Lecture 1

Question 1

Define biodiversity

Answer 1

Means the variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part: this includes diversity within species (the genes), between species and of ecosystems

Question 2

What is meant by background rates of extinction?

Answer 2

How many species would go extinct if we weren’t here: how many you lose naturally

Question 3

From fossil records, phylogenies and data on net diversification what is the estimated background rate of extinction?

Answer 3

0.1 E/MSY (extinctions per million species- years) (this is expected as part of dynamic nature)

Question 4

What percentage of species most go extinct for it to be classed as a mass extinction event?

Answer 4

75%

Question 5

How many mass extinction events have there been?

Answer 5

5

Question 6

What are the two dates for the beginning of the Antropocene?

Answer 6

1610 and 1964

Question 7

What is the reasoning for the beginning of the Anthropocene being either 1610 or 1964?

Answer 7

1610: the CO2 concentrations were very low at this time and since then they have been increasing
1964: peak date of radio activity, a lot of nuclear tests and since then that number is increasing

Question 8

Why does data suggest climate change has a small affect/ threat on species?

Answer 8

Because it is hard to say when a species is threatened by climate change. So, it is difficult for us to tell when it’s a big threat and it is still changing so will have effects we don’t know about yet

Question 9

Give 4 examples of species that are thought to have gone extinct recently (hard to say for sure when they have gone extinct because you may just not be looking in the right place at the right time)

Answer 9

. Golden toad (1989)
. Baiji / Yangtze River dolphin (2006)
. Western black rhino (2011)- actually a subspecies
. Pyrenean ibex (2000)- actually a subspecies (extinct from hunting)

Question 10

What is conservation biology?

Answer 10

A vision of a new discipline that addresses the dynamics and problems of perturbed species, communities and ecosystems (- Michael Soule)

Question 11

What is conservation science?

Answer 11

A broader framework recognising that ecological dynamics cannot be separated from human dynamics (- Peter Kareiva and Michelle Marvier)

Question 12

Define conservation biology

Answer 12

Conservation biology is the application of biological science to address the problems of species, communities and ecosystems perturbed by humans

Question 13

Give 3 examples of good things for conservation biology

Answer 13

1. High diversity of organisms is good
2. Ecological complexity is good: placing value on habitat diversity and complexity of ecological processes
3. Evolution is good- genetic diversity is good

Question 14

Give examples of conservation biology tools

Answer 14

. Designing protected areas- SLOSS (single large or several small)
. Estimating minimum population sizes for conservation- MVP (minimum viable population concept)
. CITIES (the convention of international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora/ animals and plants

Question 15

Describe SLOSS/ the debate

Answer 15

Should we conserve many small (might be able to protect more species) or one large habitat (beneficial for a species with a large range) area within a protected area to minimise los of biodiversity in a human-modified landscape? Area will be the same overall (all theoretical)

Question 16

What are the with SLOSS?

Answer 16

Who owns the land?
How much can we actually conserve?
Doesn’t address the threats to migratory species

Question 17

Define minimum viable population (MVP)

Answer 17

The smallest number of individuals required for an isolated population to persist at a predefined probability (90-95%) for a predefined time (e.g. 100 years) into the future

Question 18

What is meta-analysis?

Answer 18

When someone tries to bring together all of the information into one study, so they look at scientific literature and bring together what people have found

Question 19

What are the 3 appendices in the CITIES?

Answer 19

. Appendix 1: threatened species cannot just be traded across borders expect for good reason e.g. scientific purpose
. Appendix 2: some species that are already threatened but there is some trade allowed but it is regulated, to make sure that, that trade does not threatened that species any further
. Appendix 3: agreement between two countries e.g. a species could be threatened in one country but not globally so they want trade to be regulated

Question 20

Give an example of a appendix 1 and a appendix 2 species according to CITIES

Answer 20

. Appendix 1: Oryx dammah (Scimitar horned Oryx) (extinct in the wild from overhunting and habitat loss)
. Appendix 2: Bradypus pygmaeus (Pygmy three-toed sloth) (critically endangered)

Question 21

What is conservation sciences new value statements?

Answer 21

. ‘Pristine nature’, untouched by human influences, does not exist
. The fate of nature and that of people are deeply intertwined
. Nature can be surprisingly resilient
. Humans can avoid the ‘tragedy of commons’
. Local conservation efforts are deeply connected to global forces

Question 22

What were conservation sciences original value statements?

Answer 22

. Human well-being is integral to the conservation concept
. Jointly maximise benefits to people and biodiversity through the application of social and natural sciences
. It is still a crisis discipline, but evidence based: develop a body of quantitative evidence for best practice
—> instrumental value of biodiversity

Question 23

Define intrinsic value

Answer 23

Nature should be protected for its own sake (conservation biology)

Question 24

Define instrumental value

Answer 24

We must save nature to help ourselves (conservation science)

Question 25

How has the global context for conservation changed since 1985?

Answer 25

. Global population has risen from 4.8billion to >7billion in 2011
. Per capita energy use has risen from 1420kg to ~1800kg of oil equivalent in 2009
. Atmospheric CO2 at Mauna Loa has risen from 346ppm to 391.6 in 2011
. Public prioritise has decreased from 61% to 36% in 2011
(Population increasing but also standard of living- more meat, dairy etc.)

Question 26

What does CBD stand for?

Answer 26

Convention on biological diversity (some countries are not signed up e.g. USA)

Question 27

In the 1992 Rio Earth Summit of the convention on biological diversity (CBD), what was the target? Was this target met?

Answer 27

To achieve by 2010 a significant reduction of the current rate of biodiversity loss at the global, regional and national level as a contribution to poverty alleviation and to the benefit of all life on Earth.
Didn’t meet this target

Question 28

What were the goals A-E of the strategic plan for biodiversity 2011-2020 of the conservation on conservation biological diversity (CBD)?

Answer 28

. A= address the underlying causes of biodiversity loss by mainstreaming biodiversity across government and society
. B= reduce the direct pressures on biodiversity and promote sustainable use
. C= to improve the status of biodiversity by safeguarding ecosystems, species and genetic diversity
. D= enhance the benefits to all from biodiversity and ecosystem services
. E= enhance implementation through participatory planning, knowledge management and capacity building

Question 29

Explain how Southern white Rhinoceros are a success to conservation. What are the recent issues?

Answer 29

. Considered extinct in 1800
. Small population rediscovered in South Africa: translocation and restocking followed-> now more than 20000 individuals
. Creation of protected area and breeding on private ranches
. But: continued and escalating poaching in recent years- so might need to also do something about that
. Near threatened (2008)- not fully recovered but not considered threatened
(2000- lower risk/ conservation dependant)

Question 30

Describe the the golden lion tamarin endangered status

Answer 30

. Were given ‘endangered’ status in 1988. When to critically endangered in 1996 and then back to endangered in 2003
. Extent of occurrence (area)<5000km2 but ca 1000 individuals now
. Love in Brazil in low lying forests near the coast
. 30 years of conservation effort across institutes
. Translocation, reforestation and new potential area
. Wild populations are augmented by captive-bred individuals (1/3 of wild species originated from captive stock)
. But: continuing fragmentation and decline in habitat quality

Question 31

Give evidence that conservation works. Explain the issue with this data

Answer 31

68 improvements in conversation status due to conservation action, of a total of 928 vertebrates with change in extinction risk
Could have gotten better or worse, hard to tell sometimes as we may not have had all the information to begin with