1. Chapter 5: Biological Diversity and Conservation

2. Biological Diversity (Biodiversity)
variety of species in a specific area
Ex. Farmland – dominated by one species of corn
Rainforest – contains 400 species of plants

3. areas around the world differ in biodiversity
biodiversity increases as you move towards the equator
biodiversity is important – species are interdependent
animals could not exist without green plants
plants are dependent on decomposers for nutrients in the soil
Biodiversity brings stability – ecosystems are stable if their biodiversity is maintained

4. Humans
depend on plants for oxygen, animals for food, plants used for pharmaceuticals

5. Loss of Biodiversity
Extinction – the disappearance of a species when the last of its members die
- natural process
- rise due to expanding needs of the human population

6. Endangered Species
species is considered to be endangered when its numbers become so low that extinction is possible

7. Threatened Species
when a population of species is likely to become endangered
Ex. African
Elephants

8. Threats to Biodiversity
1. Habitat loss – land cleared in rain forests, coral reefs destroyed

9. 2. Habitat Fragmentation – separation of wilderness areas from other wilderness areas

10. Found to contribute to:
Increased extinction of local species
Disruption of ecological processes
New opportunities for invasions by introduced or exotic species
Increased risk of fire
Changes in local climate
Wildlife areas that are broken up by development

11. 3. Edge Effect - different conditions along the edge of an ecosystem
where water meets land
where a field meets another field
edges tend to
have greater
biodiversity
edge changes,
animals migrate
to other areas

12. 4. Habitat degradation - the damage to a habitat by pollution
air, water, and land pollution
Acid precipitation – rain, snow, sleet, and fog with low pH values
Have deteriorated some lakes and forests
Damages plant tissues, leaches nutrients from the soil
Ozone Layer – absorbs UV rays striking the atmosphere and reduce the Earth’s UV radiation
caused by pollutants – Chorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

13. 5. Water Pollution -
- degrades aquatic habitats – excess fertilizers and animals wastes

14. 6. Land Pollution
average American produces 1.8kg of solid waste daily – trash
657 kg – trash a year
Land fills
Pesticides and chemicals can also lead to land pollution

15. 7. Exotic Species - people introduce a new species into the area
species that are not native to a particular area
once introduced, grow at an exponential rate b/c they are not vulnerable to predators

16. Conservation Biology
the study and implementation of methods to protect biodiversity
strategies based on principals of ecology
natural resource conservation and species conservation

17. Natural Resources
parts of the environment that are useful or necessary for living organisms
Sunlight
Water
Air
plant and animal resources

18. Legal Protection of Species
US Endangered Species Act – became law in 1973
Illegal to harm an endangered species
Includes changing ecosystem where species lives

19. Preserving Habitats
Habitat – physical location where an organism lives and interacts with its environment
Natural reserves and parks

20. Habitat Corridors connecting protected areas with habitat corridors
if the areas are separated, then interbreeding within populations occurs
Habitat Corridors – protected strips of land that allow migration of organisms from wilderness area to another

21. People are needed to patrol parks People are allowed to use resources:
Sustainable use: people are allowed to use
resources in
a way that will
benefit them and
the ecosystem

22. Reintroduction
release organisms into an area where the species once lived
Ex. Black-footed ferret-
almost a lost species b/c they feed on prairie dogs
prairie dog population was destroyed by rural land use
ferrets - bred in captivity
then released back into the wild

23. Captivity organism that is held by humans
Ex. Ginkgo tree – planted around temples, survived extinction when all other similar trees were destroyed

24. Protecting Plant Species
- ideal ways – allow to exist in natural ecosystem
seed banks – save seeds incase plant ever becomes endangered