Biology 6 Chapter 56

Front 1

Conservation biology

Back 1

integrated study of ecology, evolutionary biology, physiology, molecular biology, and genetics to sustain biological diversity at all levels

Front 2

Biodiversity

Back 2

variety of living organisms within their genetics, species, and ecosystems

Front 3

Genetic Diversity

Back 3

Individual variation within a population
Variation between populations
Loss of one population leads to loss of diversity that could prevent microevolution from occurring

Front 4

Species Diversity

Back 4

Species variety within an ecosystem or biome
Extinction results in a loss of species diversity

Front 5

Endangered

Back 5

species that are in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of their range

Front 6

Threatened

Back 6

species that are likely to become endangered in the near future

Front 7

Extinction

Back 7

death of all members of a species

Front 8

Ecosystem Diversity

Back 8

The loss of one species in an ecosystem could have a negative impact on other species within the same ecosystem; example: fruit bats

Front 9

Aesthetics

Back 9

biodiversity v. disaster species

Front 10

Why humans should preserve biodiversity

Back 10

Maintaining wild species in case domestic species lose genetic resources (such as, resistance to disease)

Front 11

Benefits of Species and Genetic Diversity

Back 11

Deriving pharmaceutical drugs from plants; 25% of prescription drugs in the US contain substances originally found in plants (such as, anti-cancer drugs)

Front 12

Benefits of Species and Genetic Diversity

Back 12

Utilizing unique genes which could code for incredibly useful proteins (Taq DNA polymerase for use in DNA analysis)

Front 13

Ecosystem services

Back 13

encompasses all processes through which natural ecosystems help sustain human life (tied to biodiversity)
Decomposition
Pollination
Pest control

Front 14

Reasons for loss of habitat

Back 14

Urban development
Agriculture
Forestry
Mining
Pollution

Front 15

Habitat fragmentation

Back 15

when areas in which species once lived are reduced to small isolated patches due to human activity
Smaller populations result in higher rates of extinction

Front 16

Introduced species

Back 16

exotic species that humans intentionally or accidentally moved from their native habitats to new geographic locations
Without natural controls, introduced species can spread rapidly in a new region

Front 17

Introduced Species

Back 17

Responsible for 40% of extinctions since 1750
Cost billions of $/yr. in damage and control
Number over 50,000 species in US alone

Front 18

Introduced Species

Back 18

Example: European rabbits and foxes in Australia

Front 19

Overharvesting

Back 19

human acquisition of wild organisms or their parts at rates that prevent those species from rebounding
Species with restricted habitats are vulnerable
Larger species with lower reproductive rates are vulnerable

Front 20

Overharvesting

Back 20

Rhino horn

Front 21

Overharvesting

Back 21

Black bear gallbladder

Front 22

Global climate change

Back 22

alterations in climate, atmospheric chemistry, and broad ecological systems that reduce the capacity of earth to sustain life locally and globally

Front 23

Extinction vortex

Back 23

downward population spiral in which inbreeding and genetic drift cause a small population to shrink to extinction unless the spiral is reversed; reduction itself leads to extinction

Front 24

Major problem

Back 24

loss of genetic variation

Front 25

Minimum viable population (mvp)

Back 25

minimal population size at which a species is able to sustain its numbers

Front 26

Effective population size

Back 26

estimate of the size of a population based on the numbers of males and females that successfully breed; generally smaller than the total population

Front 27

Weighing Conflict Demands

Back 27

Habitat/species preservation v. agriculture/recreation

Determining ecological role of a species and whether it is important for maintaining biodiversity

Identifying keystone species and ways to sustain their populations in order to maintain biodiversity in communities and ecosystems

Front 28

Edges

Back 28

boundaries between ecosystems
Possess unique physical characteristics
Some species gain resources from both ecosystems and thrive in edges

Front 29

Fragmentation

Back 29

when areas in which species once lived become small isolated patches of habitat due to human activity
Fragmented habitats support fewer species

Front 30

Corridor

Back 30

narrow strip or series of small clumps of habitat connecting otherwise isolated patches
Promotes dispersal
Provides migration routes
Reduces inbreeding

Front 31

Biodiversity hot spots

Back 31

relatively small area with numerous endemic species and a large number of threatened and endangered species
2% of earth’s total land mass
33% of all plant, amphibian, reptile, bird, & mammal species

Front 32

Why hot spots?

Back 32

Obvious choice for nature reserves
A hot spot for one species may not be the same hot spot for another species (pick and choose)
Changing climate may alter the location of a hot spot

Front 33

Zoned reserves

Back 33

an extensive region that includes areas relatively undisturbed by humans surrounded by areas that have been altered by human activity for economic gain
Establish social-economic balance with the viability of the protected core
Use the surrounding areas as buffers

Front 34

Zoned Reserves

Back 34

Provide a stable economy for native peoples
Discourage harmful practices that are incompatible with long-term ecosystem conservation
Examples: Costa Rica

Front 35

Human Activity

Back 35

Farming practices deplete nutrients from the soil (especially N); rate of depletion varies:
US prairies – productive for decades
Tropical rainforests – productive for 1-2 yrs

Front 36

Greenhouse Gases and Global Warming

Back 36

Rising atmospheric CO2
C3 v. C4 Plants
C3 plants more readily utilize atmospheric CO2 than C4 plants
With rising CO2 levels, C3 plants could outcompete C4 plants, but only to a point due to other limiting factors (nutrients)

Front 37

Greenhouse effect

Back 37

Central US dries out (drought)
Forest fires increase in western US
Summer ice reduces in the Arctic

Front 38

Reducing global warming

Back 38

Replacing fossil fuels with alternative energy sources
Reducing deforestation

Front 39

Rising atmospheric CFC

Back 39

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s) once widely used as refrigerants and propellants
Cl reacts with ozone (O3) reducing it to O2
Decreased ozone levels → increase in amount of UV radiation reaching Earth’s surface

Front 40

Rising atmospheric CFC

Back 40

Adverse effects on phytoplankton, plants
Could be indirectly responsible for decline in amphibian populations
CFC levels are dropping, but chlorine will continue to effect the ozone until 2050 at least

Front 41

Sustainable development

Back 41

to meet the needs and protect the quality of life of people to-day, while providing for the needs of future generations