Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity C-Change in GEES People and the Environment Session 2 Session 2: Biodiversity

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Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity Learning Objectives This lecture will: Describe the 3 forms of biodiversity Sketch the geography of biodiversity at a global scale Discuss the kinds of value attached to biodiversity with examples Describe how uncertainties shape policy responses for biodiversity conservation

Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity 1.Biodiversity as a Resource 2.Threats to Biodiversity 3.The Value of Biodiversity 4.Public Policy and Biodiversity Session Outline

Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity Biodiversity The variety of life forms that inhabit the earth. Biodiversity includes : 1)Habitat diversity - the range of different combinations of soil, climate and water supply that lead to a range of different ecological environments or biomes. 2)Plant and animal species diversity within the various habitats - UNEP- WCMC estimate a total of 14 million species (1.75 million of which have been identified) 3)The genetic diversity of various species - within individual species. Even between members of the same species a great deal of diversity can occur between their genomes (Kemp, 2004: 408)

Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity How do we use Biodiversity as a Resource? Genetic diversity – recombinant DNA technologies (e.g. salmon antifreeze protein in tomatoes) Species diversity – domestication or extraction of plant and animals as resources (i.e. agriculture) Habitat diversity – exploitation for resource extraction or conversion (e.g. UK heathlands) Paraguay Chaco Clearings for Cattle Grazing

Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity Biodiversity has Geography: Global Hotspots Twenty-five regions have been identified which together cover only 1.4% of the Earth's land surface but contain nearly half of all plant species and a third of all terrestrial vertebrate species Also see: Conservation International’s website org/Pages/default.aspx

Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity Threats to Biodiversity Biodiversity is threatened by human use of resources, either directly or through indirect effects on ecosystem balance e.g. –hunting / poaching –pollution –over-harvesting of plants –land conversion –introduction of alien species –climate change

Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity What Value does Biodiversity have? 1)Inherent value – the worth of species and ecosystems in spiritual, aesthetic or philosophical ‘standing’ 2)Service value – the worth of the ecological functions diversity performs 3)Resource value – the worth of diversity as a resource for human use Catskill Park, NY Protected and valued highly for the clean water that it supplies to New York City

Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity 1 - Inherent Value Sacred cow wandering the streets of Delhi Humpback Whale

Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity 2 - Service value Biodiversity supports ecosystem services: –Nutrient cycling (carbon, nitrogen, sulphur) –Hydrology and climate moderation –Air filtration –Erosion control –Energy capture –Reproduction of plant –and animal resources But we don’t usually pay for these services They are what economists call ‘externalities’ – part of the taken-for- granted world Bees provide an important pollinating service

Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services – a case of Ignorance Costa Rica’s Montane Forests 3/ /

Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity Cloud Forest in Monteverde, Costa Rica

Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity October_ jpg Pollinators Which species are important?

Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity Seed dispersers

Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity 3 - Resource Value Will making biodiversity valuable as a resource encourage its conservation? A case of indeterminacy….

Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity Bioprospecting …the search for new sources of chemical compounds, genes, proteins, microorganisms and other elements existing in biodiversity that posses real or potential economic value. Much of the world's bio-diversity richness is located in the tropical areas in the developing world while the economic and scientific capabilities to exploit that biodiversity exist mainly in developed Western nations. Benefit sharing agreements are supposed to ensure Western companies who source genetic material from other nation’s provide recompense in the form of expertise/training, a collection fee and/or a share of the profits. But once the information has been collected, will we need in-situ conservation in the natural environment? Or are we looking at a scenario where things are grown in labs? Case study: National Biodiversity Institute (INBio) Costa Rica (

Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity Public Policy Responses How governments act to conserve biodiversity….

Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity International Convention on Biodiversity Conservation (1992) Objectives conservation of biological diversity sustainable use of its components fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilisation of genetic resources, including by appropriate access to genetic resources and by appropriate transfer of relevant technologies, taking into account all rights over those resources and to technologies, and by appropriate funding. Signed by 150 government leaders at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit Conceived as a practical tool for translating the principles of Agenda 21 into reality Recognizes the ecosystem services aspect of biodiversity

Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity More Public Policy Measures C.I.T.E.S. – global convention, where governments agree to ban trade in wildlife products from endangered species and regulate trade in products for species at risk of becoming endangered Protected Areas Policies - parks, reserves and ‘special management zones’ put in place by national and local governments

Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity Conservation Outlook: Bleak? Numerous national and international agreements and the creation of protected areas and species try to conserve biodiversity, but they are hard to enforce in practice. Biodiversity conservation maintains inherent and service values of biodiversity Because conserved biodiversity appears to be of limited resource (use) value, governments are willing to risk loss of biodiversity for the perceived social and economic advantages of land conversion and development

Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity Learning Summary You should know the 3 forms of biodiversity and the 3 kinds of value attached to biodiversity You should be able to discuss ignorance as it applies to our knowledge of biodiversity You should be able to use the concept of indeterminacy to describe: 1) the extinction of species; 2) the management of protected areas and 3) the possible implications of bioprospecting for conservation

Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity References Kemp, D.D. (2004) ‘Exploring Environmental Issues: An Integrated Approach’ Routledge (Chapter 9)

Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity This resource was created by the University of Keele and released as an open educational resource through the 'C-change in GEES' project exploring the open licensing of climate change and sustainability resources in the Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences. The C-change in GEES project was funded by HEFCE as part of the JISC/HE Academy UKOER programme and coordinated by the GEES Subject Centre. This resource is licensed under the terms of the Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales license ( However the resource, where specified below, contains other 3rd party materials under their own licenses. The licenses and attributions are outlined below: 1.The name of Keele University and its logos are unregistered trade marks of the University. The University reserves all rights to these items beyond their inclusion in these CC resources. 2.The JISC logo, the C-change logo and the logo of the Higher Education Academy Subject Centre for the Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences are licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution -non-commercial-No Derivative Works 2.0 UK England & Wales license. All reproductions must comply with the terms of that license

Dr Deirdre McKay, Keele University, C-Change in GEES: People and the Environment – Biodiversity Item Metadata AuthorDr Deirdre McKay Stephen Whitfield Institute – OwnerKeele University, School of Physical and Geographical Sciences TitleBiodiversity PowerPoint Presentation Date CreatedFebruary 2010 DescriptionBiodiversity - PowerPoint Presentation – Part Two of People and the Environment Educational Level1 Keywords (Primary keywords – UKOER & GEESOER) UKOER, GEESOER, Resource, genetic, species, threats, value, policy Creative Commons LicenseAttribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales