Final 1/3 Flashcards
What is the definition of conservation in chapter 14
Stewardship of the
natural world
What are the 2 types of conservation
Biological( chapter 14) resources( chapter 15)
What has caused a major biological biodiversity crisis
humans
What percentage of species found on the earth have gone extinct
99 percent
What is mass extinction
Mass extinction events
occur when large
number of species go
extinct simultaneously
How long ago did the earth from
4550 ma
how long ago did the moon form
4527ma
How many mas extinctions has occurred
5
What is the cause of the 6th mass extingtion
humans
What is the Great dieing
3rd major mass extingtion
What was the cause of the great dying
Volcanic activity
how long ago was the great dying
245ma
What is the real name for the great dying
Permian mass extinction
What percent of families went extinct in the Permian mass extinction
54% of families
What percent of species went extinct in the Permian extinction
96% of species
What is the Cretacious-Tertiary (K/T) extinction
5th major extinction
What percent of species went extinct in the Cretacious-Tertiary (K/T) extinction
76
What percent of families went extinct in the Cretacious-Tertiary (K/T) extinction
17
how long ago was the What percent of species went extinct in the Cretacious-Tertiary (K/T) extinction
65 ma tears ago
What was the cause of the What percent of species went extinct in the Cretacious-Tertiary (K/T) extinction
meteorite impact in Mexico’s Yucatan
Peninsula
What is adaptive
radiation
Followed by a mass extinction. newly-
evolved organisms
occupy now-vacant
niches
What is the Burgess Shale
Fossil bed from 542mya
Has an extinction been observed naturally
no
What is the cause of observed extinction
anthropogenic
What is the Holocene Extinction
Modern Biological Crisis
6th major extinction caused by humans
Comes from the actions from one species
What are the 3 major elements of the holocene extinction
- Species extinctions are
occurring at
abnormally high rates - Number of endangered
species and species at
risk is rising quickly in
all countries - Natural communities
are being diminished
What is E.O Wilsons prediction when it comes to extinction
Wilson predicts
extinction for half of known
species by end of century
When did the holocene extinction begin
12 000 years ago. began after the glaciers retreated
What is island vulnerability
Species restricted to
oceanic islands are
especially vulnerable to
extinction
What is the most abundant type of extinctions that have occurred since the 1500
island endemics extinction
What are some recent extinctions
Dodos
Great Auks
Passenger pigeons
ivory woodpecker
What are the causes of anthropogenic extinction
Over-
harvesting
* Introduction
of alien
species
* Habitat
destruction
What is the name of the current mass exticntion
Holocene
When was banff park created
1885
What does COSEWIC mean
Committee on the Status of Endangered
Wildlife in Canada
What does extinct mean
a species that once occurred in Canada
but is no longer found anywhere on Earth
How many species are extinct on Canada
19
What does Extirpated mean
formerly occurred in Canada, but now
survives only elsewhere
How many species are Extirpated in canada
23
What does endagered mean
species that is at imminent risk of
extinction or extirpation in its Canadian range
How many canadian species are endangered
363
What does threatened mean
species likely to become endangered
unless factors affecting risk are mitigated
How many threatened species are in Canada
190
What does Special concern & data deficient mean
Special concern: at risk
of becoming threatened
due to low numbers:
235 species
* Data deficient: available
information is not
sufficient to resolve
assessment: 59 species
* 198 species have
been designated as “not
being at risk”
What is a Recovery strategy
focus
on plans that will
increase the animal’s
population to a viable
level
What are the concepts of conservation biology
- Minimum Viable
Population - Keystone species
- Umbrella species
- Flagship species
- Theory of island
biogeography - Designing protected
areas
What is the concept of Minimum Viable Population
the minimum abundance
that would allow a population to persist in the wild. calculated using computers
What is the concept of keystone species
Keystone species have disproportionately large
influence on ecological structure and functionality
of their community
What is the concept of an umbrella species
Umbrella species are wide-ranging organisms that
have a large home range and are components of
many types of communities
polar bear,
grizzly bear, timber wolf,
checkerspot butterfly
What is the concept of a flagship species
Flagship species are charismatic species that are
used to profile the importance of conservation
activities to the public
panda, polar
bear, timber wolf, orca,
sugar maple
What is the theory of island biogeography
Over long time
periods,
equilibrium
condition is
established
between
immigration and
extinction
Distant islands
have lower
immigration rate
of new species
than near islands
small islands
support smaller
populations, which
have higher
extinction rates
than large islands
What is a protected area
Protected areas are those set aside from intensive
economic use
* Maximize the number of protected areas
* Maximize the size of protected area
* Trade-off between number and size
What does SLOSS mean
Single Large Or Several Small
What are the key factors of SLOSS
Key factors:
– Area
– Edge effects
– Number of protected areas
– Distance between protected
areas
How does area affect SLOSS
Larger protected areas are
associated with lower
extinction probabilities in
comparison to smaller areas
* Numerous protected areas
provides redundancy against
catastrophic losses of
endangered species
How does shape affect sloss
Shape: Protected areas with
maximized interior habitat
experience fewer edge effects
Spacing: Gene flow and
recolonization is more likely
when protected areas are in
closer proximity
* Corridors: facilitate gene flow
and recolonization
What is the name for easter island
Rapa Nui
When was Rapa Nui colonized
300 ce
When was Rapa Nui flourishing
1500s
When was the rapa nui ecological collapse
1700s
What caused Rapa Nui ecological collapse
Overharvesting of trees
What is resource ecology
Resource ecology deals
with links between
ecological knowledge and
natural resource
management
What is sustainable development
human economy that
could run indefinitely
What is Ecologically sustainable
economy:
sustainable
development while
maintaining biodiversity
What is ecological ecomonics
Ecological economics
places value on the
relationships between
economies and
ecosystems
What is the value of ecological econimics
Value: Energy, materials,
services provided
What is the costs of ecological econimics
Costs: Repairing
environmental damage,
including habitat
restoration
What is maximum sustainable yield
The theoretical upper limit
of harvest of a resources
that will result in the largest
sustainable long-term yield
What is a chimney swift
small bird
arial insectivore
population is decreasing down 59 % since 1970
What is Paleoecology
deals with populations,
communities, and ecosystems of the past
What evidence do we use in paleoecology
Uses fossils and other
kinds of data to
reconstruct historical
ecosystems
What is uniformitarianism
if we understand how
organisms respond to environmental factors today,
we can infer features of past communities and
ecosystems
What is superpositioon
sequence of
sedimentary deposits
are arranged with the
oldest at the bottom
and the youngest at
top
From when do paleoecologic study from
Paleoecologists
explore ecological
changes since the
last glacial retreat
using several
“natural archives
What is Dendrochronology
Dendrochronlogy is the
paleoecological study of
tree rings
* Tree growth is seasonally
variable, producing annual
rings
* Larger xylem vessels during
fast growth
* Ring width is influenced by
temperature, drought, pests
How is tree rings measured
using a increment borer
What do tree rings interoperate
Ring width reflects
growth conditions
* Narrow rings reflect
dry or cold year
True or false: Incremental growth can be used similarly for hard-
bodied corals and mollusks, and fish otoliths
True
What is Palynology
paleoecological study of pollen
What religion is most sensitive to climate change
Artic
how is climate change affecting the artic
- The arctic has high surface albedo (reflectivity)
- With melting ice, albedo decreases, accelerating
the rate of warming
Paleoecology of ice time period
Ice sediment provides insight back 100,000s years
into temperature and ice volume
Dendrochronology:time period
100s-1,000s years
Pollen and diatom sediment analysis
time period
100s-10,000s
years
What is fundmental ecological research
helps us
to understand the
natural world
* Provides insight into the
station and role of
humans
* Results of fundamental
research routinely
provide unforeseen
applications
What is applied ecological research
Applied ecological
research focuses on
understanding and
resolving environmental
problems:
* Lack of sustainability
* Loss of biodiversity
* Ecological knowledge
required in agriculture,
forestry, fisheries, etc
Why is human development unsustainable
- Population growth
- Resource use
- Pollution
- Biodiversity loss
What is the growth rate of humans
1.14 percent per year
What is happening to our resources
Both renewable and
non-renewable
resources are rapidly
depleted:
* Fossil fuels
* Some metals
* Water
* Agricultural land
* Timber
* Fish stocks
Unsustainable pollution
Pollution harms
organisms and influences
climate change
* Long-lasting effects of
pollutants are probable
* Chemicals used in
normal households can
have detrimental effects
on the ecosystem
Unsustainable biodiversity loss
Damage to three levels
of biodiversity:
* Genetic diversity is
increasingly diminished
in many populations
* Many species are on a
path to extinction
* Many communities are
increasingly rare
What is the fromula for Environmental Impact of humans on biosphere
I = P × A × T
Paul Ehrlich,
Ecologist
P = Population size
A = per capita Affluence
T = Technical development
What is Ecological integrity
the ability of an ecosystem to
support and maintain ecological processes and a
diverse community of organisms
What are the indicator of ecological integrity
- High resistance to stressors
- High resilience to disturbance
- Complex structure, function
- Top carnivores present
- Large species present
- Nutrient cycling sustainable
- Low anthropogenic influence
- Native species, not aliens
What is environmental monitoring
Environmental monitoring
involves repeated
measurements of variables
related to abiotic
environment, or structure
and function of ecosystems
Goal: to detect threats to environmental quality,
and find ways to mitigate these threats
What is Environmental
indicators:
relatively
simple measurements
that represent complex
aspects of
environmental quality
Environmental indicators: abundance
Widespread declines in abundance worrisome
* Causes of declines should be studied
What is happening to the whooping crane population
crane abundance is increasing due to
breeding efforts and population management
Acid rain
- Observation: long-term monitoring of rain pH
showed increasingly acidic rainfall in Ontario - Causes: chemical testing revealed sulphuric and
nitric acid emissions as source problems - Consequences: Many
freshwater ecosystems
saw crashing plankton
and fish populations - Action: Reduction in
sulphuric and nitric acid
emissions… less acid rain
Organochlorines
- Observation: eagles, osprey, and falcons showed
steep population declines in 1950’s and 1960’s - Causes: local use of DDT correlated with die-offs,
where bio-magnification injured top predators - Consequences: die-off at
high trophic levels
changed trophic
pyramids worldwide - Action: Governments
began to prohibit DDT
use in the 1960’s
Eutrophication
- Observation: water sampling since 1960’s revealed
increasing eutrophication in Ontario lakes - Causes: whole-lake experiments in Experimental
Lakes Area confirmed phosphorus was limiting - Consequences: algal
blooms result in anoxic
deep waters, killing fish - Action: remove
phosphorus from
detergents; improve
water-treatment tools
Fragmentation
- Observation: animal populations were divided by
highways and other anthropogenic structures - Causes: traffic collisions caused mortality; some
animals reluctant to cross un-vegetated route - Consequences: lower
biodiversity at genetic
and species levels - Action: create highway
overpasses and
underpasses
Climate Change
Observation: increases in atmospheric greenhouse
gasses (CO2, CH4, O3, CFCs) detected by chemists
* Causes: anthropogenic production of these
chemicals at unprecedented rates
* Consequences:
decreasing agricultural
production, increasing
severe weather, and
rising ocean levels
* Action: curb greenhouse
gas production
What is wilderness
refers to the wild and uninhibited land tracts that are little used by modern industrial people
What is minimal viable area
smallest area suitable for habitat
What is rarity
low likelihood of encountering a species
What is a hotspot of biological diversity
regions at a global level that support a high diversity of species
Coldspot of Biodiversity
hold low amounts of endemic species, but sustain an important biodiversity value
What is category 1a
Strictly protected ecological reserves. visitation is limited
What is category 1b
Large wilderness area that are managed to preserve conditions
What is Category 2
Co-managed for conservation of natural ecosystems along with outdoor recreation
What is economic growth
refers to the economy that is increasing in size over time
size of human population
manufacturing of goods
What is economics
The study of the way that limited resources are produced, distributed and consumed
What is resource ecology
deals with the links between ecological knowledge and the management of natural resources
What does GDP mean
Gross Domestic product
In the last 53 years, what rate did human pop increase in lesser developed countrys
49%
In the last 53 years, what rate did human pop increase in developed countrys
165%
In the last 53 years, what rate did GDP increase in developed countrys
4%
In the last 53 years, what rate did GDP increase in lesser developed countrys
10.6%
What is economic Development
an improving efficiency in the use of materials and energy
What is sustainable development
refers to the process being ,made towards a sustainable economy. do not use resources at a rate faster than generating them.
What is natural capita
sources of materials and energy that are harvested . Renewable and non renewable
What is Human capita
refers to the people who are practicing in an economy. Workers
What is Intellectual capita;
knowledge that resides within an economy. the know how
What is vegetative regeneration
when individuals of a certain species survive the cutting and then recover by sprouting from their stumps
What is Advanced regeneration
When smaller individuals of tree species that are established under a mature forest canopy thrive
What is the principal of superposition
in a sequence of sedimentary rock deposits, the oldest bed is at the bottom and the youngest is at the top
What is autochthonous
materials that originate within the lake itself. algea, dead fish
What is Allochthonous
Materials/sediments that originate from outside of the lake.
Pollen, vegetation, airborne substrate
What is Palynology
Study of pollen and spores
What is fundamental research
curios about the natural world. how it came to be, how it is organized
What is applied research
answering a focused question
What is the impact formula
I= PxAxT
What does I represent
The total environmental impact by a human population
What does P represent
The size of the population
What does A represent
an estimate of the affluence in terms of per capita consumption of resources
What does T represent
the technological development of the economy, in terms of environmental impact per unit of consumption
How does the IPAT compare between China, India and Canada
Canada impacts the environment much more considerably
