Selecting Species To Save

Question 1

What does the Telipogon ampliflorus orchid do

Answer 1

Pumps out pheromones to attract insects with sex - barrow thermal range

Question 2

What is the criteria for selecting species for consecration

Answer 2

Instrumental use
Intrinsic value
Ecological value
Uniqueness
Level of threat

Question 3

What are the extinction threat categories from the IUCN red list

Answer 3

Extinct (EX)
Extinct in the wild (EW)
Critically endangered (CR)
Endangered (EN)
Vulnerable (VU)
Near threatened (NT)
Least concern (LC)

Data deficient (DD) and Not evaluated (NE)

Question 4

How do the IUCN provide their red list

Answer 4

What is the likelihood of a species becoming extinct in the near future, given current knowledge about population trends, range and recent, current or projected threats

Question 5

What does the IUCN stand for

Answer 5

International Union for Conservation of Nature

Question 6

What does extinct mean

Answer 6

When there is not doubt that the last individual has died

Question 7

Example of a species that was thought to be extinct but reducscovwrwd

Answer 7

lzarus species

Largest bee in the world in Indonesia (magachile Pluto)

Question 8

What does extinct in the wild mean

Answer 8

When it is known only to survive in captivity or as naturalised population well outside the past range

Question 9

Example of critically endangered species

Answer 9

Mountain gorilla

Franklin’s bumblebee

Question 10

Example of endangered species

Answer 10

Tasmanian devil

Giant panda

Question 11

Example of vulnerable species

Answer 11

African elephant

Rosalia longicorn beetle

Question 12

What does IUCN data allow us to measure

Answer 12

The trend of threatened species and if it continues

Question 13

What are the extinction criteria for critically endangered animals

Answer 13

>80% decline over last 10 years.
>10km2 occupancy
>25% decline expected over 3 years
<50 mature individuals 
50% extinct in last 10 years

Question 14

What are the extinction criteria for endangered animals

Answer 14

50% decline
>500km2
>20% decline over 5 years
>250 immature indicualas 
20% in 20 years extinct

Question 15

What are the extinction criteria for vulnerable animals

Answer 15

20% decline 
<2000km2
0% decline expected in 10 years
<1000 individuals
10% probability of extinction in 100 years

Question 16

How to measure extinction threat

Answer 16

Observed/expected/historical decline in numbers.
Geographical area occupied.
Number of populations.
Number of living and breeding individuals.
Known threats and their trajectory.

Question 17

Problem with measuring extinction threat

Answer 17

Data is often highly incomplete

Question 18

What does IUCN say about limited data

Answer 18

We shouldn’t allow it to be an excuse for inaction

Question 19

What are different data sources

Answer 19

Observed 
Estimated
Projected
Inferred
Suspected

Question 20

Example of an animal to consider assessments at different scale

Answer 20

Red squirrel is endangered in England. Vulnerable in Britain and least concern worldwide

Question 21

What are some pros of species based conservation

Answer 21

Species more discrete entitles than ecosystems.
Convenient for monitoring.
Public interest in species.

Question 22

Cons of species based conservation

Answer 22

Little known about most species.

Causes taxonomic bias (vertebrates and higher plants)

Question 23

Why is there taxonomic bias

Answer 23

Because we rely on public interest and volunteers to do the research there’s taxonomic bias as individuals can’t be bothered to go through the processes if they don’t care about the animals

Question 24

What is the criteria for selecting areas for consecration

Answer 24

Size of the area
Intactness
Site condition
Level of threat
Habitat rarity
Fragility / vulnerable to change
Biodiversity

Question 25

Example of size of the area having an impact

Answer 25

No. Of reptiles and amphibians on a W. Indian island increase with island size

Question 26

Example of intactness having an impact

Answer 26

In the Amazonian region

Question 27

Example of rarity having an impact

Answer 27

Costa Rica has suffered disproportionate loss of tropical dry forest which is a great ecosystem for humans and animals. McDonald’s used to be spruced

Question 28

Where are global threat hotspots

Answer 28

In South America In Madagascar In Asia e.g Indonesia

Question 29

Example of fragility of the system to change having an affect

Answer 29

The Gran Sabana ecosystem is highly vulnerable to disturbance e.g soil compaction. But has lots of biodiversity. Thin soils can be blown away as well - lots of threat.

Question 30

What are the measures of biodiversity of the area

Answer 30

Richness hotspots Endemicity hotspots Threat hotspots Complementarity area

Question 31

Why are endemicity hotspots smaller

Answer 31

Usually endemic to a country or type of forest or mountain or a hillside or even a plot

Question 32

What have large NGOs done in the last 15 years

Answer 32

Started to map out priorities in strategic areas found 25 terrestrial hotspots

Question 33

Examples of hot spots

Answer 33

Caribbean Central chilli New Zealand Madagascar’s

Question 34

What is a complementarity area

Answer 34

Represent as much biodiversity as possible in a limited area of land available for conservation

Question 35

Problem with leaving some areas not protected

Answer 35

You can do educational program and establish new policies but if people live there and there’s political boundaries there is constraints as well

Question 36

What is the challenge of complementarity

Answer 36

Inconvenient as the hot spots of richness, threat and endemicity don’t really line up

Question 37

Why do the hot spots for richness, threat and endemicity determine

Answer 37

Sites of specific scientific interest

Question 38

How many national parks in England

Answer 38

10. 9.3% area

Question 39

How many national parks in wales

Answer 39

3. 19.9% area

Question 40

How many national parks in Scotland.

Answer 40

2. 7.2% of area

Question 41

What is the reserve-health index

Answer 41

Index measures changes in: 10 guilds of animals and plants Includes disturbance-avoiding and favouring species. Over past 20-30 years.

Question 42

Do protected areas work in the Uk

Answer 42

Protected area excludes 31 species of birds. 20 new cells would be needed to represent all species. 16 cells needed to repeat by all red data species.

Question 43

Do protected areas work in New Caledonia

Answer 43

83% of the 447 threatened species are not in protected areas. 5-9 times the current protection area is needed

Question 44

What is a trade off

Answer 44

A balance achieved between two desirable but incompatible features, a compromise

Question 45

Example of trade off questions

Answer 45

Do we establish critical protected areas where people live? Do we allow tourism into an ecologically sensitive area that needs conservation dollars? Do we protect wild life that face direct conflict with humans? Do we protect a species no matter the economic cost?

Question 46

Examples of trade offs

Answer 46

Road development considering agricultural vs envonrmwntal values. Tourism in Gran Sabana. Endangered species that are expensive to protect like Mauritius kestrel and sumatran rhino.

Question 47

What is the conservation triage

Answer 47

Approaches that abandon some species or subpopulations to extinction, in order to focus resources on others with higher chances of survival but HOW do you chose that and who chooses it

Question 48

What does conservation equal

Answer 48

Complex decision making. Indentifyint region, biodiversity assets, candidate management actions, estimate cost, calculate biodiversity benefit, rank actions by benefit and cost, Create feasible actions, schedule and implement actions, evaluate effectiveness