BIODIVERSITY / CONSERVATION

Variety of life on planet Earth Biodiversity Variety of life on planet Earth Includes the genetic, species, and ecosystem diversity About 1.7 – 2 million organisms currently known Estimated that there are 3 – 100 million total on Earth WHY DO ESTIMATES VARY SO MUCH?

Levels of Biodiversity Species Diversity- number of species in an area Ecosystem Diversity- number of ecosystems or habitats in an area Genetic Diversity- Different genes or Traits available in a population

Benefits for all species Species depend on each other for survival Keystone species- critical species that affects the survival of other species Foundation species- primary producer within an ecosystem which if eliminated, it will collapse the system

Benefits of Biodiversity Ecosystem: Loss of biodiversity at any level could lead to ecosystem instability (ex: keystone species) Agriculture: pest resistance, commercial uses (ex: babassu palm, gives more oil than coconut and could be used for cooking, etc.) Medicine: cures for diseases (ex: rosy periwinkle used to treat Hodgkin’s lymphoma) – 25% of prescriptions come from plants Ecotourism: source of income for many countries (ex: Costa Rica)

Loss of Biodiversity Organisms naturally go extinct if they cannot survive Times when extinction rate is much greater (mass extinctions) Currently we could be in the “Sixth Mass Extinction”

Loss of Biodiversity Background extinction- Extinction through natural process. Usually a very small number per year Mass extinction- abrupt rise in extinction rates Usually global 25-70% species loss 5 mass extinctions have occurred over 500 million years Adaptive radiations- post mass extinction where diversity increases

Loss of Biodiversity ENDANGERED SPECIES  Serious risk of extinction THREATENED SPECIES  Likely to become extinct soon ENDANGERED SPECIES - A species is likely to become extinct if not protected

Loss of Biodiversity Extirpated- species that have disappeared from an area where they once lived, but still exist elsewhere Extinct- A species that once occurred but no longer exists across their original range

PA Endangered Species BOG TURTLE  Draining or destruction of its habitat are causing it to go extinct… (very rare so worth money and illegally removed at times) MASSASAUGA RATTLESNAKE  Only found in historic sites due to dam building, highway construction, urbanization, forest succession, mining, and agricultural activity

Causes of Biodiversity Loss 1) Habitat Fragmentation: Division of habitat into smaller patches (ex: clearing forests, building roads, etc.) 75% of all extinction is caused by habitat loss 2) Invasive Species: Exotic species move in and spread (ex: Zebra mussel) Exotic species- species introduced to an area that are not native 3) Pollution: Harmful chemicals find their way into habitats (ex: metals, oils, fertilizers)

Habitat Fragmentation

Causes of Biodiversity Loss 4) Overharvesting: Catching / hunting too much (ex: Siberian tiger) -POACHING  Illegal capture or killing of an organism for $$$ 5) Climate Change: Warming temperatures on Earth

Critical Areas of Biodiversity HOTSPOTS- areas of the world that are being destroyed rapidly 34 identified spots worldwide Endemic Species- species that are native, and only found in that localized area

Critical Areas of Biodiversity Tropical Rain forests- 7% of worlds area, 50% of earth’s species

Critical Areas of Biodiversity Coral Reefs- high biodiversity, major damage is from ecotourism worth $375 Billion

Protecting Biodiversity Protect biodiversity “hotspots” (lots of organisms) -ENDEMIC SPECIES: found only in one area Economic approaches (ex: get paid to conserve) Madagascar Lemurs Galapagos Tortoise

Protecting Biodiversity Endangered Species Act  1973 - Law that protects biodiversity -Successful with Brown Pelican and Bald Eagle -Costs can be high (ex: Spotted Owl protection caused many loggers to lose their jobs) Captive Breeding  Process of breeding and raising organisms in controlled conditions (ex: Zoos) Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)  Treaty to save biodiversity (bans transport of their body parts)

Legal Protection Private groups- most successful- Green Peace, WWF, and Conservation International International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources- provides a global list of endangered and threatened species (Red List). Also controls and enforces illegal trade of poached animals or parts.