Shared Flashcard Set

Details

Conservation Bio is Stupid and Lame
Lame
56
Biology
Undergraduate 2
05/12/2014

Additional Biology Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
What are the 5 problems invasive species can cause?
Definition
  1. Decreased native diversity (ex: fire ant invading Bobwhite's nests and gypsy moths destroying leaves)
  2. Decreased agricultural and rangeland yield
  3. Decreased recreational use
  4. Decreased aesthetics
  5. Damaging to processes (e.g., fires, floods, drought)
Term
What are the 4 examples we discussed about how invasive species get here?
Definition
  1. European colonization
  2. Horticulture and agriculture (ex: bringing seeds over from Europe for crops that contained weed seeds as well)
  3. Accidental transport (ex: rats on boats)
  4. Biological control (e.g., bringing over one species to avoid another)
Term
What are the three types of organisms invasive species can be?
Definition
  1. Animals (vertebrates, insects, and mollusks)
  2. Disease organisms
  3. Plants (FUCKING TAMARISK IS DESTROYING EVERYTHING LETS STUDY IT FOREVER)
Term
Two vertebrate examples we discussed...
Definition
  1. The brown tree snake: eats bird eggs and has destroyed many species
  2. Cats: are considered invasive in Australia
Term
One example of insect...
Definition
  1. Argentine ants: very aggressive ants that displace natives and can be damaging to households
Term
One example of mollusks...
Definition
  1. Zebra mussels: they take over so much space that native mussels and other shellfish cannot attach
Term
Three examples of plants (other tamarix)...
Definition
  1. Cheatgrass (from Europe): a result of overgrazing, increases chance of fire and is dangerous to cattle
  2. Leafy Spurge (from Australia): has toxic sap
  3. Russian Thistle/Tumbleweed: "road hazard" (if you're drive on the road by a tumble weed you shouldn't be driving)
Term
What are the three lists of weeds in Colorado?
Definition
  1. List A: focuses on prevention of the invasive species
  2. List B: focuses on attempts to eradicate one that has already invaded
  3. List C: focuses on control once the species is past the possibility of eradication
Term
What are the 7 characteristics of strong invasive species?
Definition
  1. Spreads vegetatively and sexually
  2. Has highly dispersible seeds
  3. Very competitive against natives
  4. Grows very fast
  5. Has very large energy stores
  6. It lacks herbivores (however, longer a plant goes without herbivores, the less defense it has)
  7. It disrupts the ecosystem
Term
Where were the giant reeds hard to remove?
Definition
They were fast growing and grew along riverbanks only vegetatively, and even when cut they would grow back faster and bigger. Large rhizomes give them big energy stores and they lack herbivores.
Term
Tamarix isn't competitive and cannot take over other plants, so how did it establish itself?
Definition
It grows and spreads extremely fast. When local growth is wiped out by floods, the tamarix is the first to reestablish itself. Its cover is so thick that native species cannot establish and grow.
Term
Exotic, native, endemic and invasive definitions
Definition
  1. Exotic: not from the local area
  2. Native: from the local area
  3. Endemic: existing only in that area
  4. Invasive: increase in population at the cost of the native species
Term
What are the negatives of the hyacinth/purple floating plant?
Definition
  1. Blocks sunlight for plants underwater
  2. Damaging to boats
  3. Spreads vegetatively and sexually
  4. Highly dispensible
  5. Competitive against natives
  6. Some species (red knobbed coot and kingfisher) need open water
Term
What are some of the benefits of the floating hyacinth?
Definition
  • Insects can live and reproduce on floating plants
  • Birds eat these insects
Term
What is the MVP (minimum viable population)? How do you interpret values/graphs?
Definition
The smallest size a population can be while still having over a 95% chance that it will survive for over 100 years. A high MVP is a good thing! The y-axis is the population percent, the x-axis is time.
Term
What are the problems of MVP?
Definition
  • There's lower genetic diversity - less room for evolution
  • Disease can be much more detrimental
  • Easier for death rates to outweigh birth rates
  • Harder for social structure (e.g., getting food or defense)
  • Less of an allee effect (when higher density results in population growth)
Term
What is the MDA (minimum dynamic area)? How do you interpret numbers/graphs?
Definition
The smallest amount of space possible in order to sustain the MVP for a population. High numbers are BAD. Graphs show the probability of extinction plotted against time, with the smallest number found at the top (more probability of extinction).
Term
What is the population size vs. the effective population size?
Definition
  • Population size is the total number of individuals and includes ALL individuals no matter what
  • Effective population (Ne) size counts only individuals that are breeding/have the ability to breed (i.e., none too old or sick)
Term
What effects population size? How can you interpret these graphs?
Definition
  • Gender ratios. Y axis is Ne and x axis is is the number of breeding males:females.
  • Variations in reproductive output
  • Population fluctuations and bottlenecks
Term
What is population bottleneck? Remember Evolution and Biodiversity...
Definition

When a population is dramatically decreased in size, greatly changing and reducing the genetic diversity.

 

Ex: if you have 51 green bugs and 49 red bugs, and then a ton die, and you finish with 5 green bugs and 1 red bug. The red bug may not survive...

Term
How do you measure loss of genetic variability?
Definition
You take the frequency of heterozygotes vs. homozygotes in a population (e.g., Aa vs. aa or AA). Take the % of heterozygotes after t generations, it will start decreasing as more homozygotes are born.
Term
What is inbreeding depression?
Definition
If there is a recessive and harmful trait, inbreeding depression is a higher chance of offspring carrying that trait
Term
What is outbreeding depression?
Definition
Loss of an advantageous trait by breeding too far out of the group
Term
How can variability be recovered?
Definition
By immigration (e.g., genetic drift) or mutation (rare)
Term
What is stochasticity?
Definition
Basically means a system (in this case ecosystem) that is completely dependent upon random chance (e.g., a population getting wiped out by an avalanche). Can be environmental or demographic
Term
What is a population viability analysis?
Definition
A model that predicts the future size of a population based upon their past, including everything (even stochasticity)
Term
What has made the barred bandicoot endangered? When was the last "census?" What did it report?
Definition
  • Loss of habitat and invasive foxes, cats, dogs, and disease
  • In 1998, there was one population reported remaining that included less than 200 individuals
  • There were orginially 11 species of bandicoot, now 3 are extinct and 3 are endangered.
Term
How are the barred bandicoots being saved? How do they decide which one is best?
Definition
  • Ex-situ breeding programs
  • In-situ conservation
  • Wild releases back into natural habitats

They us the PVA model

Term
What is the PVA equation and what does each variable stand for?
Definition

N(t+1) = (N(t) x S) + (N(t) x B x S)

 

  • N:number of individuals
  • S:probably of survival
  • B:average number of offpsring produced per time
Term
What are four types of research that go into zoos?
Definition
  1. Science based projects with direct conservation benefits
  2. Projects with applied implications
  3. Interdisciplinary projects
  4. Ecosystem level focus
Term
What is capacity building?
Definition
  • Training local partners
  • Participatory community approach
  • Sustainable development
  • Management planning
Term
The VP of conservation at the zoo is in charge of what?
Definition
A lot of fucking people
Term
Who does the conservation department employ?
Definition
  • Research Associates (21 of them)
  • Grad students
  • International staff
  • Partnered organizations
  • Help from zoo staff in general
Term
What are the three focal areas of the Denver zoo?
Definition
  1. Mongolia
  2. Rocky Mtns/Plains
  3. Botswana
Term
What do they work with in Mongolia?
Definition
Argali sheep, HEDGEHOGS, snakes, and vultures
Term
What be some of dem rocky mountains/plains stuff?
Definition
Prairie dog conservation, bison as a keystone species, pika monitoring, wildlife crossings, and restoration/biodiversity preservation
Term
BOTSWANA SHIT
Definition
LIONS AND WILD HOGS AND AFRICAN INENSITY, vultures, wildebeasts, elephants, childrens education, mitigating wildlife conflicts
Term
What are some non focal areas of the Denver zoo?
Definition
Lake titcaca/frogs in peru and bolivia and zebra in kenya capitalization sucks
Term
What are two species they implemented reintroduction for? Successful?
Definition
Black footed ferrets and condors. Yes they were very successful. But, reintroduction is very expensive. It's cheaper to be more proactive and work with people/governments/agencies/orgs before population declines
Term
What are SSP's, how many do they have, and what was the original goal?
Definition
Species survival plans. 300. Started as a means to manage the genetic and demographic characteristics of a species
Term
What did SSPs turn into? What are their four main parts?
Definition

General "holistic" programs to preserve species.

 

  1. Need a management plan
  2. Need an educational plan
  3. Need to do research on nutritional, medical, behavioral, and husbandry aspects of species
  4. Need in-situ conservation methods
  5. Need a husbandry manual
Term
What is a studbook?
Definition
In SSPs, a registry for all the individuals of a species/population, including birth date, recording site, sex, location, and special needs. Over 450 in 'MURICA.
Term
What are the four methods of reproduction techniques?
Definition
  1. Artifical insemination
  2. In-vitro fertilization
  3. Cryopreservation
  4. Foster rearing
Term
What are types of ex-situ conservation in zoos?
Definition
  1. Breeding programs
  2. Testing of in-situ approaches and techniques
  3. Disease research
  4. Behavior research
  5. Nutrition research
  6. Reproduction research
Term
What are types of in-situ conservation efforts for zoos?
Definition
  1. Re-introducign (soft-release)
  2. Tagging for data and tracking
  3. Working with communities
  4. Capacity building- making it possible for locals to manage populations and creating sustainable programs
  5. Research on wild animals
Term
What is over-harvesting?
Definition
Harvesting too much of a percent of the population so that it cannot replenish quickly enough
Term
How many species does over-harvesting threaten?
Definition
25% in the US and 75% in China. Fish especially, everywhere
Term
What are some ways to fight over-harvesting?
Definition

Give Paul Watkins a fucking camera and plug your ears.

  • Promote farming
  • Providing resources to supply another form of income
  • International aid
  • Government incentives
  • Microloans from abroad
  • Edumacation
  • Disinscentives (killing poachers)
  • Combat THE CORRUPTION DAMMIT
Term
What is an atomic argument?
Definition
An argument with a single conclusion and a single set of premises
Term
What is a complex argument?
Definition
One conclusion but with multiple sets of premises
Term
What is an extended argument?
Definition
A conclusion within a conclusion, conclusception
Term
What are jointed vs. disjointed premises?
Definition
Jointed premises cannot lead to the conclusion without each other, while disjointed premises can both lead the conclusion independently
Term
What are the 6 IUCN protected area categories?
Definition
  1. Strict nature reserve/wildnerness area
  2. National parks
  3. National monuments
  4. Managed wildlife refuges/sanctuaries
  5. Protected landscapes and seascapes
  6. Managed resource areas
Term
Why are grassland, lakes, and marine areas not equally protected?
Definition
Humans use them too much and don't wanna give it up
Term
What are the four ways of prioritizing an area?
Definition
  1. If a particular species of importance is there
  2. If important community or ecosystem is present
  3. Hotspots of high biodiversity
  4. Wilderness areas
Term
What are the three Rs for making a good PA?
Definition
  1. Resiliency
  2. Redundancy
  3. Representation
Supporting users have an ad free experience!