Biological Diversity and Conservation

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Biological Diversity and Conservation
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Summary Slide

• Vanishing Species
• Conservation of Biodiversity

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Vanishing Species
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Biological Diversity

• Biodiversity the variety of life (number of
  species) in an area

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Where is biodiversity found?

• For example for species of mammals Canada has
  163 species, US has 367 species, Mexico has 439
  species (this number grows as we get closer to
  the equator)
• Tropical regions contain 2/3 of all land species
  on earth

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The Island Model

• Islands can serve as an excellent study tool for
  biodiversity
• Small islands can have more or less species than
  larger ones, depending upon where the islands are
  located
• A small island can have as many or more species
  than the larger one located in a cooler climate
• This type of research is excellent when it comes
  to studying national parks or reserves because
  they are islands within themselves

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Importance of Biodiversity

• Biodiversity affects the relationships between
  populations
• The existence of one population is directly
  dependent upon the existence of other populations
  which surround it
• Biodiversity helps to stabilize an ecosystem

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Importance to people

• Food
• Pharmacy
• Disease

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Food

• Biodiversity is important to humans because we
  are dependent upon other organisms for a variety
  of things
• Organisms like plants give us oxygen
• The organisms that we eat are diverse and allow
  use to have a varied diet
• Biodiversity can be important when it comes to
  genetically altered crops
• Biodiversity is also important because we use
  these species for food as well as materials

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Pharmacy

• Biodiversity also helps in the pharmacy.
  Penicillin came from mold, Quinine an
  anti-malaria drug came from a cinchona tree

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Disease

• The cure for cancer and AIDS could be found in
  our own backyard because of biodiversity

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Loss of Biodiversity

• Extinction
• Threatened Species
• Endangered Species

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Extinction

• Extinction The disappearance of a species when
  the last of its members dies
• Since 1980 this includes 40 species of plants and
  animals in the US.
• Humans have been responsible for a lot of
  extinction in addition to natural processes

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Threatened Species

• Threatened Species The rapid decline of a
  species population
• An example of a threatened population is the
  African Elephant

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The African Elephant

• In the 1970s the population of the African
  Elephant was at 3 million, within 20 years the
  numbers had fallen to 700,000
• Why? Elephants have been hunted for their tusks
  to make ivory jewelry and ornaments

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Endangered Species

• Endangered species When the numbers of a
  threatened species are so low that extinction is
  possible

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Threatened Species

• The Black Rhinoceros of Africa is endangered due
  to their horns being carved for ceremonial
  daggers or used as an herbal medicine
• In the US the California condor (Gymnogyps
  californianus) and the Florida manatees
  (Trichechus manatus)

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Threats to biodiversity

• Habitat loss, Habitat Fragmentation, Biotic
  Issues, Abiotic issues, Habitat Degradations,
  Water pollution, Land Pollution, Introduction of
  Exotics

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Habitat Threats

• Habitat loss the removal of the habitat
• Habitat fragmentation the separation of
  wilderness areas from other wilderness areas
• Habitat degradations The damage to a habitat by
  pollution (air, water, and land pollution)
• Ozone layer

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Biome Threats

• Biotic issues Living relationships between
  organisms which are effected
• Abiotic issues Factors which are caused as a
  result of other issues

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Exotics

• Introduction of exotics Can damage native
  species due to a competition for the environment
  (Kudzu to US, cane toad to Australia, zebra
  mussels to Great Lakes, goats to Santa Catalina,
  sea lamprey to Great Lakes)

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Conservation of Biodiversity
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Strategies of conservation Biology

• Conservation Biology field of biology which
  studies methods and implements plants to protect
  biodiversity
• Conservation biologists focus on ecology,
  understand law, politics, sociology, and economics

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Legal protection of species

• US Endangered Species act in 1973 by President
  Nixon making it illegal to harm any species on
  the endangered or threatened species lists
• Harm includes the changing of the ecosystems in
  which these species live
• The International Trade in Endangered Species
  (CITES) manages a list of species whose transport
  and trade are prohibited or controlled and is
  endorsed by 120 countries

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Preserving habitats

• Creating nature reserves is also a way to
  preserve habitats
• Only 6 of the earths land surface is protected
  by reserves
• The preservation of land is the most effective
  way to preserve populations

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Establishing a Preserve

• Sustainable Use allows people to use the
  resources of the wilderness in ways that will not
  damage the ecosystem
• Habitat corridors Natural strips that allow the
  migration of organisms from one area to another
• The creation of a preserve is best suited by
  placing tracks of land next to areas which are
  already preserved to make a large island of land
  or a corridor

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The First Reserve

• Yellowstone National Park was established in 1872
  as a preservation effort on the geology of the
  area which also serves to protect the
  biodiversity as well.

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Preserving Habitats

• Example Yellowstone National Park

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Reintroduction Programs

• Reintroduction programs release organisms into
  an area where their species once lived

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Reintroduction Programs

• Example Gray Wolves of Yellowstone National Park

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Review