Lecture 21- Chapter 23 Flashcards
1
Q
Principles of Conservation Biology
A
- Conservation biology is an integrative discipline that applies the principles of ecology to the protection of biodiversity
- Biodiversity is declining globally
- Primary threats to biodiversity include habitat loss, overexploitation, pollution, disease, invasive species, climate change
- Conservation biologists; an example from the ocean waters of Belize.
2
Q
Biodiversity
A
- The diversity of important ecological entities that span multiple spatial scales, from genes to species to communities
1. Genetic diversity within a species - morphological/ phenotypic diversity
- Diversity within colour starfish)
2. Species diversity within a community
3. Diversity of communities across landscapes
3
Q
Example of Biodiversity
A
- Without the interaction between Corals & Symbiodinium we not have biodiversity within an ecosystem
- Within this bond they make coral reefs/ communities
4
Q
Why should we care
A
- Protecting biodiversity is important for both practical and moral reasons
- We are dependent on ecosystem services
5
Q
The following functions depend on the integrity of natural communities and ecosystems
A
- Water purification
- Generation and maintenance of soils
- Pollination of crops
- Climate regulation
- Flood control
- Source of food… like fish
6
Q
Dr. Lamb
A
- seagrass meadows help remove dangerous bacteria from ocean waters
- For emotional health most of us require time spent surrounded by nature’s beauty and complexity
- Spiritually we go to natural ecosystems for solace, wonder, and insight
- These functions depend on the integrity of natural communities and ecosystems
7
Q
Why is Biodiversity Declining Globally
A
- endagered
- extinct
8
Q
Estimates of Current Extinction Rates Rely On
A
- The species–area relationship
- Changes in the threat status of species
- Rates of population decline or range contraction of common species
- Extinction is normal
- See a speciation event and then after so much time that species will disappear
9
Q
5 Mass Extinctions
A
- 541 years ago cambrian explosion lead to the major phyletic diversification
- Dinosaurs went extinct due to a meteor striking earth
10
Q
Rate of Extinction
A
- difficult to measure
- since the # of species on Earth currently is unknown
- estimated from the fossil record are used as background rates
- Most species are headed to extinction
11
Q
Slope of the Curves
A
- much different than the background slope
- suggests that we are in an emergency crisis
12
Q
Mammals and Birds
A
- background rate is one species every 200 years
13
Q
Current Extinction Rate
A
1 per year
14
Q
Overall Extinction Rates
A
100-1,000x higher than the background rate
15
Q
Primary Threats to Biodiversity
A
HABITAT LOSS
16
Q
Habitat Loss
A
- Conversion of an ecosystem to another use
- Habitat loss if the primary threat to biodiversity– needs to be conserved
- Humans have modified 60% of earth’s land surface, now appropriating 25% of Earth’s primary production
17
Q
Habitat Fragmentation
A
- Breaking up continuous habitat into patches amid a human-dominated landscape
18
Q
Habitat Degradation
A
- Changes that reduce quality of the habitat for many, but not all, species
19
Q
Overexploitation
A
- Size of cod has been shrinking due to overfishing
- Areas of the landscape change
- 1870 american bison skulls were ground into fertilizer
- Animals are overexploited for many things that aren’t food
20
Q
Pollution
A
- Although PCB concentrations vary among killer whale populations, all of them have concentrations above the probable threshold for toxicity
- PCB accumulates throughout a food web (high amounts in killer whales who are at the top of the trophic level)
- Has its impact on wildlife, see chemicals make their way to humans
21
Q
Disease
A
- As populations become homogeneous they become more susceptible to diseases
- Inbreeding, heterozygosity
22
Q
Extinction Vortex
A
- A cyclic chain of events causes a small population to decline even further and become ever more vulnerable to processes that lead to extinction
23
Q
Invasive Species
A
- Ex. buckthorns wipe out the local flora in local areas and they change the species that feed on certain plants
- Boats carry ballas water which contains many organisms- they take the organisms and dump them out
- Marine environment is affected by the european green crab- boats spread the larvae of this green crab all over the world (causing green crabs to be everywhere)
24
Q
Climate Change/ Crisis
A
- Polar bears and corals
- Influences coral ecosystems
- 30% fish species diversity
- Bleaching corals is due to simbiodinuum
- Ocean acidification
25
Q
Ocean Acidification
A
- lowering of the PH and skeletons made of calcium carbonate break down in acidic conditions
