taxonomy of endangered species

Question 1

What does the international union for conservation of nature (IUCN) do

Answer 1

• gives global totals of threatened and endangered species

Question 2

Current extinction rates at ____ times higher

Answer 2

1000 times higher

Question 3

Who makes endangered species legislation

Answer 3

Whether a species is at risk is usually decided by politicians or by committees that include ‘stake holders’ - legislation sometimes protects species but not populations

Question 4

What legislation does USA have for endangered species

Answer 4

The Endangered species act (ESA) - over 1300 species are listed as endangered or threatened

Question 5

What legislation does Canada have for endangered species

Answer 5

The Species at Risk act (SARA)

–> the committee charged with assessing risk is COSEWIC
(committee on the status of endangered wildlife in canada)

Question 6

What endangered species legislation does Alberta have

Answer 6

Alberta species at risk program

Question 7

what are better protected: species or subspecies

Answer 7

species

–> This creates pressure to name species strictly for
conservation reasons.
* This phenomenon is called taxonomic inflation

Question 8

What is taxonomic inflation

Answer 8

Generally species are better protected than subspecies, and so this creates pressure to name species strictly for conservation reasons which leads to taxonomic inflation

Question 9

Which species concept is more conducive to taxonomic inflation

Answer 9

the phylogenetic, or dianostic species concept