Setting conservation priorities Flashcards
What is the IUCN
The International union for conservation of nature
What is the role of the IUCN
Coordinating global data on biodiversity conservation
Increasing understanding of the importance of biodiversity
Deploying nature based solutions to global challenges (climate change)
What is the IUCN red list
A way of categorising species according to the vulnerability or extinction
What are all the categories of the IUCN red list
 Extinct
extinct in the wild
critically endangered
endangered
vulnerable
near threatened
least concern
data deficient
What does extinct mean
 No known individuals remain
What does extinct in the wild mean
Only survive in captivity
What does critically endangered mean
Extremely high risk of extinction in the wild
What does endangered mean
High risk of extinction in the wild
What does vulnerable mean
 High risk of becoming endangered
What does near threatened mean
Likely to become endangered in the near future
What does least concern mean
Lowest risk of becoming endangered
What does data deficient mean
Insufficient information for the species to be categorised
What percentage of population decline over the previous 10 years or three generations will vulnerable species have
> 40%
What % population decline will make an endangered species
> 60%
What % population decline for a critically endangered population
> 80%
What area of habitat will a vulnerable population have
<2000km*2
What area of habitat will a endangered species have
<500km*2
What area of habitat will a critically endangered species have
<10km*2
What number of area will a vulnerable population be found in
<10
How many area can an endangered population be found
<5
How many areas will a critically endangered species be found in
1
How many mature adults will a vulnerable population have
10000
How many mature adults will an endangered population have
2500
How many mature adults will a critically endangered species have
250
What’s the probability of extinction for a vulnerable population
Less than 10% in 100yr
What is the probability of extinction for a endangered population
Less than 20% in 20yr/5 generations
What is the probability of extinction for a critically endangered population
Less than 50% in 10yr or 3 generations
Why might species in habitats under particular threat be categorised
Their status may indicate the status of the rest of the community
What are EDGE species
Evolutionary
Distinct
Globally
Endangered
What are EDGE species
Species with few close relatives often the only surviving member of their genus
What are some examples of EDGE species
Secretary bird
Pygmy hippo
What are endemic species
A species not found in any other area
Why are endemic species at risk
If their is a local change and the local species dies out it can’t be found anywhere else
What are some areas with endemic species
Galapagos
Madagascar
Seychelles
Borneo
What are some endemic species
Aldabra giant tortoise
Gozo wall lizard
The lemur
The clouded leopards
What is a keystone species
A species that has an important role in maintaining ecological structure
What sort of things do keystone species do
Predation of dominant species
Provision of food
Seed dispersal
Creation of structural features
How are African elephants a keystone species
Keep forest paths open
Spread seeds of trees
Keep water holes open and provide water and nutrients for animals and plants
What are flagship species?
Species that have a high public profile
Why are flagship species important
They can be used to raise money for the whole environment even and species that people aren’t likely to donate to
What are some examples of flagship species?
Tigers
Elephants
Giant pandas
Orangutan
What is the problem with a fragmented population
May produce populations that will each day out because they lack sufficient resources, or have a small gene pool leading to inbreeding
What is the problem of a species that is found only in one location
Vulnerable to any change
What is an example of a isolated population
Chimpanzees and gorillas are found in multiple countries apart from the pygmy chimpanzee is found in the forest of one country
