1. Includes:
ecosystem diversity, species diversity, and genetic diversity

2. Diversity of genes Chihuahuas, Greyhound and Newfies are all dogs—but they're not the same because their genes are different.
Chihuahua
Greyhound
Newfoundland

3. Diversity of species
Hoary Bat
Kahuli
Iwi

4. Diversity of ecosystems
Tropical Rain Forest
tiaga
Desert

5. Biodiversity has Intrinsic Value
Source: Burmbaugh © AMNH-CBC
(value in and of itself)

6. Biodiversity also has Utilitarian Value.
Utilitarian values include:
Goods
Services
Information

7. What do we get from biodiversity?
Oxygen
Food
Clean Water
Medicines
Beauty
Ideas/Inspiration

8. Biodiversity hotspots - areas with a high concentration of endemic species, experiencing rapid habitat loss

9. Threatened (vulnerable) species:
Still abundant in its natural range but is likely to become endangered in the near future.
Endangered species:
So few individual survivors that it could soon become extinct.

10. Current State of Biodiversity
1.4 million described species….perhaps 10 million in total???
Background extinction rate (rate of extinction in the absence of human activities):
In one year, a species has a one in ten million chance of going extinct

11. Mass extinction – loss of large number of species
usually due to catastrophic volcanic eruption or meteor impact
very rare (5 times in 3 billion years)
Current rate of extinction???

12. Should we be concerned about biodiversity?
What we know: The Earth is losing species at an alarming rate
Perhaps as many as 3 species per hour are going extinct and 20,000 extinctions occur each year.
when species of plants and animals go extinct, many other species are affected.

13. Core Case Study: The Passenger Pigeon: Gone Forever
Once the most numerous bird on earth.
In 1858, Passenger Pigeon hunting became a big business.
By 1900 they became extinct from over-harvest and habitat loss.

14. Passenger Pigeon: Hunted to extinction
Former population about 6 billion animals

15. Carolina Parakeet: extinct
Habitat loss (forest clearing), over hunted (for feathers and by farmers who considered them a pest)

16. Ivory-Billed Woodpecker: Critically endangered, probably extinct
Once found in southern hardwood swamps and pine forests
Comparison of ivory-billed (top) and pileated woodpecker below)

17. Threats to Species: Remember H.I.P.P.C.O.
H.I.P.P.C.O. – the most important causes of extinction:
Habitat destruction, degradation, and fragmentation
Invasive (nonnative) species
Population and resource use growth
Pollution
Climate change
Overexploitation

18. Extinctions Can Be Natural But Sometimes The Rate Increase Sharply
Local Extinction (Extirpation):
A species is no longer found in an area it once inhabited but is still found elsewhere in the world.
Typically the result of habitat destruction or overhunting and affects more than one species.
Examples: wolf and mountain lion in Maine
Extinction (Global extinction) is Forever.

19. Characteristics of Species That Are Prone to Extinction
These characteristics make survival harder when environmental conditions change or when humans interfere.

20. Endemic Species
Only live in one specific place (geographic location or habitat type – usually islands)
Very vulnerable to extinction as a result of habitat loss or degradation.

21. Habitat destruction and fragmentation
Fragmentation- breaking large areas of habitat into smaller, isolated patches

22. Golden lion tamarin

23. Changes in housing density in Southern Maine Source: http://www. whrc

24. Edge Effects-negative impacts adjacent to habitat boundaries
Forest Edges: -more sunlight -drying -higher winds -higher tree mortality -more invasive species -more predators

25. Core area – part of a patch not impacted by edge effects
Edge area
Core area
Core area – part of a patch not impacted by edge effects
Patch size is not always the best predictor of patch quality

26. Introduced Species
Humans are constantly moving species to new locations Sometimes this is done deliberately, sometimes by accident Often the most serious impacts are on islands due to: -low species diversity -few native predators so many species have not developed anti-predator defenses (or resistance to diseases)

27. Characteristics of Invasive Species
-pioneer species -high dispersion rates -found in disturbed habitats…..but some can invade undisturbed areas Why are invasives successful? -Often have no diseases, nothing that will eat them, no parasites -outcompete native species for resources

28. Introduced diseases – exploit lack of evolved resistance
Dutch elm disease – American elm
Chestnut blight – American chestnut
avian malaria – Hawaiian birds
Rinderpest – African ungulates
chytrid fungus – amphibians

29. Net result of invasive species
Homogenize ecological communities around the world
Drive native species to extinction

30. Exploitation and overharvest
Direct exploitation for food
Overfishing
Bycatch
Bushmeat = harvest of wild animals for food
Can be sustainable but is often not
Threatens many species of primates and other mammals as well as other wildlife
Primarily a concern when it is obtained illegally, commercially and/or unsustainably

31. Global Trade in Wildlife
Birds, orchids, cactus, primates…
Captured for gardens, pets, zoos….
Many species were driven to extinction before regulations were enacted to protect them (Ex: passenger pigeon, Carolina parakeet, sea mink…)

34. Climate change

37. Why do small populations go extinct?
chance events that occur more frequently with small populations size
failure to breed or survive
failure to find a mate
skewed sex ratio

38. Genetic effects at small population size
Environmental effects – unpredictable events that reduce survival or reproduction
droughts, floods, fires, storms
Genetic effects at small population size
inbreeding
genetic drift
random mutations

39. Extinction vortex – combination of genetic, environmental and demographic factors that drive a small population to extinction
Heath Hen

40. Heath hen
1700 – throughout the northeast coast
1907 – 50 left on Martha’s Vineyard
1915 – 2000 birds
1916 – fire
1917 – goshawk invasion
1920’s – poultry disease
1927 – 13 birds, mostly males
March 11, 1932 – last known sighting

41. Greater Prairie Chicken
Conservation Status: Vulnerable

42. Populations that are very small suffer from lack of
genetic diversity (for example cheetahs)

43. Maintenance of ecosystem function
How many species can you safely remove?
How do you ensure maximum productivity in managed or natural ecosystems?

44. More diverse ecosystems are more stable

45. http://image. slidesharecdn