprescription drugs have active ingredients extracted from plants (Aspirin, Cancer-fighting drugs)

Question 14

Indirect economic value is derived from ecosystem services. These include:

Answer 14

• Pollination
• Water Quality
• Buffers against storms and droughts
• Prevent loss of minerals and nutrients
• Moderate local and regional climate
• Promote breakdown of organic wastes and cycling of -minerals

Question 15

True or False:

Tropical rainforests provide more economic benefits if they are left standing than if they are destroyed and the land used for other purposes

Answer 15

true

Question 16

True or False:

NYC water supply relies on the ecosystem and biodiversity

Answer 16

true

slides 23 and 24

Question 17

What are 2 problems of valuing ecosystems?

Answer 17

• Do not have a good estimate of the monetary value of services provided by ecosystems
• People who gain the benefits of environmental degradation are often not the same people who pay the costs

Question 18

What are so causes for extinction?

Answer 18

• overexploitation
• habitat loss
• introduced species
• disruption of ecosystem interactions
• -loss of genetic variation
• pollution

Question 19

What are factors responsible for habitat loss?

Answer 19

-clear-cut harvesting of timber
-burning of tropical forests
-urban and industrial development
-

Question 20

What is species-area relationship?

Answer 20

Relationship suggests that if the area is reduced by 90% then half of all species will be lost

Question 21

Which environment is the most vulnerable to pollution?

Answer 21

aquatic environments

Question 22

What is habitat fragmentation?

Answer 22

dividing the habitat up into small, unconnected areas

Question 23

What is an Edge Effect?

Answer 23

changes in the microclimate along the edge of a habitat

Question 24

Extinction rate was (positively/negatively) related to patch size

Answer 24

negatively

Question 25

process by which a species expands its geographic range is called

Answer 25

Colonization

Question 26

What are some effects caused by introduced species?

Answer 26

-$140 billion per year in economic costs
-Human health: West Nile fever
-Hawaii: mosquitoes brought malaria
(70% native fauna extinct or restricted to high elevations)

Question 27

Disruption of ecosystems can cause an_________

Answer 27

extinction cascade

Question 28

True or False:

Destroyed habitats can never be restored

Answer 28

False:

they can sometimes be restored however no restoration is ever truly pristine

Question 29

Look at slideshow to see examples