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Conservation Biology the scientific study of
biodiversity and its management for sustainable
human welfare
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Biodiversity Defined
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Biosphere Defined
The zone of the earths surface that is occupied
or influenced by living organisms
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Distribution of 6 subspecies of the Black Rat
Snake (Elaphe obsoleta)
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Hawaiian Honeycreepers
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Goals of Conservation Biology
1. To investigate human impacts on
biological diversity
2. To develop practical approaches to
prevent the extinction of species
Arctic Fox (Alopex lagopus)
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Conservation Biology as a Crisis Discipline
1. Our system of legal protection of endangered
species is not adequate to handle the need
on a case-by-case basis.
for example, Karner-blue Butterfly (Lycaeides
melissa samuelis)
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Conservation Biology as a Crisis Discipline
2. Management policies for public forests,
rangeland, and parks have emphasized the
exploitation of resources and the promotion
of commercial activities
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Conservation Biology as a Crisis Discipline
3. At the international level, the strategy of
protecting biodiversity by creating strictly
protected national parks does not work
well in many developing countries.
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Case Study 1
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What statement best describes your attitude
toward gray wolves?

1. Wolves are ruthless predators and generally are a
   real threat to the safety/well-being of man.
2. Wolves are an essential component of the
   ecosystem, and should be conserved at all costs.
3. Wolf predation on livestock is the leading cause
   of economic loss to western ranchers.
4. People who advocate the introduction of wolves to
   a particular area should be willing to compensate
   ranchers for predation losses.
5. Wolves provide little to the maintenance of
   healthy ecosystems, but should be preserved
   because they symbolize the beauty of natural
   areas.

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Human Perception of wolves
Theres a wolf at the door
Im hungry as a wolf
A wolf in sheeps clothing
Whos afraid of the big bad wolf
Three Little Pigs
Little Red Riding Hood
The Werewolf
What guarded Count Draculas Castle?
Throw him to the wolves
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"Wolf Larsen!" he snorted a moment later. "Listen
to the word, will ye! Wolf - 'tis what he is.
He's not black-hearted like some men. 'Tis no
heart he has at all. Wolf, just wolf, 'tis what
he is. D'ye wonder he's well named?"
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Peter and the Wolf by Prokofiev
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Case study Number 1
Gray Wolf Introduction Greater Yellowstone
Ecosystem

• Once distributed everywhere north of 20 degrees
• North Latitude

• Exterminated in over half of their historic range

• Now listed as Endangered under the Endangered
• Species Act

• In 1992 there were about 50,000 in Eurasia,
  50,000 in
• Canada, 6,000 in Alaska and lt 12 in Mexico

• In the Lower 48 United States there were
• 1,800 in Minnesota, 40-50 in Wisconsin
• 10-18 in Michigan, 30 in Montana and
• 6-12 in Idaho

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Gray Wolf Introduction Greater Yellowstone
Ecosystem

• Justification for re-introduction consideration

1. Wolves are the single Missing Link in
the Yellowstone ecosystem
2. Vital to preventing overpopulation of
elk, moose, deer
3. Maintain prey population health by
removing old or sick animals
4. Keep prey populations below Carrying
Capacity
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• Gray Wolves were originally found throughout
  the Rocky Mountain Range and adjacent habitats

• Before implementing a re- introduction
  program, a series of tough, non-biological
  questions should be addressed

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Gray Wolf Introduction Greater Yellowstone
Ecosystem
1. Are gray wolves actually endangered or
should that even matter?
2. What are the costs and benefits related
to re-introduction?
3. What are the costs and/or risks to
society?
4. Other ideas-
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Gray Wolf Introduction Greater Yellowstone
Ecosystem
Questions to ask concerning the biology of wolves
1. Why arent there wolves present now?
a. Climate change leading to a change in
habitat structure
b. Lack of prey
c. Systematic control
d. Human encroachment into the species
habitat
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Gray Wolf Introduction Greater Yellowstone
Ecosystem
2. Can the present habitat support wolves, and
if so, how many?
a. What habitat structure is required?
b. Are there suitable den sites?
c. Is the micro-climate suitable?
d. What is the typical home range size?
e. Are there concerns about habitat
fragmentation?
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Gray Wolf Introduction Greater Yellowstone
Ecosystem
3. What are the relationships between wolves
and other vertebrate species?
a. Is there an adequate prey base?
1.) What do wolves eat?
2.) How many are there?
3.) Does anything else eat them?
4.) Are prey populations cyclical?
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Gray Wolf Introduction Greater Yellowstone
Ecosystem
b. Are there predators of wolves present at
the proposed reintroduction site?
1.) What species?
2.) How many are there?
3.) Do they need to be controlled and can
they?
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Gray Wolf Introduction Greater Yellowstone
Ecosystem
4. What are possible causes for this project to
fail?
a. It has been shown that wolves
avoid areas with roads.
b. High tourist volume may frighten
wolves out of the introduction areas
c. Livestock depredation on public (or
private) land outside of park boundaries
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Gray Wolf Introduction Greater Yellowstone
Ecosystem
3. c. continued
1.) possibly mitigated by compensating
ranchers for livestock loses
2.) Change livestock management
practices
d. Wolf social behavior not compatible with
introduction of a few, unrelated, animals
4. Human casualties- possible, but
unlikely
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Cover of May-June 2007 Audubon Magazine
2008 data indicate that there are 1645 wolves in
217 packs
The Recovery Team goal for de-listing was 100
individuals in 10 packs
Conservation management plans are in place for
Idaho and Montana, not Wyoming, so listing is
continued
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A study completed in 2006 indicates that watching
the Gray Wolf in the Greater Yellowstone
Ecosystem provides local communities with 90
million annually.
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Discussion of the very unique consequences of
this project.
1. Observed drop in waterfowl populations in
areas were wolf populations have become
re-established
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2. Can you explain why the number of road-killed
elk/moose shouldoccur in wolf re-introduction
areas?
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2. Can you explain why the weight of elk should
decrease in wolf re-introduction areas? And add
to that the foraging location should shift away
from aspen/willow stands?
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Straight Back, Stevie Nicks, Fleetwood Mac,
Mirage CD, 1982
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Central functions of Science that relate to any
conservation plan
1. Clarify the ecological and economic values
of biodiversity.
2. Develop technologies to protect, restore
and manage biodiversity
3. Provide responsible opinion about future
trends in biodiversity and their significance
to humanity