Paradigms in Conserva/on

Question 1

Graeme Caughley defined what two

paradigms in conservation?

Answer 1

Declining population paradigm
&
Small population paradigm

Question 2

Declining population paradigm

Answer 2

identify causes of decline.
–  prescribe solution species by species.
–  “essentially humdrum”

Question 3

Small population paradigm

Answer 3

–  treats population “smallness”
 as cause 
of extinction. 
     *Inbreeding, alee effect,            genetic drift, 
etc. 
–  answers “trivial question” of how long 
a population will last if nothing 
happens…

Question 4

Strengths of basic

sciences

Answer 4

– Theory oriented. 
– Perceptions on evolutionary time scale. 
– Concepts of temporal and 
spatial scales. 
– Focus on game and 
nongame species.

Question 5

Weaknesses of basic sciences

Answer 5

–  Lacked contact with on-the-ground managers
–  Accused of being too theoretical
•  Simplified computer simulations were initial focus of much work.
•  Information transference from theory to application was often ignored.
–  Somehow ignored existence of Biological Conservation…
•  1985 Jared Diamond and Peter
Brussard suggested the need for a new Society and journal to do what
was being done with Biological
Conservation

Question 6

Strengths – Applied Sciences

Answer 6

Perceived wisdom 
•  TWS 50 years older than SCB. 
•  TWS on-the-ground 
management experience. 
– Rooted in population biology. 
•  Historic game management focus. 
•  Historic furbearer focus. 
– Contact with wildlife managers.

Question 7

Weaknesses - applied sciences

Answer 7

–  Long-term focus on game species issues.
•  With, K. A. 1997. The theory of Conservation Biology. Conservation
Biology:1436-1440.
–  Analysis of publications of TWS over time. Found long tradition of studying game species in North America.
•  Exceptions
–  Noted ecologists published from wildlife platforms. e.g. John Wiens as a scientist at Oregon State University

Question 8

Conservation Biology

Answer 8

Founded and driven by academicians transferring “pure science” to “applied science.”
– Focus on biodiversity. 
– Focus on keeping 
evolutionary processes 
functioning. 
– Implied discontent with 
traditional approaches.

Question 9

Small population

paradigm.

Answer 9

“risk of extinction inherent in low numbers”

• Rareness alone is the cause of
  extinction.
• Island species.
• Zoo species.
•  Extinction vortex…

Question 10

Declining population

paradigm.

Answer 10

Focused on detecting,
diagnosing and halting
population decline.

Question 11

After a population was small forces different from those acting on -?- become important.

Answer 11

large

populations

Question 12

The development of techniques to study the

small population forces was done primarily by ?

Answer 12

basic science departments 
in North America, and in 
captive breeding 
institutions (Smithsonian 
CRC).

Question 13

INTERNAL CAUSE =

Answer 13

Small Population Paradigm

Question 14

If enough factors accumulate,

then a species can enter the

Answer 14

Extinction Vortex

Question 15

If enough factors accumulate,

then a species can enter the?

Answer 15

Extinction Vortex

Question 16

Factors of the Extinction Vortex

Answer 16

-Human impacts
– Inbreeding effects
–  Demographic fluctuation

Question 17

What happens in an Extinction Vortex?

Answer 17

Factors snowball and drive a

species to extinction quickly.

Question 18

“Minimum Viable Population”

Answer 18

Population below which extinction vortex will occur

occurs was defined as the

Question 19

Small Population Paradigm is Largely defined by what methods?

Answer 19

--Stochasticity 
–  Genetics 
–  Metapopulations 
–  MVP 
–  Effective population size Ne 
–  PVA 
– Captive breeding 
–  Decision analysis 
– Reserve design

Question 20

Small population Paradigm– Stochastic Factors

Answer 20

• Demographic stochasticity.

* Environmental stochasticity

Question 21

Demographic stochasticity.

Answer 21

Difference in deterministic
and stochastic models?
•  Deterministic.
•  Stochastic

Question 22

Environmental

stochasticity

Answer 22

Many, many, many
publications based on
simulations….

Question 23

Small population Paradigm Heterozygosity / Genetic diversity

Answer 23

– Heterozygosity and 
fitness… 
– Genetic drift (think 
captive) 
•  Population bottlenecks 
•  Founder effects 
– Inbreeding 
•  Inbreeding depression 
•  Outbreeding depression

Question 24

What is a metapopulation?

Answer 24

?

Question 25

metapopulation implications for conservation:

Answer 25

– Reserve design (SLOSS) – Landscape configuration (corridors) – Captive populations

Question 26

Minimum Viable Population

Answer 26

Minimum Viable Population

Question 27

Under the MVP threshold,

Answer 27

multiple factors interact to cause reduce the viability of the population.

Question 28

Ne

Answer 28

Effective Population Size

Question 29

Viability of a Population

Answer 29

- Probability of extinction -  Time frame -  Population size