1. Conservation Biology

2. Conservation Biology and Restoration Ecology
Human activities are altering trophic structures, energy flow, chemical cycling and natural disturbance.
In response to these issues, 2 fields have arisen:
Conservation biology – integrates ecology, physiology, molecular biology, genetics, and evolutionary biology to conserve biological diversity at all levels.
Restoration Biology – applies ecological principals to return ecosystems that have been disturbed by human activity to a condition as similar as possible to their natural state
These issues concern several areas of interest including: science, sociology, psychology, technology, religion, politics, law, philosophy, economics, etc.

3. Biodiversity: Genetic Diversity
Genetic diversity includes the genetics found within a population as well as that found between populations
Issue: Loss of genetic diversity can have far reaching effects by lessening the potential gene pool which in turn can affect potential of agriculture and decrease the stability of a population
Ex: endangered and threatened species and rice resistance to the grassy stunt virus

4. Biodiversity: Species Diversity
This looks at the number of species in an ecosystem or in the biosphere
Issues with endangered and threatened species continue despite the ESA
IUCN estimates 12% of birds and 20% of mammals are threatened
Of the nearly 20,000 known plant species in the U.S., 200 have become extinct and 730 are endangered or threatened
20% of known freshwater fish have become extinct or are seriously threatened. The extinction rate in N.A. is 5 times higher than everywhere else.
32% of known amphibians are either very near extinction or endangered

5. Biodiversity: Ecosystem Diversity
The networks of communities of interacting populations within ecosystems is dependent on species diversity for richness and perhaps stability
Issues arise when the richness varies particularly with ‘key’ species
Ex: bats in the Pacific Islands are important as pollinators and seed distributors, but they are under threat because of hunting. Their extinction would be extremely damaging to the entire system

6. Benefits to Diversity
Other life forms have given humans a variety of products from food to fibers to medicines
25% of meds in U.S. contain substances derived from plants
Loss of species means the loss of potential of finding medicines from those species lost
Ecosystem services which encompass many of the major processes we rely on for survival
Purify air and water, offer protection from natural disasters, create and preserve soils, etc.

7. Threats to Biodiversity: Habitat Loss
Single greatest threat to biodiversity
According to IUCN, 73% of species that have become extinct, endangered, vulnerable or rare are linked to habitat loss
Occurs because of agriculture, development, forestry mining and pollution
Issue: Species cannot always move, and, even when they can, there are limits

8. Threats to Biodiversity: Introduced Species
AKA non-native or exotic species, meaning they are brought to a new area either accidentally or intentionally
These species tend to grow and reproduce unchecked away from any natural predators
This may cause a disruption in the natural community leading to extinctions of native species
Ex: Brown tree snakes brought to Guam have led to the extinction of 12 species of birds and 6 species of lizards; also issues with Zebra mussels, kudzu, European starling

9. Threats to Biodiversity: Overexploitation
The over harvesting of wild organisms for human consumption (at a pace that exceeds the ability of the natural system to replace the organism)
Can be related to restricted habitats and/or low reproductive rates
Ex: elephants (poaching for ivory), overfishing, whales, etc.

10. Population Conservation: Small-Populations Approach
There are 2 approaches to conserving populations
Small-populations approach – Small populations are more vulnerable to threats, but once decreased can be further threatened by their small size; small-populations approach focuses on the processes that cause extinctions once pops are reduced
Many of these populations experience an “extinction vortex”

11. Population Conservation: Small-Populations Approach
The minimum viable population (MVP) is the minimum population size at which the species is still able to sustain its numbers and survive
The effective population size goes beyond the MVP and focuses on the breeding potential of the population
This equation can be used to determine a population’s viability

12. Population Conservation: Declining-Population Approach
Declining-population approach focuses on populations experiencing a downward trend, even if still above MVP. Specifically emphasizes the environmental factors that caused the population decline initially
Must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis
Use the following method
Confirm decline
Research the species and related histories
Develop possible hypotheses for decline
Test most likely hypothesis
Apply the results
Population conservation must always take into account different demands on an area to create workable results

13. Landscape and Regional Conservation
Landscape and regional conservation looks at conserving particular communities or ecosystems
Fragmentation and edges are specific communities that have unique environments compared to surrounding areas
Can be area between forest and lake or forest patch in the middle of development
Fragmentation is also an issue because populations can become isolated
Some conservation efforts have created movement corridors to help prevent this

14. Landscape and Regional Conservation
Protected areas are determined using a variety of methods
Hot spots – small areas with extremely high rates of endemic species
30% of all birds can be found on 2% of Earth’s land
Home to approximately 1/3 of all species of plants, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals
Can be difficult to determine nature reserves because hot spots for one species may not be hot spots for others

15. Landscape and Regional Conservation
Nature reserves are based on the idea of protection
Historically, the premise was that no change, even natural change, should be allowed
These systems have generally failed (Smokey the Bear)
Today, disturbance is seen to be a natural part of the environment
Big argument is related to number and size of reserves that are created
Issues also related to human needs (resources and space), property rights, etc.

16. Landscape and Regional Conservation
Zoned reserves are large areas that have land with areas that have been undisturbed along with areas that have been changed and are generally used for economic gain
The disturbed areas are heavily regulated to control their use and act as buffer zones for the undisturbed areas

17. Restoration Ecology
Restoration ecology seeks to initiate or speed up the recovery of ecosystems
Remediation – use of organisms to detoxify polluted ecosystems
Biological augmentation – uses organisms to add essential materials to a degraded ecosystem

18. Sustainable Development
Development that meets the needs of people today without limiting the ability of future generations to meet their needs
Difficulties in weighing conservation and the want to increase standard of living (as this seems to coincide with a level of consumerism)