Chapter 17Chapter 17

BiodiversityBiodiversity

BiodiversityBiodiversity

Biodiversity is the same as biological Biodiversity is the same as biological diversitydiversity Species diversity-Species diversity- Genetic diversity-Genetic diversity- Ecosystem diversity-Ecosystem diversity-

Ecosystem services of Ecosystem services of biodiversitybiodiversity

Examples:Examples:1.1.2.2.3.3.4.4.

Genetic engineering- Genetic engineering- Broad genetic base-Broad genetic base-

BiodiversityBiodiversity

Maintains genetic reservesMaintains genetic reserves Source of food, medicine & industrial Source of food, medicine & industrial

goodsgoods Aesthetic & spiritual valueAesthetic & spiritual value

ExtinctionExtinction

Extinction-Extinction- Background extinction-Background extinction- Mass extinction- Mass extinction- Today, species are going extinct at ~ Today, species are going extinct at ~

100x the natural beginning 100x the natural beginning extinction rate extinction rate

Endangered speciesEndangered species

Endangered speciesEndangered species

ThreatenedThreatened

Endangered Species Cont.Endangered Species Cont.

Characteristics of endangered Characteristics of endangered speciesspecies 1.1. 2.2. 3.3. 4.4. 5.5. 6.6.

What leads to endangerment What leads to endangerment (cont)(cont)

High trophic level feeders High trophic level feeders Specialized nicheSpecialized niche Low population densityLow population density Interference with human activityInterference with human activity Large size puts a species at riskLarge size puts a species at risk

Endangered Species Cont.Endangered Species Cont.

Endemic- Endemic-

Habitat Fragmentation-Habitat Fragmentation-

Decline in biodiversityDecline in biodiversity States with biggest decline in States with biggest decline in

biodiversity:biodiversity:

World-wide places with biggest decline World-wide places with biggest decline in biodiversity is ____________ (1% is in biodiversity is ____________ (1% is being cleared or severely degraded being cleared or severely degraded each year)each year)

Human causes of biodiversity lossHuman causes of biodiversity loss

Adaptive radiation-Adaptive radiation-

Endangered SpeciesEndangered Species

http://www.redlist.org/info/gallery200http://www.redlist.org/info/gallery20044

Species ExtinctionSpecies Extinction

Scientists estimate that there are Scientists estimate that there are somewhere between ______ species of living somewhere between ______ species of living things on earth. So far we have classified things on earth. So far we have classified about 3 million of those.about 3 million of those.

Humans may cause up to __% of the earth’s Humans may cause up to __% of the earth’s species to become extinct by the year 2030.species to become extinct by the year 2030.

If we assume there are __ million species on If we assume there are __ million species on earth and we lose __% of them, then _ earth and we lose __% of them, then _ million species will be lost by 2030.million species will be lost by 2030.

That is a loss of over ___ species a day or __ That is a loss of over ___ species a day or __ per hour.per hour.

Threat to biodiversityThreat to biodiversity

Greatest Threat to biodiversity = Greatest Threat to biodiversity = habitat losshabitat loss

1.1. Total agriculture occupies __% of total Total agriculture occupies __% of total Earth’s land area (excluding Earth’s land area (excluding Antarctica)Antarctica)

2.2. Biotic pollution-Biotic pollution-

Threat to biodiversity Cont.Threat to biodiversity Cont.

3. Pollution3. Pollution

4. Over exploitation (over use)4. Over exploitation (over use)

Over use of speciesOver use of species

Over use of speciesOver use of species Over hunted (unregulated hunting)Over hunted (unregulated hunting)

E.g. E.g. Illegal hunting (poaching)Illegal hunting (poaching)

Commercial harvest- collection of a live Commercial harvest- collection of a live organism from natureorganism from nature Example - Example -

Commercial extinction- hunting a species until Commercial extinction- hunting a species until the population drops & it’s no longer the population drops & it’s no longer profitable to harvest profitable to harvest

Sentinel SpeciesSentinel Species

Bell weather species (sentinel Bell weather species (sentinel species)species)

Amphibians are often sentinel Amphibians are often sentinel species as they are very sensitive to species as they are very sensitive to environment changesenvironment changes

ConservationConservation

Conservation biology-Conservation biology-

In-situ conservation –In-situ conservation –

Ex-situ conservation-Ex-situ conservation-

Prob. w/ Protecting biodiversity Prob. w/ Protecting biodiversity

w/ habitatw/ habitat Protected areas often have multiple Protected areas often have multiple

uses or are privately owneduses or are privately owned Not always effective in preserving Not always effective in preserving

biodiversitybiodiversity Most are located in least habitable Most are located in least habitable

areas (e.g. deserts or high mountain areas (e.g. deserts or high mountain areas) areas)

Restoration EcologyRestoration Ecology

Principles of ecology are used to Principles of ecology are used to return a degraded environment as return a degraded environment as close as possible to us former stateclose as possible to us former state Cons -Cons - Pros - Pros -

Biodiversity maintained by Biodiversity maintained by man through:man through:

Artificial insemination- Artificial insemination-

Embryo transfer-Embryo transfer-

Seed banks-Seed banks-

Conservation of OrganismsConservation of Organisms

Champions preservationChampions preservation 2 biggies2 biggies

World Wildlife Fund (WWF)World Wildlife Fund (WWF) World Conservation UnionWorld Conservation Union International Union for Conservation International Union for Conservation

of Nature & National Resources of Nature & National Resources (IUCN)(IUCN)

Conservation of OrganismsConservation of Organisms

Endangered Species Act-1973Endangered Species Act-1973 Provides legal protection to listed speciesProvides legal protection to listed species Requires FWS to select critical habitats & design a Requires FWS to select critical habitats & design a

detailed recovery plan for each species.detailed recovery plan for each species. Does Does notnot provide compensation to private property owners provide compensation to private property owners

for financial loss because they cannot develop their for financial loss because they cannot develop their propertyproperty

90% of endangered species live on private lands.90% of endangered species live on private lands.

Key counter: law is geared more to saving a Key counter: law is geared more to saving a few popular or unique species rather than few popular or unique species rather than larger, less glamorous specieslarger, less glamorous species

Habitat Conservation PlansHabitat Conservation Plans

Allowed under 1982 amendment to Allowed under 1982 amendment to ESAESA

Allows taking of rare species if it Allows taking of rare species if it does not threaten the survival or does not threaten the survival or recovery of the speciesrecovery of the species

Biological Resources DivisionBiological Resources Division(part of Dept. of Interior)(part of Dept. of Interior)

Mission is to provide info & Mission is to provide info & technologies to manage & conserve technologies to manage & conserve biological resources on federal lands.biological resources on federal lands.

World Conservation Strategy- plan World Conservation Strategy- plan designed to conserve biological designed to conserve biological resources worldwideresources worldwide

Biological Resources DivisionBiological Resources Division(part of Dept. of Interior) Cont(part of Dept. of Interior) Cont

Wildlife Management- applied field of Wildlife Management- applied field of conservation biology that focuses on conservation biology that focuses on continued productivity of plants & continued productivity of plants & animals animals

Bioaccumulation- increase/build up of Bioaccumulation- increase/build up of chem. concentration in the bodies of chem. concentration in the bodies of animals & plantsanimals & plants

What can we do?What can we do?

Increase public awarenessIncrease public awareness Support researchSupport research Support establishment of Int’l system of Support establishment of Int’l system of

parksparks Control pollutionControl pollution Provide incentives to encourage Provide incentives to encourage

preservation of ecological resources (e.g. preservation of ecological resources (e.g. ecotourism, fees for genetic material)ecotourism, fees for genetic material)