1. Biodiversity
Variety of the earth’s species, the genes they contain, the ecosystems in which they live, and the ecosystem processes such as energy flow and nutrient cycling that sustain all life.

2. Red lists
ICUN – International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
Published list of threatened species
www. iucnredlist.org

3. Least Concern
A species with adequate numbers to sustain the population.
Stable or increasing populations

4. Near Threatened
Species has adequate number to currently sustain the population
There is either a downward trend or an anticipated downward trend
The Aye-Aye is a near-threatened species

5. Vulnerable The species may not have adequate numbers to sustain itself
Population trend is typically decreasing
A recovering species can also be vulnerable
Good news! The Giant Panda is no longer endangered!

6. Endangered The species is in danger of becoming extinct
African Penguins are endangered due to decreasing habitat and frequent oil spills

7. Critically Endangered
Species will likely go extinct soon if no action is taken

8. Some species are more prone to extinction:
K-strategists
Specialists
Tertiary consumers
Fixed migratory patterns
Narrow distribution
Commercially valuable
Large territories

9. Extinction – the loss of a species
Background extinction – low rate of extinctions
Mass extinction-high rate of extinctions due to specific cause
Climate change

10. Extinction Rate
The percentage of species that go extinct within a certain time period
The current extinction rate is increasing at an alarming rate due to human activities

12. Human Caused Extinction
Causes include:
HIPPO C
Habitat Destruction
Invasive species
Population Growth
Pollution
Over-harvesting
Climate Change

13. Biodiversity Hot Spots
A hotspot is an area where there are many threatened and endangered species
There are currently 34 hotspots in the world today

14. Types of Diversity Species diversity – number and abundance of species
Ecological diversity – number of ecosystems in an area
Functional diversity – number of tropic levels
Genetic diversity – variety of genetic material within a species

15. Theory of Natural Selection
Explains how life has evolved from a common ancestor

16. Survival of the fittest
Organisms suited for the environment will survive to reproduce, thus passing down desirable traits.
Examples:
Giraffes
Camels
Influenza virus
Venus fly trap
NOTE – fittest does not equal strongest!!!

17. How Geological Processes influence biodiversity:
Location (rainforest vs. tundra)
Continental movement- earthquakes and volcanoes
Climate change- cyclic cooling and heating of the earth
Catastrophic events- asteroid impacts, tsunamis, hurricanes, floods

18. Speciation - formation of a new species
Two Phases
1. Geographic isolation
A population is removed from others of it’s species for a long period of time
2. Reproductive isolation
The removed population becomes so genetically different over time that it can no longer interbreed with others of it’s species

19. 225 million years ago 225 million years ago 135 million years ago
Figure 4.5
Geological processes and biological evolution. Over millions of years the earth’s continents have moved very slowly on several gigantic tectonic plates. This process plays a role in the extinction of species as land areas split apart and promote the rise of new species when once isolated land areas combine. Rock and fossil evidence indicates that 200–250 million years ago all of the earth’s present-day continents were locked together in a supercontinent called Pangaea (top left). About 180 million years ago, Pangaea began splitting apart as the earth’s huge plates separated and eventually resulted in today’s locations of the continents (bottom right).
65 million years ago
Present
Fig. 4-5, p. 88

20. Continental Movement

21. Measurements of Biodiversity
Species diversity = species richness – the number of different species in a community
Species evenness – the abundance of species in a community

22. Richness and Sustainability
Higher species richness = higher productivity = higher sustainability
Reasons:
More likely to withstand droughts, disease, climate change, nutrient shortages
Higher number of producers lead to a higher biomass which leads to more carbon and nitrogen cycling

23. Case Study: The Whooping Crane

25. Habitat loss and unregulated hunted led to a severe decrease in the species
In 1941 there were an estimated 14 whooping cranes left in the wild
The decline in this species was a major factor leading up to the creation of the Endangered Species Act

26. Saving the Whooping Crane
Ex-situ conservation: Conservation outside of the natural habitat
In-situ conservation: Conservation in the natural habitat
A combination of techniques was used to save the Whooping Crane

27. Teaching migration

28. The Endangered Species Act
Established in 1973
Overseen by the US Fish and Wildlife Service
Penalties of violating the act:
Funded by US taxes and penalty money

29. The Act:
authorizes the determination and listing of species as endangered and threatened;
prohibits unauthorized taking, possession, sale, and transport of endangered species;
provides authority to acquire land for the conservation of listed species, using land and water conservation funds;
authorizes establishment of cooperative agreements and grants-in-aid to States that establish and maintain active and adequate programs for endangered and threatened wildlife and plants;
authorizes the assessment of civil and criminal penalties for violating the Act or regulations; and
authorizes the payment of rewards to anyone furnishing information leading to arrest and conviction for any violation of the Act or any regulation issued thereunder.

30. Case Study: The U.S. Endangered Species Act
Biodiversity hotspots in relation to the largest concentrations of rare and potentially endangered species in the U.S.
Figure 11-18

31. CITES
Convention for the International Trade of Endangered Species - CITES
Is a voluntary agreement among participating countries to stop the trade of listed species
180 countries participate:
5,600 animal species and 30,000 animals are protected under this act

32. Habitat Fragmentation
Habitat fragmentation is when an ecosystem is divided by a highway, neighborhood, buildings or other structures/land uses.
Leads to:
Decreased genetic diversity
Loss of habitat
Loss of breeding grounds
May disrupt migration patterns
Disruption of food chains

34. Solutions to Habitat Fragmentation
Protect the land – National & State Parks and Forests
Introduce breeding programs and wildlife release to increase genetic diversity.
Build Wildlife Cooridors

35. Bridges for animals – Wildlife Corridors
Source: ourcollectivegood.com

36. Save the elephants.org

37. Wildlife Corridors in Colorado

38. Fishing
Deadliest Catch

39. Fishing Problems & Techniques
The major decline in the worldwide catch of fish since 1990 is because of over-fishing.
By-catch- fish or animals that were not meant to be caught.

40. Overfishing and Extinction: Gone Fishing, Fish Gone
About 75% of the world’s commercially valuable marine fish species are over fished or fished near their sustainable limits.
Big fish are becoming scarce.
Smaller fish are next.
We throw away 30% of the fish we catch.
We needlessly kill sea mammals and birds.

41. Deep sea aquaculture cage Fish caught by gills
Trawler fishing
Fish farming in cage
Spotter airplane
Sonar
Purse-seine fishing
Trawl flap
Trawl lines
Fish school
Trawl bag
Drift-net fishing
Long line fishing
Float
Buoy
Figure 12.A
Natural capital degradation: major commercial fishing methods used to harvest various marine species. These methods have become so effective that many fish species have become commercially extinct.
Lines with hooks
Deep sea aquaculture cage
Fish caught by gills
Fig. 12-A, p. 255

42. Trawler Fishing
Catches shrimp, shellfish, flounder and other anials that live on the ocean floor
Drags a funnel shaped net along the ocean floor, weighted down with chains or metal plates
Some nets are large enough to hold 12 jumbo jets!!

43. Deep sea aquaculture cage Fish caught by gills
Trawler fishing
Fish farming in cage
Spotter airplane
Sonar
Purse-seine fishing
Trawl flap
Trawl lines
Fish school
Trawl bag
Drift-net fishing
Long line fishing
Float
Buoy
Figure 12.A
Natural capital degradation: major commercial fishing methods used to harvest various marine species. These methods have become so effective that many fish species have become commercially extinct.
Lines with hooks
Deep sea aquaculture cage
Fish caught by gills
Fig. 12-A, p. 255

44. Purse Seines
Purse Seine Example

45. Purse Seines
A large purse-like net is put into the ocean and is then closed like a drawstring purse to trap the fish.
Tuna is a fish typically caught in purse seines
Dolphins are a by-catch of purse seines

46. Deep sea aquaculture cage Fish caught by gills
Trawler fishing
Fish farming in cage
Spotter airplane
Sonar
Purse-seine fishing
Trawl flap
Trawl lines
Fish school
Trawl bag
Drift-net fishing
Long line fishing
Float
Buoy
Figure 12.A
Natural capital degradation: major commercial fishing methods used to harvest various marine species. These methods have become so effective that many fish species have become commercially extinct.
Lines with hooks
Deep sea aquaculture cage
Fish caught by gills
Fig. 12-A, p. 255

47. Long-line fishing
Lines are put out that can be up to 80 miles long w/ thousands of baited hooks on them. These are left out free-floating for days and then the boat comes back and picks them up.
Pilot whales, dolphins, sea turtles, and birds are by-catch of this technique.

48. Deep sea aquaculture cage Fish caught by gills
Trawler fishing
Fish farming in cage
Spotter airplane
Sonar
Purse-seine fishing
Trawl flap
Trawl lines
Fish school
Trawl bag
Drift-net fishing
Long line fishing
Float
Buoy
Figure 12.A
Natural capital degradation: major commercial fishing methods used to harvest various marine species. These methods have become so effective that many fish species have become commercially extinct.
Lines with hooks
Deep sea aquaculture cage
Fish caught by gills
Fig. 12-A, p. 255

49. Drift-net fishing
Each net hangs as much as 50 feet below the surface and up to 34 miles long.
Anything that comes into contact w/ these nearly invisible nets are entangled.
This leads to overfishing
Many unwanted fish and marine mammals, turtles and seabirds are caught.

50. Deep sea aquaculture cage Fish caught by gills
Trawler fishing
Fish farming in cage
Spotter airplane
Sonar
Purse-seine fishing
Trawl flap
Trawl lines
Fish school
Trawl bag
Drift-net fishing
Long line fishing
Float
Buoy
Figure 12.A
Natural capital degradation: major commercial fishing methods used to harvest various marine species. These methods have become so effective that many fish species have become commercially extinct.
Lines with hooks
Deep sea aquaculture cage
Fish caught by gills
Fig. 12-A, p. 255

51. Regulations on Fishing
Marine and mammal protection act - provides for protection and conservation of marine mammals
Magnuson Act- Sets quotas, size limits and seasons for fishing
UN Law of the Seas – allows countries to establish fishing quotas
Marine Sanctuaries Act- provides protected habitat for marine organisms