Biology Sylvia S. Mader Michael Windelspecht Chapter 47 Conservation of Biodiversity Lecture Outline Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display. See separate FlexArt PowerPoint slides for all figures and tables pre-inserted into PowerPoint without notes. 1

Outline 47.1 Conservation Biology and Biodiversity 47.2 Value of Biodiversity 47.3 Causes of Extinction 47.4 Conservation Techniques 2

47.1 Conservation Biology and Biodiversity Considers all aspects of biodiversity –General goal: conserving natural resources for this and future generations –Primary goal: management of biodiversity 3

Conservation Biology and Biodiversity to be effective, scientists evaluate larger connections w/in biosphere –High level of biodiversity  desirable –Causes of extinction, consequences of reduced biodiversity –Bioinformatics utilized to protect biodiversity 4

Conservation Biology and Biodiversity Biodiversity –variety of species on Earth ~ million species currently exist Endangered Species –peril of immediate extinction throughout all/ most of range Threatened Species –Organisms likely to become endangered in near future 5

Number of Described Species 6 insects 900,000 plants 240,000 animals 280,000 fungi 63,665 protists 55,000 bacteria and archaea 5,000 Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

Conservation Biology and Biodiversity Biodiversity –Ecologists describe biodiversity as combination of: Genetic diversity Community diversity Landscape diversity 7

Conservation Biology and Biodiversity –Genetic diversity: variations among population members high genetic diversity: more likely to survive a change in ecosystem If small and isolated, more likely to become extinct due to limited genetic diversity. 8

Conservation Biology and Biodiversity –Ecosystem diversity: dependent on species interactions in particular area diverse community increase biodiversity levels in biosphere effective approach- conserve species that play a key role in ecosystem –Saving an entire community can save many species 9

Eagles and Bears Feed on Spawning Salmon bald eagle zooplankton kokanee salmon grizzly bear Number bald eagles (  7) opossum shrimp (Mysis relicta) Year kokanee salmon (  1,000) opossum shrimp (per m 2 ) Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display. Introduction of Opossum Shirmp

Conservation Biology and Biodiversity –Landscape diversity- group of interacting ecosystems w/in 1 landscape Landscape – Ex: mountains, rivers, grasslands Fragmentation of landscape reduces reproductive capacity and food availability 11

Conservation Biology and Biodiversity Distribution of Biodiversity –Biodiversity highest at tropics –Biodiversity hotspots 44% known plant species and 35% terrestrial vertebrate species Represent ~1.4% of earth’s land 12

47.2 Value of Biodiversity Direct Value Medicinal Agricultural Consumptive 13

Value of Biodiversity Medicinal Value Most prescription drugs originally derived from living organisms –Worth ~$200 billion Ex: Rosy Periwinkle –Chemicals treat leukemia and Hodgkin –significantly increased child survival rates Ex. Penicillin & other antibiotics; horseshoe crab blood i ensures medical devices bacteria free 14

Value of Biodiversity –Agricultural Value Wheat, corn, and rice derived from modified wild plants to increase yield Natural plant pests predators reduce impact on plant yields 15

Value of Biodiversity –Consumptive Use Value freshwater and marine harvests must be hunted, rather than grown (aquaculture) Additional products sold commercially –Wild fruits, vegetables, skins, fibers, beeswax and seaweed –Profits provide economic benefit to human population 16

Direct Value of Wildlife 17 Wild species, like many marine species, provide us with food. Wild species, like the nine-banded armadillo, Dasypus novemcinctus, play a role in medical research. Wild species, like the rosy periwinkle, Catharanthus roseus, are sources of many medicines. Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display. Wild species, like rubber trees, Hevea, can provide a product indefinitely if the forest is not destroyed. Wild species, like the lesser long-nosed bat, Leptonycteris curasoae, are pollinators of agricultural and other plants. Wild species, like ladybugs, Coccinella, play a role in biological control of agricultural pests. (periwinkle): © Steven P. Lynch; (armadillo): © Photodisc/Getty RF; (boat): © Getty RF (bat): © Merlin D. Tuttle/Bat Conservation International; (ladybug): © Masterfi le RF; (rubber harvest): © Bryn Campbell/Stone/Getty Images

Value of Biodiversity Indirect Value –ecosystems are important simply by their own existence. –These include: Biogeochemical cycles Waste recycling Provision of Fresh Water Prevention of Soil Erosion Regulation of Climate Ecotourism 18

Value of Biodiversity –Biogeochemical Cycles Humans dependent upon cycles: fresh water, CO2 removal from atmosphere, uptake of excess soil nitrogen, and provision of phosphate 19

Value of Biodiversity –Waste Recycling Decomposers cycle inorganic nutrients used by producers in ecosystems aids humans –humans dumps millions of tons of waste material into natural ecosystems each year –If not for decomposition, waste would soon cover entire surface of Earth 20

Value of Biodiversity –Provision of Fresh Water provides fresh water to terrestrial ecosystems Forests soak up water and release at regular rate  reducing flooding 21

Value of Biodiversity –Prevention of Soil Erosion Intact ecosystems naturally retain soil and prevent soil erosion Deforestation  results in silt buildup 22

Value of Biodiversity –Regulation of Climate Trees provide shade, need for fans and air conditioners in summer Restore climate by CO2 uptake 23

Value of Biodiversity –Ecotourism In US, ~ $4 billion spent on fees, travel, lodging, and food in natural settings tropical underdeveloped countries offer “ecotours” of local biodiversity 24

Indirect Value of Ecosystems 25

Value of Biodiversity Biodiversity and Natural Ecosystems –Large-scale changes in biodiversity have significant impacts on ecosystems: Ecosystem performance improves with increasing biodiversity Rate of photosynthesis increases as biodiversity increases 26

1248 Rate of Photosynthesis Number of Plant Species Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display. 27 Influence of Biodiversity on Community Productivity

47.3 Causes of Extinction Known causes of extinction: –Habitat loss (85%) –Exotic species (50%) –Pollution (24%) –Overexploitation (17%) –Disease (3%) 28

Causes of Extinction Habitat Loss –focus on tropical rain forests & coral reefs  biodiverse –affects terrestrial, freshwater, and marine biodiversity 29

Habitat Loss 30 0 Roads cut through forest Forest occurs in patches Destroyed areas c. Wildlife habitat is reduced. b. Macaws a. Threats to wildlife % Species Affected by Threat Disease Overexploitation Pollution Exotic Species Habitat Loss Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display. b: © IT Stock/PunchStock RF; c (top): Courtesy Woods Hole Research Center; c (center): Courtesy R.O. Bierregaard; c (bottom): Courtesy Thomas Stone, Woods Hole Research Center

Causes of Extinction Exotic Species –Nonnative species migrate or introduced into new ecosystem –Humans introduce exotic species by: Colonization Horticulture and Agriculture Accidental Transport 31

Exotic Species 32 a.b. Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display. a: © Chuck Pratt/Bruce Coleman, Inc.; b: © Chris Johns/National Geographic Image Collection

Causes of Extinction Impact of Exotics on Islands –High impact on islands native species closely adapted to one another and don’t compete well w/ exotic species –Ex: »Myrtle tree introduced to Hawaiian Islands »Brown tree snake introduced to Pacific islands 33

Causes of Extinction Pollution –Any environmental change that adversely affects living things –Biodiversity is particularly threatened by Acid deposition Eutrophication Ozone depletion Synthetic organic chemicals 34

Causes of Extinction Pollution (continued) –Acid Deposition Sulfur dioxides and nitrogen oxides in automobile gas react with water in the atmosphere to form acids that are returned to Earth as either wet or dry deposition –Weakens trees and increases their susceptibility to disease –Kills small decomposers and invertebrates, thereby disrupting entire ecosystems 35

Causes of Extinction Pollution (continued) –Eutrophication Excess nutrient runoff from terrestrial environments result in algal growth in lakes As these algae die, the decomposers in the lake break them down and reduce the amount of oxygen in the lake. –Results in death of fish and other aquatic organisms 36

Causes of Extinction Pollution (continued) –Ozone Depletion (O 3 ) Protects Earth surface from harmful UV rays –Chlorofluorocarbons destroy ozone ex. freon used in older refrigerators/ air conditioners »impaired crop / tree growth, death of plankton, and impairment of immune system 37

Causes of Extinction Pollution (continued) –Organic Chemicals Ex. Nonylphenols, used in lots of human products, mimic hormones –Harms wildlife 38

Causes of Extinction Climate Change –Refers to recent changes in the Earth’s climate –Increased temperature of the Earth results in drastic climatic changes Temperature increase is caused, in part, by increased concentrations of greenhouse gases, such as CO 2 that serve to trap heat within the atmosphere –Results in ecosystem disruption and extinction 39

Climate Change 40 Mean Global Temperature Change (°C) Year a. b. –0.5 most probable temperature increase for 2 × CO 2 maximum likely increase minimum likely increase b: Courtesy Walter C. Jaap/Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

Causes of Extinction Overexploitation –number of individuals taken from population so great  severely reduces pop –Positive feedback cycle smaller the population, more valuable its members, and greater the incentive to capture few remaining organisms –driving market forces: Exotic Pets Poaching Overfishing 41

Trawling 42 a. Fishing by use of a drag net b. Result of drag net fishing a: © Shane Moore/Animals Animals/Earth Scenes; b: © Peter Auster/University of Connecticut Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

Overexploitation of Asian Turtles Collection and trade of terrestrial and freshwater turtles for human consumption has surged in Asia –40% - 60% of all species are currently endangered Due to their life history characteristics (slow growth, low reproductive rates), wild populations are not likely to recover after they have been plundered. Major Challenges Today and in the Future include: –Lack of knowledge of range, natural history, and conservation needs of turtle species –Need for legislation of diverse countries to be passed that ensures the long-term survival of turtle populations –Threat of invasive species and spread of disease from aquaculture 43

47.4 Conservation Techniques Habitat preservation / restoration important to preserve biodiversity –Habitat Preservation Biodiversity hotspots important targets for conservation Keystone Species –Species that influence community viability –Extinction leads to additional extinctions, loss of biodiversity Flagstone Species –Charismatic species that evoke strong emotional response 44

Conservation Techniques Habitat Preservation (continued) –Metapopulation Small population isolated due to habitat fragmentation –Source Population »likely lives in favorable area & birth rate > death rate –Sink Population »Organisms moved from source pop. to less favorable environment, birth = death rates 45

Habitat Preservation 46 a. Grizzly bear, Ursus arctos horribilis b. Old-growth forest; northern spotted owl, Strix occidentalis caurina (inset) a: © Gerard Lacz/Peter Arnold, Inc.; b(Forest): © Art Wolfe/Artwolfe.com; b(Owl): © Pat & Tom Leeson/Photo Researchers, Inc. Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

Conservation Techniques Landscape Preservation –protection for one species benefits other wildlife Edge Effect –habitat edge has conditions different from interior patch –Reduces amount of habitat Can result in significant pop. reduction 47

Edge Effect 48 habitat patch 30.55% 43.75% 64% 88.8% a. b. area subject to edge effect increasing percentage of patch influenced by edge effects brown-headed cowbird chick yellow warbler chick Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display. b: © Jeff Foott Productions

Conservation Techniques Habitat Restoration –Restoration ecology seeks scientific ways to return ecosystems to prior state Three Principles: –Begin ASAP –Use techniques to mimic natural processes –Goal: sustainable development 49