Introduction to Biodiversity Tuesday, March 6th, 2018

Biodiversity 101 Renewable resource—nature’s insurance policy against disaster! Species Diversity: the number and distribution of species in a given community Genetic Diversity: genetic variability among individuals within each species Ecological Diversity: the variety of different ecosystems Functional Diversity: ecosystem services such as matter cycling, pollination, waste recycling, pest control, purification, etc. Needed for the survival of species and communities

Biodiversity provides Ecosystem Services Species help determine the services ecosystems can provide Ecosystem Services are the processes by which the environment produces resources that we often take for granted such as clean water, timber, and habitat for fisheries, and pollination of native and agricultural plants

Conservation Biology- Multidisciplinary science that deals with the crisis of diversity and how to maintain the earth’s ecosystems.

To measure diversity… Richness (number of species) Evenness (relative abundance)

Biodiversity Hotspots

Endangered and Threatened Species: Ecological Smoke Alarms Endangered species: so few individual survivors that it could soon become extinct. Example: Leopard Threatened/vulnerable species: still abundant in its natural range but is likely to become endangered in the near future. Example: Sea Lion

SPECIES EXTINCTION Scientists use measurements and models to estimate extinction rates. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) publishes an annual Red List, listing the world’s threatened species. The 2015 Red List contains 23,250 species at risk for extinction.

HABITAT LOSS, DEGRADATION, AND FRAGMENTATION Conservation biologists summarize the most important causes of premature extinction as “HIPPO”: Habitat destruction, degradation, and fragmentation Invasive species Population growth Pollution Overharvest/Overexploitation

Pollution Each year pesticides: Kill about 1/5th of the U.S. honeybee colonies. 67 million birds. 6 -14 million fish. Threaten 1/5th of the U.S.’s endangered and threatened species. Example of biomagnification of DDT in an aquatic food chain. Figure 11-15

OVEREXPLOITATION Some protected species are killed for their valuable parts or are sold live to collectors. Killing predators and pests that bother us or cause economic losses threatens some species with premature extinction. Legal and illegal trade in wildlife species used as pets or for decorative purposes threatens some species with extinction.

ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION Restoration: trying to return to a condition as similar as possible to original state. Rehabilitation: attempting to turn a degraded ecosystem back to being functional. Replacement: replacing a degraded ecosystem with another type of ecosystem. Creating artificial ecosystems: such as artificial wetlands for flood reduction and sewage treatment.

In situ vs. ex situ: Leaving the animal where it lives but protecting it. Ex. Elephants; make laws that prevent poaching and have people to enforce it. Ex. Marine turtles are protected- escape nets must be used on all fishing nets so the turtles can get out and not drown.

In situ vs. ex situ: Taking the animal out of its habitat & protecting it. Ex. Zoo’s 2 types: egg pulling -collecting wild eggs laid by critically endangered bird species and then hatching them in zoos or research centers captive breeding, wild individuals of a critically endangered species are captured for breeding in captivity, with the aim of reintroducing the offspring into the wild.

Indian Tiger Range 100 years ago Range today (about 2,300 left) Figure 11.8 Natural capital degradation: reductions in the ranges of four wildlife species, mostly as the result of habitat loss and hunting. What will happen to these and millions of other species when the world’s human population doubles and per capita resource consumption rises sharply in the next few decades? (Data from International Union for the Conservation of Nature and World Wildlife Fund) Range 100 years ago Range today (about 2,300 left) Fig. 11-8a, p. 230

Black Rhino Range in 1700 Range today (about 3,600 left) Figure 11.8 Natural capital degradation: reductions in the ranges of four wildlife species, mostly as the result of habitat loss and hunting. What will happen to these and millions of other species when the world’s human population doubles and per capita resource consumption rises sharply in the next few decades? (Data from International Union for the Conservation of Nature and World Wildlife Fund) Range in 1700 Range today (about 3,600 left) Fig. 11-8b, p. 230

African Elephant Probable range 1600 Range today Fig. 11-8c, p. 230 Figure 11.8 Natural capital degradation: reductions in the ranges of four wildlife species, mostly as the result of habitat loss and hunting. What will happen to these and millions of other species when the world’s human population doubles and per capita resource consumption rises sharply in the next few decades? (Data from International Union for the Conservation of Nature and World Wildlife Fund) Probable range 1600 Range today Fig. 11-8c, p. 230

WHAT CAN WE DO? Eight Priorities for Protecting Biodiversity Take immediate action to preserve world’s biological hot spots. Keep intact remaining old growth. Complete mapping of world’s biodiversity for inventory and decision making. Determine world’s marine hot spots. Concentrate on protecting and restoring lake and river systems (most threatened ecosystems).

Ensure that the full range of the earths ecosystems are included in global conservation strategy. Make conservation profitable. Initiate ecological restoration products to heal some of the damage done and increase share of earth’s land and water allotted to the rest of nature.

Biodiversity: Tree Activity D – Douglas Fir                   L – Lodge pole Pine N – Noble Fir                       WP – Western White Pine C – Western Red Cedar      B – Big leaf Maple M – Vine maples                  WD – Western Dogwood H – Western Hemlock         WF – White Fir Everyone's card should be D side face up. Go around the room and 'meet' 3 different people. Write their names on a page in your notebook and return to your seat. Monoculture vs Old Growth Forest

Biodiversity Activity D – Douglas Fir                   L – Lodge pole Pine N – Noble Fir                       WP – Western White Pine C – Western Red Cedar      B – Big leaf Maple M – Vine maples                  WD – Western Dogwood H – Western Hemlock         WF – White Fir Flip your card over. Now, go around the room and 'meet' 3 different people again. Write their names on your piece of paper and return to your seat. Monoculture vs Old Growth Forest

Why didn’t all the trees in the Old Growth Forest get the disease? Discuss with your group and in your notebook.... Answer these questions What difference did you notice in the number of trees that were infected with the disease between the monoculture Douglas Fir forest and the Old Growth Forest?  Why didn’t all the trees in the Old Growth Forest get the disease?

Discuss with your group and in your notebook.... Answer these questions In which type of forest would you need to use more chemicals to control disease? Why? Which forest would you expect to have the greater animal diversity? Why?

Currently logged forests are replanted with a single type of tree (harvesting a single type of tree is easier, faster & cheaper). If the variety of trees in a forest are cut down and replanted with 1 type of tree, what will happen to much of the wildlife that was adapted to that forest?

6. Many species can only live/reproduce in one type of forest 6. Many species can only live/reproduce in one type of forest. The spotted owl is an example: it can only live and successfully reproduce in old growth forests. If these old growth forests are cut down, it’s unlikely this owl will survive. Environmentalists call it an “indicator species.” What does this mean? Why be concerned about one species? 7. If you wanted to help wildlife, what would you do with regards to the landscaping of your own home?