Lecture 25: Biodiversity & Global Ecology: Biodiversity conservation Flashcards
The central goal of habitat protection is to maintain areas large enough to support __________________________
minimum viable populations
Minimum viable population (MVP)
The smallest population size of a species that can persist long-term against environmental variation.
______________ that _____________ are important for safeguarding against natural catastrophes (density independent effects).
- Multiple reserves
- each allow MVPs
________________ must take into account the __________________________ that we want to protect.
- Reserve design
- biology of the organisms
_________ reserves and ______ of them are _____________
- Bigger
- more
- always best
We can learn from _________________ and __________________ dynamics to understand what spatial factors are important in reserve design.
- island biogeography
- meta-population
_________________ reserves are typically dictated by ______________ factors.
- Properties of real
- political and cultural
reserve design - size
- better design = bigger reserve = better species-area relationship
- worse design = smaller reserve
reserve design - number of reserves
- better design = one large reserve = less fragmentation into sub-populations
- worse design = multiple small reserves
reserve design - proximity (isolation)
- better design = closer sub-population = less isolation between sub-populations
- worse design = sub-populations are further apart
reserve design - proximity (distance)
- better design = distance between sub-populations is shorter = minimized distances between sub-populations
- worse design = distance between sub-population is longer
reserve design - connectivity
- better design = patches are connected = easier for organisms to move between
- worse design = patches are not connected = harder to move between
reverse design - shape
- better design = circular shape = reduces edge effects
- worse design = elongated shape = increases edge effect
Important considerations for where to establish a reserve
- Biodiversity hotspots
- Areas with diverse & unique habitats
- Key sites for migratory animals
define biodiversity hotspots
Locations that are home to at least 1,500 endemic plant species and have experienced at least 70% decline in pre-human vegetation cover
High endemism of plants typically means __________________________, but plants are easier to inventory, so they make a more practical measure
high endemism of animals too
Many national parks capture _______________________________.
multiple unique or rare habitat types
The _________ that many animals need to survive ________________________, with changes in climate and vegetation cover – seasonal adaptations
- habitat
- changes seasonally
Conservation efforts of these species must _______________________________________
of the species.
protect habitat that spans the full needs
define reforestation
The aided or unaided recovery of natural forest cover
define afforestation
Planting of forest in areas with no natural forest cover
temperate forests are disproportionately ______________________.
important as carbon sinks
why are temperate forests important as carbon sinks
Deep soil means low/slow decomposition which then means more carbon locked away in organic material
Old growth forests are not in carbon balance and continue to act as carbon sinks. ________________________________!
Protection of old growth forest remains important
_____________________ is an ____________________________ of wild populations that we consume.
- Reduction of harvesting
- obvious solution to the collapse
__________________________ data and_______________ play a central role in long-term sustainable harvesting
- Better biodiversity inventory
- monitoring
Around 1/3 to 1/4 of world’s fisheries are in collapse, and most other fisheries are close to or at sustainable harvest limits. A significant proportion of this harvesting is __________, and is ______________________________________.
- illegal
- not needed for sustained feeding of human populations
In regards to fisheries harvesting, ________________________________________ are in conflict with _________________________________________
- commercial profits of individuals and companies
- long-term sustainability and economic prosperity
______________________ is increasingly successful at identifying species that are ____________________________________.
- Biodiversity monitoring
- below minimum viable populations
biodiversity monitoring provides the opportunity _______________________ and reintroduce them when and where ____________________________________.
- to breed individuals in captivity
- conditions are more favorable for survival
zoos join together to form a _____________________, increasing __________________ of breeding populations, and ___________________ of having the last few individuals of a species – global zoos as meta-populations!
- global network
- genetic diversity
- distributing the risk
___________________________________ is reintroduction to natural habitat and sustained population growth
Ultimate goal of captive breeding programs
Reintroductions are expensive, but can be most successful with ________________________________________.
species that capture public attention
Species reintroductions may have _______________________________________, including:
* Greater areas of _____________________ that benefits lots of other
species
* ___________________ back to more natural conditions.
- significant advantages to overall
biodiversity of a region - protected habitat
- Shifts in the ecosystem
