Conservational Biology

Question 1

What is the background to conservational biology? Why did it start?

Answer 1

Started to protect disappearing species
There was a massive world population bomb= Started to increase exponentially
Now population expansion= Exacerbating species declines
Biodiversity and human population densities tend to co-occur
Much biodiversity is focussed away from economic centres of the world

Question 2

What are some problems which conservational biology needs to overcome?

Answer 2

1) Traditional disciples tended to work in pristine areas= Need to work on other areas
2) Little communication between academics and practitioners
3) Placing realistic long-term value on resources

Question 3

What is Conservation biology?

Answer 3

1) Multi-Disciplinary science but heavily dependent upon ecology
2) Aims to manage and restore biodiversity for economic, ethical and cultural/aesthetic reasons

Question 4

1) Case study of the use of ecology in Conservation: Species responses to climate change

Answer 4

Increase in human population= More global climate change= Impacts on biodiversity
-Species moving northward and uphill in UK e.g. Birds, Grasshoppers, Butterflies

Uses:

1) Ecological niche models used to stimulate new colonists under climate change (introduces species to the area to see if population persists) + changing ranges under climate change + Predict recent spread
2) Useful to stimulate new sites for translocations and to predict population changes

Question 5

2) Case study of the use of ecology in Conservation: Assessing species richness/diversity

Answer 5

1) Measure of diversity in relation to spatial scale:
Alpha diversity: Diversity in given area or ecosystem, can look at correlation with productivity
Beta diversity: The rate of change in species across habitats
Gamma diversity: Overall measure of diversity in all ecosystems within a large geographical area
Also can see the species-area relationships
2) Useful for defining key biodiversity areas for protection for estimating species richness of unexplored regions

Species richness of an area has often been found to be predictable based on the area itself

Question 6

2) What is the equation for a species-area relationship?

Answer 6

S=cA^z

S=Number of species
A= Area
C and Z are constants

Z: Measure of the rate of change of the slope with increasing area= Rate of turnover of species across space

Question 7

3) Case study of the use of ecology in Conservation: Protected area priorities- now and in the future

Answer 7

Most diversity= Often in productive regions BUT majority of protected area prioritisation are often in unproductive habitats- probably due to being last remnants of natural habitats

1) Use of ecological studies: Inform optimal reserve sites, optimal reserve layouts and connectivity, minimum areas
2) Can advise on management and habitat recreation

Question 8

4) Case study of the use of ecology in Conservation: Understanding invasive alien species

Answer 8

1) Study invasive species to assess their invasion potential
Use: To model potential control mechanisms and likely success= Understand ecology and read to identify impacts on native species

Question 9

5) Case study of the use of ecology in Conservation: Modelling population changes

Answer 9

Can use mathematical models to stimulate realistic range changes in species

1) Understand the most effective times to control problem species OR most effective strategy to introduce desirable species

Can help understand inexplicable population changes, food web impacts and minimum population sizes for effective conservation