1. Biology Sylvia S. Mader Michael Windelspecht
Chapter 47
Conservation of Biodiversity
Lecture Outline
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2. Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Outline
Conservation Biology
47.1 Conservation Biology and Biodiversity
47.2 Value of Biodiversity
47.3 Causes of Extinction
47.4 Conservation Techniques

3. 47.1 Conservation Biology and Biodiversity
Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
47.1 Conservation Biology and Biodiversity
Conservation Biology
Considers all aspects of biodiversity
General goal is conserving natural resources for this and future generations
Primary goal is the management of biodiversity
The variety of life on Earth

4. Conservation Biology and Biodiversity
Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Conservation Biology and Biodiversity
Conservation Biology
For conservation biology to be effective, scientists must evaluate larger connections within the biosphere
High level of biodiversity is desirable
Causes of present-day extinction, how to prevent future extinctions from occurring, and consequences of reduced biodiversity
Bioinformatics is utilized to protect biodiversity
Collecting of, analyzing, and making readily available biological information, using modern computer technology

5. Conservation Biology and Biodiversity
Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Conservation Biology and Biodiversity
Conservation Biology
Biodiversity
At its simplest level, biodiversity refers to the variety of species on Earth
Estimated that between 10 and 50 million species currently exist
Endangered Species
One that is in peril of immediate extinction throughout all or most of its range
Threatened Species
Organisms that are likely to become endangered in the near future

6. Conservation Biology and Biodiversity
Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Conservation Biology and Biodiversity
Conservation Biology
Biodiversity
Ecologists describe biodiversity as a combination of three levels of biological organization:
Genetic diversity
Community diversity
Landscape diversity

7. Conservation Biology and Biodiversity
Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Conservation Biology and Biodiversity
Conservation Biology
Biodiversity
Genetic diversity refers to variations among the members of a population
Populations with high genetic diversity are more likely to have some individuals that can survive a change in the structure of their ecosystem
If a species’ population is small and isolated, it is more likely to become extinct due to a limited genetic diversity.

8. Conservation Biology and Biodiversity
Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Conservation Biology and Biodiversity
Conservation Biology
Biodiversity
Ecosystem diversity is dependent on interactions of species in a particular area
A diverse community composition will increase the levels of biodiversity in the biosphere
An effective approach to conservation is to conserve species that play a key role within the ecosystem
Saving an entire community can save many species

9. Conservation Biology and Biodiversity
Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Conservation Biology and Biodiversity
Conservation Biology
Biodiversity
Landscape diversity involves a group of interacting ecosystems within one landscape
Landscape – Ex: mountains, rivers, grasslands
Fragmentation of the landscape reduces reproductive capacity and food availability

10. Number of Described Species
Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Number of Described Species
Conservation Biology
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.
plants 240,000
fungi 63,665
bacteria and
archaea 5,000
insects 900,000
animals 280,000
protists 55,000

11. Eagles and Bears Feed on Spawning Salmon
Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Eagles and Bears Feed on Spawning Salmon
Conservation Biology
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.
bald eagle
kokanee salmon ( ´1 ,000)
150
bald eagles ( ´7)
opossum shrimp (per m2)
100
Number 50
grizzly bear
1979
1981
1983
1985
1987
1989
Year
Introduction of Opossum Shirmp
kokanee salmon
zooplankton
opossum shrimp
(Mysis relicta)

12. Conservation Biology and Biodiversity
Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Conservation Biology and Biodiversity
Conservation Biology
Distribution of Biodiversity
Biodiversity is not evenly distributed throughout the biosphere
Biodiversity is highest at the tropics
Biodiversity hotspots
Contain about 44% of known higher plant species and 35% of terrestrial vertebrate species
Represent only about 1.4% of earth’s land area

13. Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
47.2 Value of Biodiversity
Conservation Biology
Direct Value
A great number of species perform services from which humans can derive an economic value.
These include:
Medicinal value
Agricultural value
Consumptive Use Value

14. Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Value of Biodiversity
Conservation Biology
Direct Value (continued)
Medicinal Value
Most of the prescription drugs currently used in the United States were originally derived from living organisms
Worth about $200 billion
Ex: Rosy Periwinkle
Chemicals from this plant are currently used to treat leukemia and Hodgkin disease
These drugs have significantly increased survival rates for children
Other examples include the use of penicillin in the treatment of bacterial infections; the use of blood from Limulus used to ensure that medical devices remain free of bacteria

15. Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Value of Biodiversity
Conservation Biology
Direct Value (continued)
Agricultural Value
Wheat, corn, and rice are derived from wild plants that were modified to increase their yield
Natural predators of plant pests have been introduced to agricultural systems to reduce the impact of the pest on plant yields

16. Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Value of Biodiversity
Conservation Biology
Direct Value (continued)
Consumptive Use Value
Humans have had success cultivating crops, domesticating animals, growing trees in plantations, etc.
However, most freshwater and marine harvests must be hunted, rather than grown via aquaculture, for human consumption
Additional products associated with the environment are sold commercially
Wild fruits, vegetables, skins, fibers, beeswax and seaweed
Profits from the sale of these products provide an economic benefit to the human population

17. Direct Value of Wildlife
Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Conservation Biology
Direct Value of Wildlife
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.
Wild species, like the lesser long-nosed bat, Leptonycteris curasoae,
are pollinators of agricultural and other plants.
Wild species, like rubber trees, Hevea, can provide a
product indefinitely if the forest is not destroyed.
Wild species, like the rosy periwinkle,
Catharanthus roseus, are sources of many medicines.
Wild species, like the nine-banded armadillo, Dasypus novemcinctus,
play a role in medical research.
Wild species, like many marine species,
provide us with food.
Wild species, like ladybugs, Coccinella, play a
role in biological control of agricultural pests.
(periwinkle): © Steven P. Lynch; (armadillo): © Photodisc/Getty RF; (boat): © Getty RF
(bat): © Merlin D. Tuttle/Bat Conservation International; (ladybug): © Masterfi le RF; (rubber harvest): © Bryn Campbell/Stone/Getty Images

18. Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Value of Biodiversity
Conservation Biology
Indirect Value
Based on the services ecosystems provide simply by their own existence.
These include:
Biogeochemical cycles
Waste recycling
Provision of Fresh Water
Prevention of Soil Erosion
Regulation of Climate
Ecotourism

19. Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Value of Biodiversity
Conservation Biology
Indirect Value (continued)
Biogeochemical Cycles
The biodiversity within ecosystems contributes to the workings of the water, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous, and other biogeochemical cycles
Humans are dependent upon these cycles for fresh water, removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, uptake of excess soil nitrogen, and provision of phosphate

20. Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Value of Biodiversity
Conservation Biology
Indirect Value (continued)
Waste Recycling
Decomposers break down dead organic matter and other types of wastes into inorganic nutrients used by producers within ecosystems.
This function aids humans
The human population dumps millions of tons of waste material into natural ecosystems each year
If it were not for decomposition this waste would soon cover the entire surface of the Earth

21. Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Value of Biodiversity
Conservation Biology
Indirect Value (continued)
Provision of Fresh Water
The water cycle provides fresh water to terrestrial ecosystems
Humans use this fresh water in innumerable ways
Freshwater ecosystems provide us with a large diversity of species we can use as a source of food
Forests and some other natural ecosystems soak up water and release it at a regular rate, thereby reducing flooding

22. Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Value of Biodiversity
Conservation Biology
Indirect Value (continued)
Prevention of Soil Erosion
Intact ecosystems naturally retain soil and prevent soil erosion
The importance of this attribute is particularly observed after deforestation
Results in silt buildup

23. Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Value of Biodiversity
Conservation Biology
Indirect Value (continued)
Regulation of Climate
Trees provide shade and reduce the need for fans and air conditioners in the summer
Globally, forests restore the climate by incorporating carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
Reduction of forests reduces the carbon dioxide uptake and oxygen output through photosynthesis

24. Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Value of Biodiversity
Conservation Biology
Indirect Value (continued)
Ecotourism
In the United States, nearly $4 billion is spent on fees, travel, lodging, and food within natural settings
Many underdeveloped countries in tropical regions take advantage of this by offering “ecotours” of the local biodiversity

25. Indirect Value of Ecosystems
Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Indirect Value of Ecosystems
Chapter 50
Conservation Biology

26. Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Value of Biodiversity
Conservation Biology
Biodiversity and Natural Ecosystems
Large-scale changes in biodiversity have significant impacts on ecosystems:
Ecosystem performance improves with increasing biodiversity
Rate of photosynthesis increases as biodiversity increases

27. Influence of Biodiversity on Community Productivity
Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Influence of Biodiversity on Community Productivity
Chapter 50
Slide #27
Conservation Biology
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.
3.0
2.5
2.0
Rate of Photosynthesis
1.5
1.0 1 2 4 8 16
Number of Plant Species 27

28. Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
47.3 Causes of Extinction
Conservation Biology
Known causes of species extinction are due to:
Habitat loss (85%)
Exotic species (50%)
Pollution (24%)
Overexploitation (17%)
Disease (3%)

29. Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Causes of Extinction
Conservation Biology
Habitat Loss
Occurs in all ecosystems
Recent concern focuses on tropical rain forests and coral reefs because they are rich in species
Loss of habitat affects terrestrial, freshwater, and marine biodiversity

30. Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Habitat Loss
Chapter 50
Conservation Biology
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.
Roads cut through forest
Habitat Loss
Exotic Species
Pollution
Overexploitation
Forest occurs in patches
Disease 20 40 60 80
100
a. Threats to
wildlife
% Species
Affected by Threat
b. Macaws
Destroyed areas
c. Wildlife habitat is reduced.
b: © IT Stock/PunchStock RF; c (top): Courtesy Woods Hole Research Center; c (center): Courtesy R.O. Bierregaard;
c (bottom): Courtesy Thomas Stone, Woods Hole Research Center

31. Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Causes of Extinction
Conservation Biology
Exotic Species
Nonnative species that migrate, or are introduced, into a new ecosystem
Humans introduce exotic species into ecosystems through:
Colonization
Horticulture and Agriculture
Accidental Transport

32. Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Exotic Species
Conservation Biology
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display. a. b.
a: © Chuck Pratt/Bruce Coleman, Inc.; b: © Chris Johns/National Geographic Image Collection

33. Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Causes of Extinction
Conservation Biology
Impact of Exotics on Islands
Islands are particularly susceptible to environmental discord due to the introduction of exotic species
Island inhabitants have native species closely adapted to one another and do not compete well with exotic species
Ex:
Myrtle tree introduced to the Hawaiian Islands
Brown tree snake introduced to Pacific islands

34. Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Causes of Extinction
Conservation Biology
Pollution
Any environmental change that adversely affects living things
Third main cause of extinction
Biodiversity is particularly threatened by
Acid deposition
Eutrophication
Ozone depletion
Synthetic organic chemicals

35. Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Causes of Extinction
Conservation Biology
Pollution (continued)
Acid Deposition
Sulfur dioxides and nitrogen oxides in automobile gas react with water in the atmosphere to form acids that are returned to Earth as either wet or dry deposition
Weakens trees and increases their susceptibility to disease
Kills small decomposers and invertebrates, thereby disrupting entire ecosystems

36. Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Causes of Extinction
Conservation Biology
Pollution (continued)
Eutrophication
Excess nutrient runoff from terrestrial environments result in algal growth in lakes
As these algae die, the decomposers in the lake break them down and reduce the amount of oxygen in the lake.
Results in death of fish and other aquatic organisms

37. Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Causes of Extinction
Conservation Biology
Pollution (continued)
Ozone Depletion
Ozone (O3) protects the surface of the Earth from harmful UV rays
Chlorofluorocarbons released from products such freon used in older refrigerators destroy ozone
Leads to impaired crop and tree growth, death of plankton, and impairment of immune system function

38. Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Causes of Extinction
Conservation Biology
Pollution (continued)
Organic Chemicals
Organic chemicals such as nonylphenols used in a variety of human products mimic the effect of hormones
Harms wildlife

39. Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Causes of Extinction
Conservation Biology
Climate Change
Refers to recent changes in the Earth’s climate
Increased temperature of the Earth results in drastic climatic changes
Temperature increase is caused, in part, by increased concentrations of greenhouse gases, such as CO2 that serve to trap heat within the atmosphere
Results in ecosystem disruption and extinction

40. Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Climate Change
Chapter 50
Conservation Biology
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.
5.5
maximum likely increase
4.5
most probable temperature
increase for 2 × CO2
3.5
2.5
Mean Global Temperature Change (°C)
minimum likely increase
1.5
0.5
–0.5
1860
1940
2020
2060
2100
Year a. b.
b: Courtesy Walter C. Jaap/Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission

41. Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Causes of Extinction
Conservation Biology
Overexploitation
The number of individuals taken from the population is so great that the population becomes severely reduced in numbers
Positive feedback cycle
The smaller the population, the more valuable its members, and the greater the incentive to capture the few remaining organisms
The market forces driving overexploitation:
Exotic Pets
Poaching
Overfishing

42. Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Conservation Biology
Trawling
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.
a. Fishing by use of a drag net
b. Result of drag net fishing
a: © Shane Moore/Animals Animals/Earth Scenes; b: © Peter Auster/University of Connecticut

43. Overexploitation of Asian Turtles
Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Overexploitation of Asian Turtles
Conservation Biology
Collection and trade of terrestrial and freshwater turtles for human consumption has surged in Asia
40% - 60% of all species are currently endangered
Due to their life history characteristics (slow growth, low reproductive rates), wild populations are not likely to recover after they have been plundered.
Major Challenges Today and in the Future include:
Lack of knowledge of range, natural history, and conservation needs of turtle species
Need for legislation of diverse countries to be passed that ensures the long-term survival of turtle populations
Threat of invasive species and spread of disease from aquaculture

44. 47.4 Conservation Techniques
Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
47.4 Conservation Techniques
Conservation Biology
Habitat preservation and restoration are important in preserving biodiversity
Habitat Preservation
Biodiversity hotspots, small areas with large numbers of endemic species not found anyplace else, are important targets for conservation
Keystone Species
Species that influence the viability of a community
Extinction of these species can lead to additional extinctions and loss of biodiversity
Flagstone Species
Charismatic species that evoke a strong emotional response in humans

45. Conservation Techniques
Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Conservation Techniques
Conservation Biology
Habitat Preservation (continued)
Metapopulation
Small population isolated because of habitat fragmentation
Source Population
One that most likely lives in a favorable area and its birth rate is most likely higher than its death rate
Sink Population
Organisms that have moved from a source population to an environment not as favorable and where the birth and death rates are approximately equal

46. Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Habitat Preservation
Conservation Biology
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.
a. Grizzly bear, Ursus arctos horribilis
b. Old-growth forest; northern
spotted owl, Strix occidentalis
caurina (inset)
a: © Gerard Lacz/Peter Arnold, Inc.; b(Forest): © Art Wolfe/Artwolfe.com; b(Owl): © Pat & Tom Leeson/Photo Researchers, Inc.

47. Conservation Techniques
Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Conservation Techniques
Conservation Biology
Landscape Preservation
Landscape protection for one species benefits other wildlife in the same space
The Edge Effect
The edge around a patch of habitat has conditions different from the patch interior
An edge reduces the amount of habitat typical for an ecosystem
Can result in a significant reduction in population size

48. Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Edge Effect
Conservation Biology
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.
30.55%
increasing percentage of
patch influenced by edge effects
43.75%
64%
brown-headed
cowbird chick
88.8%
habitat patch
area subject
to edge effect
yellow warbler
chick a. b.
b: © Jeff Foott Productions

49. Conservation Techniques
Biology, 9th ed, Sylvia Mader
Chapter 50
Conservation Techniques
Conservation Biology
Habitat Restoration
Restoration ecology seeks scientific ways to return ecosystems to their state prior
Three Principles of restoration ecology:
Begin as soon as possible before remaining fragments are lost
Once natural history is understood, use biological techniques to mimic natural processes
Goal is sustainable development