1. UNIT 9 NOTES—BIODIVERSITY Chapter 10

2. Biodiversity—number of different species in an area – 1.9 million species identified on Earth

3. Species diversity—number of different species in an area Ecosystem diversity—variety of habitats between ecosystems Genetic diversity—all the different genes within a population

4. The more species, the more stable the ecosystem Keystone species—critical to a functioning ecosystem – Ex: otter, prairie dog

5. Many organisms used for food, clothing, medicine – Many prescriptions made from plants – Undeveloped areas may contain future cures – New crop varieties come from hybrids

6. Reasons to preserve biodiversity – Ethical reasons: species have a right to exist – Aesthetic reasons: personal enjoyment Ecotourism— tourism that supports conservation & sustainable development

7. Earth is currently experiencing a mass extinction

8. Species at risk of extinction: – Migratory species, species needing special habitats, species exploited by humans Endangered species—likely to become extinct if actions aren’t taken Threatened species—likely to become endangered if actions aren’t taken

9. Habitat destruction & fragmentation – Growing human populations cause habitat loss – Causes 75% of species extinctions – Ex: Florida panther, gorilla, California condor

10. Invasive exotic species— species not native to a particular region – Compete with native species for food, habitat – Usually have no natural predators – Asian carp, brown tree snake, kudzu Emerald Ash Borer Video

11. Over-harvesting & poaching—illegal harvesting of species – Depletes species population, causes extinctions – Ex: elephants, right whale, black rhino

12. Pollution – Contaminates habitat, kills or damages food sources – Ex: Amazon river dolphin, brown pelican, bald eagle

13. Biodiversity indicated by endemic species—species native to & found only within a limited area Tropical rain forests contain over half of world’s species – Affected by deforestation

14. Coral reefs & coastal ecosystems contain most of the world’s marine biodiversity – Threatened by overfishing & pollution Island species may contain numerous species in a small area – Threatened by exotic species

15. Biodiversity hotspots—areas that have many endemic species & are threatened by human activities – Most have lost 70% of vegetation – Currently 35 hotspots U.S. hotspots: Florida Everglades, California coastline, Hawaii, Great Plains

17. Captive-breeding programs – Attempt to restore populations by breeding animals in zoos or captivity – Ex: California condor numbers in 1986 (22); in 2011 (369) Preserving genetic material – Germ plasm (reproductive cells) stored for future use in case species become extinct – Ex: San Diego Zoo’s “Frozen Zoo”

18. Zoos, aquariums, parks & gardens – Endangered species have a Species Survival Plan (SSP)—plans for breeding in captivity

19. Most effective way to preserve species is to preserve their habitats Protecting entire ecosystems can save many species, not just endangered species Sustainable products promote habitat conservation

20. Endangered Species Act (ESA) – Passed in 1973 – Amended several times since – Carried out & enforced by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

21. ESA provisions: – List all threatened & endangered species – Protected species may not be caught, killed, uprooted; no selling or trading of listed species – Projects that jeopardize listed species are prohibited – Establish species recovery plan for each listed species

22. MN has 5 endangered & 4 threatened species protected under the ESA – Ex: piping plover, prairie fringed orchid

23. The MN DNR helps protect species listed on the ESA – Also identifies species of special concern— species that are uncommon or have very specific habitats in MN

24. IUCN publishes Red Lists of species in danger of extinction CITES treaty regulates the trade of wild animal & plant parts or products Earth Summit (1992) led to the Biodiversity Treaty—goal to preserve biodiversity & ensure sustainable use of resources

25. Private conservation efforts work to protect species worldwide – World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Nature Conservancy, Greenpeace International