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Definition
integrates the following fields to conserve biological diversity at all levels:
-Ecology
-Evolutionary Biology
-Molecular Biology
-Genetics
-Behavioral Ecology
-Economics, political science, urban and rural planning |
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| Benefits of Species and Genetic Diversity |
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Definition
-Many pharmaceuticals contain substances originally derived from plants
-Gila monster saliva contains a compound that binds to insulin receptors, making them more sensitive to insulin; this compound was the inspiration for exenatide, now approved for treatment of type II diabetes
-DNA polymerase from the bacteria Thermus aquaticus from Yellowstone helped spawn the biotech industry and is used every day in research laboratories for medical and other discoveries |
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Definition
-Purification of air and water
-Detoxification and decomposition of wastes
-Cycling of nutrients
-Moderation of weather extremes
-Pollination
-And many others |
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Definition
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| Three Levels of Biodiversity |
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Definition
| Genetic, Species, and Ecosystem diversity |
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| 4 major threats to biodiversity |
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Definition
-Habitat destruction
-Introduced species
-Overexploitation
-Disruption of interaction networks |
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| Human alteration of habitat |
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Definition
| Is the single greatest threat to biodiversity throughout the biosphere |
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| Research on fragmented forests has led to the discovery of two groups of species |
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Definition
| Those that live in forest edge habitats and those that live in the forest interior |
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| Habitat fragmentation/destruction leads to loss of biodiversity due to |
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Definition
| small populations and lack of connectivity |
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| Problems with small populations |
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Definition
-Loss of genetic variation
-Inbreeding
-Susceptibility to demographic fluctuations |
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Definition
| A small population is prone to positive-feedback loops that draw the population down an extinction vortex |
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| Case Study: The Greater Prairie Chicken and the Extinction Vortex |
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Definition
Populations of the greater prairie chicken were fragmented by agriculture and later found to exhibit decreased fertility
-The declining population rebounded confirming that it had been on its way down an extinction vortex |
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| Connectivity - Lessons from Ecology |
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Definition
-Metapopulations are buffered from extinction by recolonization
-When habitat gets fragmented, its important to retain corridors for migration
-This helps maintain genetic diversity as well as demographic stability
-in areas of heavy human use artificial corridors are sometimes constructed |
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Term
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Definition
Are those that humans move from the species native locations to new geographic regions
-Introduced species that gain a foothold in a new habitat usually disrupt their adopted community |
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Definition
| ants from argentina that now exist in SoCal, displace nearly all of the dozen or so native ant species that would normally occupy this area |
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Definition
| the human harvesting of wild plants or animals at rates exceeding the ability of populations of those species to rebound |
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| Disruption of Interaction Networks |
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Definition
extermination of keystone species by humans
-Can lead to major changes in the structure of communities |
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| Which species/interactions are key |
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Definition
-Interactions key to the survival of dominant or keystone species are important
-Top predators are often key
-Top-down control of community structure
-Top predators (mountain lions, wolves, etc.) often need large contiguous regions of quality habitat so saving viable populations of them means many other species are protected
-Top predators are 'charismatic' |
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Term
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Definition
Mesopredators were cats, raccoons, and opossums
-These eat birds, nestlings, or eggs
-Presence of top predator lowers the density and activity of these mesopredators leads to increased numbers of bird species and increased population density of birds |
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Definition
-Important in many ecosystems
-Often the most difficult populations to maintain because of large home ranges and low densities
-Maintaining viable populations of top predators often ensures viability of populations of most other species |
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| Philosophy of Nature Reserves |
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Definition
Nature reserves are biodiversity islands in a sea of habitat degraded to varying degrees by human activity
-Argument for extensive reserves: large, far-ranging animals with low-density populations require extensive habitats; organisms with smaller ranges will be ok too
-If large contiguous reserves are not feasible,
smaller ones connected by movement corridors are the next best thing |
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Term
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Definition
| relatively small area with an exceptional concentration of endemic species and a large number of endangered and threatened species |
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| Why California is a worldwide biodiversity hotspot |
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Definition
-High level of endemism for many types of organisms
-Unusual Mediterranean climate separated from rest of continent by inhospitable deserts and mountains
-'An island called California'
-High threat of development since climate attracts huge human populations
-Chaparral easy to develop and uncharismatic |
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| Conserving species often requires |
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Definition
| resolving conflicts between the habitat needs of endangered species and human demands |
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Term
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Definition
-Endangered species conservation (Species by species approach)
-Multi-species habitat planning: Attempts to conserve large tracts with viable populations of most species |
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