1. Chapter 55: Conservation Biology & Restoration Ecology
What is conservation biology?
The integration of all aspects of biology to conserve biological diversity at all levels
Ecology, physiology, molecular biology, genetics & evolutionary biology
What is restoration ecology?
Applies ecological principles to return humanly disturbed ecosystems back
to their natural state
What is biodiversity?
Biological diversity
3 levels
Genetic diversity
Genetic variation within a population & genetic variation
between populations
Species diversity
The variety of species in an ecosystem or throughout the biosphere
Threatened species – species likely to be considered endangered
in the foreseeable future
Endangered species – species in danger of becoming extinct
within their range
Ecosystem diversity
The variety of biosphere’s ecosystems
Extinction of 1 species can impact its community & ecosystem

2. Figure 55.2 Three levels of biodiversity
Genetic diversity in a vole population
Species diversity in a coastal redwood ecosystem
Community and ecosystem diversity
across the landscape of an entire region

3. Chapter 55: Conservation Biology & Restoration Ecology
What is conservation biology?
What is restoration ecology?
What is biodiversity?
What things are threatening biodiversity?
Habitat loss
Introduced species
Overexploitation

4. Figure 55.1 Tropical deforestation in West Kalimantan, Borneo
Habitat loss

5. Figure 55.6 Two introduced species
(a) Brown tree snake, intro duced to Guam in cargo
(b) Introduced kudzu thriving in South Carolina

6. Figure 55.7 Overexploitation
North Atlantic bluefin tuna

7. Chapter 55: Conservation Biology & Restoration Ecology
What is conservation biology?
What is restoration ecology?
What is biodiversity?
What things are threatening biodiversity?
What’s the difference between fragmentation, an edge, and a corridor?
Fragmentation – division of natural habitat
Edge – boundary between ecosystems – species rich
Corridor – movement strip that connects habitats

8. Figure 55.16 An artificial corridor