CURRENT TOPICS Ms. Burakiewicz Conservation

Vocabulary Aquatic Biodiversity Conservation Coral Reef Ecosystem Extinction Endangered Forest Genetic variation (Gene) Habitat Invasive species Natural selection Species Terrestrial Wetland

What is Conservation Biology? Science focused on how to protect and restore biodiversity Three key questions  How is the diversity of life distributed around the planet?  What threats does diversity face?  What can people do to reduce or eliminate these threats and, when possible, restore biological diversity to ecosystem health?

What is Biodiversity? All levels of organization  Includes the individual organisms AND their genetic material (conservation genetics – later)  Involves groups of similar organisms, populations, AND groups of species in communities or ecosystems All forms of life  Bacteria, fungus, protist, plant, and animal All interactions  Biodiversity is more than just the parts of a living system, such as genes, individuals and species -- biodiversity also includes the ways the various parts interact with each other, including competition, predation, and symbiosis.

Genetic Diversity Genetic information varies within a species Individuals are unique Variation within a species allows the species adaptability within an environment  A loss of genetic variation makes a species more prone to extinction

Species Diversity A species is a group of organisms that have the ability to reproduce in nature  Geographic or reproductive isolation Different species exist in various ecosystems The more species in an ecosystem, the more stable the ecosystem

Ecosystem Diversity It is important to have stable terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems because of their various properties  Wetlands help to purify water  Forests help to cycle carbon dioxide It is important to protect large scale processes that biodiversity depends on

What is a biodiversity crisis? Rapid loss of biodiversity  Current rate of extinction = 100-1,000x faster than the natural rate  >1,000 species have gone extinct in the last 400 years  Thousands of species are currently considered endangered

Why is biodiversity valuable? Benefits humans directly by providing  Food  Medicine (cancer meds)  Industrial products (oils) Benefits ecosystem stability  Water purification  Erosion control  Climate control  Decomposition and nutrient cycling

How is Biodiversity Measured? Biodiversity is measured by taking a sample and estimating the total population in a given area  Random sampling  Average density of a species in a given area  Average number of species in a given area ↑ Diversity Index = ↑ Species and even distribution

Endangered vs Extinction Endangered species are those that are “in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range” – Endangered Species Act 1973 Extinction is when a species no longer exists The status of a species (unlisted, threatened, or endangered) can change

Protection of Species Keystone species are those that an ecosystem depends on If a keystone species is removed, many other species within that ecosystem will be effected  Beavers make dams that provide pond networks – provides habitats, improves water quality, prevents erosion

Hot Spots Hot spots are areas where biodiversity is high and species are unique to the region 25 global biodiversity hotspots  Rainforests – Amazon Basin, Caribbean Islands  Coral reefs

Major Threats Habitat loss  Development, clearing land, water diversion Habitat degradation  Disturbing habitat – erosion, toxins (pollution) Introduced species Over harvesting  Hunting, fishing

Conservation DON’T  Destroy habitat  Pollute  Over harvest  Introduce species Reverse damage You can…  Adjust your behavior  Educate yourself and others  Support conservation efforts