Conservation lecture 3 Flashcards
What is biodiversity
the diveristy of a biological system
- number of species
- ecosystem diversity
- chemical diversity
- genetic diversity
Why is biodiversity important?
- medicines ( most medicine come from living organisms)
without biodiversity, it will make a huge impace on pharmaceuticals - agriculture( crop diversity is important for food being available to all and if ecosystem conditions change in an area, crops may not be able to grow there
What is agriculture?
the science or practice of farming, including cultivation of the soil for the growing of crops and the rearing of animals to provide food, wool, and other products
What are the reasons for extinction?
1) human population size
2) pollution
3) global climate change
4) habitat loss
5) over - hunting
What is forest fragmentation?
the splintering apart of forested areas into isolated fragments
- poses a distinct threat to both animal/plant populations
-commercial logging for forest products, trees are chopped down for fuel
- road building: roadkill, alteration of physical environment, spread of invasive species
Why do humans hunt wildlife?
Is the greatest threat to large tropical mammals (pet trade, food- wild meat ( subsistence, cash income)
What is conservation biology?
scientific discipline that aims to provide knowledge and guidance necessary to maintain biodiversity
What are the four types of living species in context of conservation?
- keystone
- foundation
- indicator
- flagship
What is a keystone species?
a species on which other species in an ecosystem largely depend, such that if it were removed the ecosystem would change drastically.
what is a foundation species?
a dominant primary producer in an ecosystem both in terms of abundance and influence
What is an indicator species?
A species whose presence may indicate the overall “health” of the environment
What is a flagship species?
charismatic species that can engender support from the public, chosen for their vulnerability and attractiveness
What are the conservation tactics to protect biodiversity?
1) sustainable utilization
2) captive breeding and re - introduction of animals
3) education
4) habitat protection
What is sustainable utilization? Provide example.
It encourages people to use resources sustainably
- makes natural resources economically viable to local people and they will want to conserve it
Example: ecotourism
- many tourists pay $500 plus hotel costs to see gorillas - $200 million annually
- tourist dollars have funded conservation efforts and boosted gorilla populations from 650 in mid 1990s
What is captive breeding and re - introduction? Provide examples.
Goals of captive breeding programs
- increase the size of the wild population
- increase the genetic diversity of the wild population
-expand geographic distribution of the wild population
- a small number of animals have the possibility of increasing their numbers through captive breeding programs
Example: golden lion tamarin monkey in Brazil
- In the 1970s, > 200 in Atlantic coastal forest
- captive breeding program started for GLT in zoos in Brazil and NA, then animals were introduced back to native forest
What is conservation tactic (education)
Education programs can help foster sustainable behavior, improve public support for conservation, reduce vandalism and poaching in protected areas, improve compliance with conservation regulations
What is conservation tactics (habitat protection)
- generally agreed to be the best strategy because it protects the animals and the entire ecosystem
- population density is usually higher in protected areas and habitat loss may cease in the protected area while it continues around them
What are Soule postulates of conservation biology?
1) diversity of organism is good
2) ecological complexity is good
3) evolution is good
4) biotic diversity has intrinsic value
What is the goal of conservation biology
- not to preserve every species forever
- to preserve ecosystems/biomes/habitats in such a way that a diversity of species is maintained
What are the three modern conservation movements
- take variety of perspectives into account
- romantic transcendental conservation ethic
- resource conservation ethic
- evolutionary ecological land ethic
What is romantic transcendental conservation ethic
- nature important for reasons other than economic gain
- need to preserve nature in pristine state
- nature is spiritual and meditative
what is resource conservation ethic
- is centered around human use of nature
- natural resources important quality of life and from an economic standpoint
- find the most economically efficient use of nature and natural resources
what is evolutionary- ecological land ethic?
land is a complex integrated system with components and processes
- not made of useful and useless parts
- very influential to modern conservation ethics
What are the aims of conservation biology?
- maintain ecosystem function and diversity
- maintain the diversity of genes, populations, habitats, ecosystems and the processes normally carried out by them including natural selection
- keep normal evolutionary processes working within a functioning ecological setting
