Scott Pike, Willamette University

Biodiversity

2010 Advocacy Institute

International Debate Education Association and Willamette University

Charismatic Megafauna

Biodiversity

• Defining• Valuing• Measuring• Extinction

– Rates– Modern Pressures

• Biodiversity Policy• Managing for Biodiversity

Defining Biodiversity

• Genetic diversity - variety and variability in genetic makeup among individuals of a single species

Fruit of Lycopersicon spp. and cultivars of L.esculentum (cultivated tomato)

http

://ip

mw

orld

.um

n.ed

u/ch

apte

rs/e

igen

br.h

tm

Defining Biodiversity

• Species diversity - variety and variability of species in different habitats

Defining Biodiversity

• Ecosystem diversity - variety and variability of biological communities that interact with one another and their non-living environments

Valuing Biodiversity

Valuing Biodiversity

Rainbow troutSteelhead

Red wolf

Measuring Biodiversity

www.invasiveplantatlas.org

Forest A Forest B

1.75 million? 5 million? 14 million? 100 million?

How Many Species Are There?

• Local Extinction• Ecological Extinction• Biological Extinction

© Gary Larson

Extinction

Fig. 9-3, p. 186

Effects of a .1% extinction rate

Number of years until one million species are extinct

Fig. 9-6, p. 189

Fig. 9-5, p. 188

Stepped Art

Fixed migratory patterns

Blue whale, whooping crane, sea turtle

Feeds at high trophic level

Bengal tiger, bald eagle, grizzly bear

Narrow distribution

Elephant seal, desert pupfish

Commercially valuable

Snow leopard, tiger, elephant, rhinoceros, rare plants and birds

Blue whale, giant panda, rhinoceros

Characteristic

ExamplesLow reproductive

rate (K-strategist)

Rare African violet, some orchids

Large territoriesCalifornia condor, grizzly bear, Florida panther

Specialized niche

Blue whale, giant panda, Everglades kite

Should UNESCO and supporting countries leverage “charismatic” cultures to achieve more subtle and far-reaching goals?