Lesson 14 - Conservation Flashcards
What factors can cause population decrease?
- Habitat removal
- Natural disasters
- Disease
- Invasive species
- Poaching
- Loss of genetic variation
Organisations linked to conservation:
- Intergovernmental (United Nations)
- Governmental (Environmental agency)
- Non-governmental (Friends of the earth)
Types of approaches to conservation:
- Species based
- Habitat based
- A mixture of both
When is conservation more successful?
- Research
- Adequate funding
- Support of local community
CITES: The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
- Very effective
- Can not trade specific animals
- No financial reward
- Classifications
Idea: 1980 World Conservation Strategy
Maintain essential ecological processes and life support systems;
Preserve genetic diversity;
Ensure sustainable utilisation of species and ecosystems
Idea: 1991 Caring for the Earth: A strategy for sustainable living
Stated benefits of sustainable use of natural resources and sharing resources more equally.
In-situ conservation
- Preserve species in their natural habitat
- Maintains genetic diversity of the species and evolutionary adaptations that enable species to adapt to changing environmental conditions.
- Preserves interdependent relationships present in habitat –> interlinked species preserves.
- Cheaper
- Marine, aquatic and terrestrial nature reserves are all dedicated to this.
Ex-situ conservation
- Preserve species outside of their natural habitat
- Addition to in situ measures
Idea: 1992 – Rio Earth Summit – Agenda 21 (sustainable development agenda)
Conservation of biological variation
Sustainable use of its components
Equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilisation of genetic resources.
Botanical gardens:
- Grow species that wouldn’t usually be grown in country.
- Greenhouses.
Seed banks:
Seed banks are where seeds are stored, frozen and dry, for many years.
- Don’t work for all species as some die when dried
Flagship species: advantages
Charismatic, recognisable and popular.
But attract funding for areas that need conservation efforts.
Umbrella species
WWF –> pandas
Flagship species negatives:
Not necessarily ecologically important.
Takes priority over others (even if it is not the most in need).
If they become extinct the message is we have failed.
They may be in conflict with the local peoples, e.g. man-eating tigers
Keystone species
- Critical role in maintaining the structure of the ecosystem it lives in.
- Disappearance of this species could cause the disappearance of many others.
- If conservation is to be successful these species must be identified.
- Often engineers (e.g. beavers) that create habitats or small predators (e.g. sea otters) that keep herbivore numbers low enough that producers can survive.
Why should protected areas be larger?
- Includes more species
- Bigger populations
- More interior per edge
Why should protected areas be close?
- Better than isolated
- Easier to disperse among patches 00> easier recolonization in case local patch loses all individuals.
Should reservations be clumped or in rows?
Clumped –> shorter distance to other reserves.
Should reserves be connected by corridors?
Yes –> facilitates dispersal.
Why is round the best shape for reserves?
Decreases amount of edge.
Extinct:
No organisms of the species exist anywhere in the world
Extinct in the wild
Organisms of the species only exist in captivity
Endangered
A species that is in danger of extinction
Vulnerable
A species that is considered likely to become endangered in the near future
Sustainable development:
Economic development that meets the needs of people today, without limiting the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
Active management of wildlife reserves includes:
- Controlled grazing
- Restricted human access
- Controlling poaching (fines)
- Feeding animals
- Reintroduction of species
- Cutting or removal of invasive species
- halting succession (natural process in which early colonising species are replaced over time until stable / mature population is achieved.
Marine conservation zones:
- Less well established than terrestrial ones.
- Lundy Island
