Lecture 27 Conservation Biology Flashcards
Conservation
- Conservation biology integrates
ecology, evolution, physiology,
molecular biology, and genetics to
sustain biodiversity - Goal is to maintain genetic diversity,
reduce species extinctions, and
preserve vital ecosystem processes - Efforts are interdisciplinary and
involve social scientists and local
communities
slide 5
Conservation Strategies
slide 6-9
Biodiversity and Human Welfare
Loss of biodiversity should be of
great concern because:
* Natural resources
medicines, food, and other
products for human use (including
many yet to be identified)
* Ecosystem services
essential functions such as air and
water purification
* Ethical/Intrinsic value
innate sense of connection to and
responsibility to protect nature
Biodiversity and Human Welfare: Resources
Pharmaceuticals
* heavily dependent on plant,
animal, fungal, and bacterial
products
* 50,000-70,000 plant species
are used in traditional and
modern medicine
* 25% of US prescription drugs
are derived from plants
Agriculture
* Wild relatives hold genetic material
for resisting pests and growing in
different climates
Natural Products
* Many products we use are derived
from natural resources: wood,
rubber, dietary supplements, food,
fibers
Ecosystem Services
Ecosystem services
perform functions that
directly or indirectly
benefit humans
If we had to recreate
these services, how
much would it cost?
Billions per year!
Conservation Priorities
slide 14-15
Endangered Species
- Endangered species
are in danger of
extinction throughout
much of its range - Threatened species
are likely to become
endangered in the
near future - Extinction risk is
shaped by intrinsic
characteristics
(biological traits) and
extrinsic factors
(threats) - Traits associated with a high risk of
extinction include: - high trophic level
- low population density
- slow life history or low fecundity
- habitat specialization
- small geographical range size
- Species with these traits are:
- more prone to demographic and
environmental stochasticity - less able to adapt to or recover from
environmental or ecological changes
slide 16-21
Conservation Priorities
Endangered species often occur in concentrated regions
because of endemism and shared threats.
slide 22
Biodiversity Hotspots
- Biodiversity hotspots are regions
with large number of endemic
species and also a large number of
endangered and threatened species - Concentration of high amounts of
biodiversity - Designation is biased towards
vertebrates and plants over
invertebrates and microorganisms - Often chosen for nature reserves,
but this overlooks many species &
focuses on a tiny portion of Earth
slide 23
Conservation Approaches
slide 24
Conservation Approaches: Single-Species
- Most conservation efforts focus on species
- Can be very powerful if the right species is chosen
- Goal is maintaining population size, genetic diversity,
critical habitat - Populations may go extinct and lose valuable genetic
diversity (and adaptive potential) - Global extinction occurs when no populations remain
- Focus can be on:
- Population growth and
diversity (ex situ and in
situ) - Threat mitigation
- Critical habitat protection
- Downside of this
strategy: - Not all ecosystems have a
single species to focus on - Species interactions may
be crucial - In situ conservation focuses on species in their
natural habitats by protecting habitats, reducing
threats, and managing populations - Ex situ conservation works to maintain biological
diversity outside of natural habitats (e.g., captive
breeding, seed bank, zoos, aquariums)
slide 25-28
Conservation Approaches: Community
- Multi-species approaches identify
several focal species that are both
sensitive to the threat and play
important roles in the ecosystem - The loss of interacting species can have
cascading effects: identifying these
species as targets can minimize
ecological damage - Conserving this group will most likely
help the whole ecological community
and help maintain ecological function
slide 29
Conservation Approaches: Ecosystem
- Often most feasible approach in areas with
limited resources for conservation or
ecosystems facing multiple threats
impacting different species - Helps ensure all species in an area persist
by protecting the area from external
threats - Loss of critical habitat can lead to
population decline even if population is
above MVP size - Rationale for creating protected
areas of habitat protected from
threats and with minimal human
activity - 15% of global land area and 7% of
ocean is under environmental
protection - Protected area design incorporates
principles of island biogeography and
ecology - Are Single Large or Several Small
reserves better? (SLOSS debate)
Connectivity
* Most protected areas are
too small to support longterm survival of many
species, BUT…
* Corridors can connect
habitat fragments to allow
dispersal (metapopulation)
to prevent effects of small
populations and isolation
* Bridges and tunnels can
minimize road mortality
Connectivity doesn’t solve all problems, in fact it
causes others:
* Connected populations are more susceptible to
disease, invasive species, and wildfire spread
* Metapopulations can lead to increased mortality if
corridors are not used
* Patches can turn Source-into Sink source-sinks
slide 30-35
Restoration Ecology
Restoration ecology aims to
fully or partially repair or
replace habitats that have
been degraded or destroyed
by:
* restoring habitats
* reducing pollutant and
nutrient inputs
* eliminating invasive
species
* reintroducing native
species
* bringing back natural
periodic disturbance
Humans & Conservation
- Attempts to set aside
nature reserves as
protected ”islands” of
biodiversity without
human impact are
destined to fail - Involving local people
into conservation
strategies helps ensure
their success while also
supporting local
communities
Zoned reserves are combined use
protected areas where relatively
undisturbed areas are surrounded by
areas used for economic gain
Sustainable development programs
balance development to meet the needs
of people today without limiting the
ecosystem services for future people
slide 37-38
