conservation = Erhaltung, Bewahrung, Schutz, Naturschutz Conservation Biology = Naturschutzbiologie What is Conservation Biology?

Conservation Biology is a branch of biology that is concerned with the continuing loss of biodiversity and the development of practical solutions for protecting species, their habitats and ecosystems.

Biodiversity = the wealth of life on earth: (all plants, animals and microorganisms), the genes they contain, and the intricate ecosystems they help build.

3 levels of biodiversity: 1)Species 1)Genes 1)Ecosystems

Biodiversity loss every day, about 100 species go extinct worldwide in Germany, 50% of our native plants and animals are threatened or endangered The main causes of species extinction and biodiversity loss are: human population growth habitat loss / habitat destruction overexploitation invasive species pollution climate change

Red List of Threatened Species is published every two years by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) since 2011: includes about species evaluates the extinction risk of thousands of species

Threatened Species Threatened means that the population of a species is declining at an alarming rate The Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) is listed as a threatened species

Endangered Species Endangered means that a species will go extinct very soon if nothing is done to help the population recover So few Giant Pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) are left, that it is considered an endangered species

Conservation Biology as a interdisciplinary science:  Conservation Biology uses findings from all biological disciplines and focuses them on nature conservation

Ecology Genetics Mathematics Chemistry Geology Biogeography Evolution Botany Zoology Epidemology Conservation Biology Statistics

What do Conservation biologists do? they help protect species and habitats they create nature preserves (determine the location, size, capacity) they create methods for conservation measures

relocation of mangroves by a riverbed setting up traps for a fauna survey they educate the public about conservation issues wildlife management

they restore endangered or damaged ecosystems and habitats planting trees in Warrumbungle National Park, Australia eradicating an invasive species, Lantana camara

they examine whether a species is threatened or not they develop breeding programs for endangered species (and sometimes release them into the wild)

Conservation can be profitable! $ 1.1 million:costs for planting and protecting about hectares of coastal mangroves in Vietnam $ 7.3 million:money the Vietnamese government saved on dike maintenance  dike maintenance = Deichunterhaltung  the mangroves help stabilize riverbanks and dikes and prevent erosion

in October 2011, the world population reached 7 billion people we are changing the face of the earth faster than animals can adapt to it we are also using natural resources faster than can be renewed therefore, one of the main aims of Conservation Biology is to find ways how humans can better learn to coexist with nature

Summary: Conservation Biology uses the knowledge from most biological disciplines to create effective conservation measures... looks for practical solutions to protect biodiversity... tries to make the public aware of their environmental responsibility

“[Conservation Biology] is a discipline focused on finding ways to make humanity more compatible with wildlife and wild ecosystems, using the best available science” - Michael P. Marchetti