Conservation of Biodiversity

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Conservation of Biodiversity

• IB syllabus 4.3.1 4.3.5

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Syllabus Statements

• 4.3.1 State the arguments for preserving
  species habitats
• 4.3.2 Compare the role and activities of
  governmental non-governmental organizations in
  preserving and restoring ecosystems and
  biodiversity
• 4.3.3 State and explain the criteria used to
  design reserves
• 4.3.4 Evaluate the success of a named protected
  area
• 4.3.5 Discuss evaluate the strengths and
  weaknesses of the species based approach to
  conservation

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Why should we worry about conservation?

1. Ethics we know what we are doing and its
   negative effects ? is it right to continue this?
2. Aesthetics the natural world is more beautiful
   than strip malls and roads ? should we keep it
   around?
3. Genetic resources end result of millions of
   years of evolution unique gene combinations for
   disease resistance, chemical production, etc

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Why should we worry about conservation?

• Commercial many of the products we rely on
  result from the biotic component of the planet
• - opportunity cost ? value of the next best
  alternative forgone as a result of making a
  choice
• -implies choice of results that are mutually
  exclusive
• E. Life support plants produce the oxygen we
  need to survive, soil provides the means for
  growing food, organisms/processes cycle and
  purify the water we need
• F. Ecosystem support the interactions of the
  world are all connected ? effect one ? effect it
  all

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How can we reduce biodiversity loss?

• 2 main approaches ecosystem or species directed
• Preventing premature extinction of species
• Preserving restoring ecosystems which provide
  habitats and resources for the worlds species

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The Species Approach
The Ecosystem Approach
Goal
Goal
Protect populations of species in their
natural habitats
Protect species from premature extinction
Strategies
Strategy

• Identify endangered species
• Protect their critical habitats

Preserve sufficient areas of habitats in
different biomes and aquatic systems
Tactics
Tactics

• Protect habitat areas through private purchase or
  government action
• Eliminate or reduce populations of alien species
  from protected areas
• Manage protected areas to sustain native species
• Restore degraded ecosystems

• Legally protect endangered species
• Manage habitat
• Propagate endangered species in captivity
• Reintroduce species into suitable habitats

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Protection of Wild species

• CITES convention on international trade in
  endangered species (1975)
• 152 countries 900 species regulated as
  endangered, 29,000 species regulated as
  threatened
• Helped reduce international trade in many
  organisms, organized international awareness,
  protected habitats
• Enforcement is difficult, Consequences are weak,
  Countries have a choice, value of organisms may
  increase

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Protection of Wild species

• CBD convention on biodiversity extends CITES
  to conserve biodiversity in general ?172
  countries
• Focused on reversing trends in loss of
  biodiversity

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Biodiversity
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National Legislation

• The Endangered Species Act 1973
• Makes it illegal for Americans to import or trade
  in any product made from an endangered or
  threatened species unless it is used
• (1) for approved scientific purposes or
• (2) to enhance the survival of the species

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Other Means of protection

• Gene banks Seed banks
• Botanical gardens, Farms
• Zoos Aquariums
• Captive breeding Reintroduction programs
• Aesthetic vs. Ecological value

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Evaluating Species based Approaches Captive
breeding

• Strengths
• Organisms safe from poachers
• Ensure good chance of offspring survival
• Artificial insemination possible
• Cross fostering is possible raised by parent of
  similar species

• Weaknesses
• It is artificial
• Organisms not born in the wild may not be able to
  survive reintroduction
• Few actually returned to wild
• Lack of habitat to return them to

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Evaluating Species based Approaches Aesthetic
value

• Strengths
• Tourism recreation use promotes interest
• Sexy megafauna get public interested in
  conserving whole habitats
• Personal approach appeals to people
• Save the manatee

• Weaknesses
• More interactions with people more damage
  potentially
• People may overlook the deeper values

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Evaluating Species based Approaches
Ecological values

• Whats bad?
• May go over the heads of the general public
• May be hard to quantify this for some species

• Whats good?
• Shows people the true critical value of species
• See how it effects us food web links, nutrient
  cycling, keystone species

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Organizations supporting Conservation
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WWF World Wildlife Fund

• Established in 1961
• to conserve the natural environment and
  ecological processes worldwide.
• WWFs mission is to stop the degradation of the
  planets natural environment and to build a
  future in which humans live in harmony with
  nature, by
• conserving the worlds biological diversity
• ensuring that the use of renewable natural
  resources is sustainable
• promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful
  consumption.

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• Role Promoting awareness conservation of
  wildlife
• Activities Directed mostly at wildlife
  conservation, work with companies like Nike in
  reducing CO2 emissions, Aid
• Use of the media International, internet,
  newsletters
• Speed of Response stays current on issues
• Diplomatic constraints international law
  coordination
• Enforceability Limited, no real governmental
  power, but broad passive influence

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Greenpeace

• Greenpeace exists because this fragile earth
  deserves a voice. It needs solutions. It needs
  change. It needs action.
• Greenpeace is a non-profit organization, with a
  presence in 40 countries across Europe, the
  Americas, Asia and the Pacific.
• To maintain its independence, Greenpeace does not
  accept donations from governments or corporations
  but relies on contributions from individual
  supporters and foundation grants.
• As a global organization, Greenpeace focuses on
  the most crucial worldwide threats to our
  planet's biodiversity and environment.
• We campaign to--Stop climate change --Protect
  ancient forests--Save the oceans --Stop whaling
  --Say no to genetic engineering

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The current Rainbow Warrior was launched on 10
July 1989. The original vessel was sunk in 1985
by agents of the French government in an attempt
to foil protests of their nuclear weapons
testing in the Pacific. The plan backfired,
sparking worldwide outrage, and the rebuilt ship
proved that "you can't sink a rainbow" when it
returned to battle successfully against the
testing programme. Nuclear testing ended at
Moruroa in 1996. The ship's name was inspired by
a North American Indian prophecy which
foretells a time when human greed will make the
Earth sick, and a mythical band of warriors will
descend from a rainbow to save it.
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• Role - More extreme environmental activist group
• Activities Greenpeace's history began in 1971.
  A group of ecologists opposed to the war in
  Vietnam contested US nuclear testing in the north
  Pacific. They decided simply to position
  themselves in the middle of the testing zone.
• Use of the media - Embarked on a campaign to save
  the whales. Using Zodiac inflatables, they put
  themselves between the whales and the harpoons,
  generating images too sensational not to
  broadcast and creating new public pressure.
• Speed of Response rapid, high profile,
  technological approach
• Diplomatic constraints Nonviolent but radical
  group - Greenpeace's scientific and market
  research becomes pressure tools.
• Enforceability - Creative nonviolent action
  mobilizes public opinion against the
  unsustainable practices of governments or
  corporations. The objective is to obtain as much
  coverage as possible through the media in order
  to mobilize public opinion on certain issues.

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UNEP United Nations Environment Programme

• Established in 1972
• To provide leadership and encourage partnership
  in caring for the environment by inspiring,
  informing, and enabling nations and peoples to
  improve their quality of life without
  compromising that of future generations.

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• Role negotiate, monitor, implement
  environmental treaties
• Activities focus on consumption issues, energy,
  food, youth programs
• Use of the media limited, website
• Speed of Response slower, through government
  action
• Diplomatic constraints tied to the UN
• Enforceability underfunded, under-supported

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• World Conservation Strategy (1980)
• Secretariat/focal point IUCN/UNEP/WWFAim/comment
  To help advance the achievement of sustainable
  development through the conservation of living
  resources. The Strategy
• explains the contribution of living resource
  conservation to human survival and to sustainable
  development
• identifies the priority conservation issues and
  the main requirements for dealing with them
• proposes effective ways for achieving the
  Strategy's aim.

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World Conservation Strategy - 1980

• The World Conservation Strategy clarified the
  ideas of sustainable development. Its concerns
  were with the link between the economy and the
  environment.
• Therefore, suggesting that economic development
  and growth should be used to enhance the ability
  of societies to conserve nature.  The main aim of
  the Strategy was to explain how development and
  conservation of the environment can work together
• The World Conservation Strategy did not place as
  much emphasis on political, social, cultural and
  economic issues like the United Nations
  Conference on Human Environment which was held in
  1972.
• Another difference between the World
  Conservation Strategy and UNCHE is that the World
  Conservation Strategy developed ideas on how they
  could implement and develop sustainable
  development.

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World Conservation Strategy Summary Points

1. Maintenance of essential life support systems
   (climate, water cycle, soils) and ecological
   processes
2. Preservation of genetic and species diversity
3. Sustainable use of species and ecosystems

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References

• www.iucn.org
• http//www.panda.org (WWF site)
• www.unep.org
• http//www.greenpeace.org/international/
• http//www.cbd.int/

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