Conservation Flashcards
Q: Biodiversity
Measure of the variety of organisms present in different ecosystems.
Important to sustaining life on earth
Q: Which climate regions support the greatest/least biodiversity?
From greatest to least: Tropical, temperate, extreme cold and aridity
Q: Where can one find the greatest amount of aquatic biodiversity?
Coral reefs
Q: Some benefits of greater biodiversity in an ecosystem?
Ecosystems with greater biodiversity are stronger, more resilient, and more resistant to the effects of disasters.
-Greater genetic diversity can make species more resistant to diseases
-Allows species to better adapt to changes in their environment.
Diversity in insects is critical to maintaining healthy balance of pollinators (vital to maintaining food webs that support agriculture, industry, sources of energy, pharmaceuticals, etc.)
Q: Benefit of genetic diversity in agriculture?
Crops and livestock raised as monocultures lacking genetic diversity are susceptible to the catastrophic effects of disease.
E.g., potato crop disease that wiped out most of the crop in Ireland in the 1800’s, leading to the Irish potato famine.
Q: Biodiversity “hotspots”
Biogeographic region with significant levels of biodiversity that is under threat from humans.
To qualify the area must contain at least 1500 endemic plants and have suffered a 70% loss of original habitat.
There are 36 of these regions around the world.
They occupy only 3% of the Earth’s land surface, but account for 50% of the world’s plant species and 42% of terrestrial vertebrate species.
Continued habitat loss in these areas threatens life on Earth as we know it.
If you save areas where biodiversity is greatest (biodiversity hotspots), then you save most of the species.
Q: Indicator species; examples
Species whose presence, absence, or relative well-being in a given environment is indicative of the health of its ecosystem as a whole.
Frogs and other amphibians: because their thin, moist skin (that helps them breathe) makes them very susceptible to changes in their environment, including increased toxic chemicals, radiation, and diseases.
Q: Species diversity, genetic diversity, ecosystem diversity
Genetic diversity: the total number of genetic characteristics in the genetic makeup of a species.
Species diversity: the effective number of different species that are represented in a collection of individuals.
Ecosystem diversity: variety of ecosystems in a given place. Ecosystem diversity exists when there are a wide range of habitats or biomes in place over an area.
Q: Value of biodiversity to humans
Ecosystem products
-Food
-Medicine, cosmetics
-Raw materials (wood, fiber for paper)
Ecological services
-Pollination
-Nutrient Cycling
-Gas Regulation and Air Quality
-Water Regulation
-Waste Treatment
-Climate Control
-Mitigation of Natural Disasters
-Aesthetic Value and Experiences in Nature
Q: Human causes of biodiversity loss
HICOP
Habitat change
- Increased human population encroaches on habitats, destroying, fragmenting, and degrading them.
- Agriculture, oil and gas exploration, commercial development, water diversion.
Invasive species
- Non-native species disrupt the habitat and ecosystem, use resources, lack natural predators in new environment, out compete native species, wipe out native species via predation.
Climate change
- Alter or eliminate access to needed resources.
Over exploitation or consumption
- Over-hunting and fishing are causing species to decline in number faster than they can regenerate
Pollution
- Untreated sewage, mining waste, acid rain, fertilizers and pesticides concentrate in waterways and end up in the food web.
Q: Animals evolve and adapt over time, so why can’t they adapt to human-caused changes?
Human activities are causing changes at a faster rate than natural factors, faster than animal ability to adapt
Q: Examples kinds of accidental vs. intentional introduction of invasive species
Intended: pest control, provision of hunting game, a fur source or pet supply, agricultural planting for economic gain, ornamental qualities
Accidental: organisms unknowingly brought in by ships and/or their cargo.
Q: Name some invasive species in Australia and New Zealand
Australia: rats, mice, dingoes, and rabbits
NZ: rats, possums, stoats, and weasels
Q: Climate vs. weather
Time scale. Weather is what happens every day. Climate is the long-term average (30 years) of weather.
Q: Climate change
Long-term change in the Earth’s climate, especially a change due to an increase in the average atmospheric temperature.
Q: Primary cause of climate change
Burning of fossil fuels dramatically increases amount of CO2 in the atmosphere
Q: Effect of methane vs. C02 in atmosphere
Both trap heat in atmosphere
Methane is better at trapping heat but less abundant in atmosphere
Importantly, CO2 remains longer in the atmosphere– methane remains ~10-12 years whereas the removal of CO2 by natural processes will take thousands of years.
Q: Regular CO2 vs. Rampant CO2
Regular: Plants photosynthesize using CO2, which is exhaled by animals during respiration. This regular CO2 is in balance and part of normal life processes.
Rampant: Burning of fossil fuels produces rampant CO2
Q: Major effects of excess CO2 in atmosphere
More trapping of radiated heat, warming temperature
Ocean acidification
Rising sea levels due to melting ice sheets and glaciers, and thermal expansion
More frequent severe weather events (storms, drought)
More frequent/severe wildfires
Q: Ocean acidification
rampant CO2 dissolves into oceans resulting in a decrease of the pH
changes chemistry of ocean and causes “osteoporosis of the sea”
reduces the amount of calcium carbonate available to build strong skeletons and shells
Q: Results of sea level rise
devastating effects on coastal habitats
destructive erosion, flooding of wetlands, contamination of aquifers and agricultural soils, and lost habitat for fish, birds, and plants.
Q: Results of sea ice melt
Sea ice is as important of polar ecosystems as soil is to a forest
Ice-dependent and cold-adapted mammals are losing their habitat
Also, reduced reflectivity of solar energy
Q: How much has Earth’s temperature increased since 1900?
[may need updating]
Notes say 1 degree F… but that was for 20th century? I think it’s closer to 2 now…
Q: List some effects of climate change on species/ecosystems
Plant and animal ranges have shifted with temperature changes.
Trees are flowering sooner.
Increased rates of disease, esp. vectore-borne. (rising temps, changing rainfals affect mosquitos)
Behavioral changes (breeding times of macaws).
Physiological changes (during egg incubation causing imbalance sex ratios affecting radiated tortoises).
Ocean acidification (“osteoprosis of the sea”).
Sea level rise devastating costal habitats.
Ice-dependent animals losing habitat.
Mass coral bleaching events and infectious disease outbreaks are becoming more frequent.
Q: Relative impact of C02/temp increases on ocean
Ocean habitats sequester CO2 from atmosphere at rates up to four times higher than terrestrial forests can.
Ocean generates 50% of the oxygen we need, absorbs 25% of all carbon dioxide emissions, and captures 90% of the excess heat generated by these emissions.
Ocean’s ability to capture and store carbon make marine habitats highly valuable in the fight against climate change.
Q: Coral reef importance
Coral reefs support over 25 percent of marine biodiversity.
They provide important economic and social benefits across the world.
Q: 4 detailed examples how climate change is affecting specific species
-Panamanian golden frogs (Atelopus zeteki) inhabit the cloud forest streams along the mountainous slopes of west-central Panama. These frogs have been catastrophically affected by chytridiomycosis an infectious disease of amphibians caused by the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). They are listed on the IUCN Red list (see slide #11) as Critically Endangered and thought to be nearly extinct. A change in the temperature can have an impact on the interaction between a susceptible amphibian and the chytrid fungus as the fungus is more prevalent in colder conditions.
-Macaws can be found in Central and South American in humid evergreen forests. Climate change subjects these birds to temperature swings that can kill eggs and hatchlings and cause heavy rainfall that floods their preferred nesting sites. Eggs may be laid earlier to track warming springs.
-Climate change is exposing turtles and tortoises to even greater existential threats. Like many reptiles, radiated tortoises of Madagascar possess temperature-dependent sex determination, which means that the incubation temperature of eggs in the nest determines the sex of an individual. Each species has a certain threshold, or pivotal, temperature, where equal numbers of males and females are produced. As the Earth experiences climate change, increased temperatures could result in skewed and even lethal incubation conditions, which would impact tortoise species and other reptiles. This species has a very long generation length (more than 40 years), making it particularly susceptible to rapid population declines.
-Shifts in temperature or other climatic factors may directly affect the incidence of disease in wildlife by altering host-pathogen interactions, promoting vector populations or allowing new ranges for vectors, or reducing development times for parasites. Vector-borne diseases are infections transmitted by the bite of infected arthropod species, such as mosquitoes, ticks, and flies. Species on the move will mingle with species they may never have encountered. This could spark new disease outbreaks in many wildlife populations. Rising temperatures and shifting rainfall patterns could fuel the spread of parasites and the diseases they carry in the primate species. Their population is very small and their range highly restricted. Primates have long generation times, Their low reproductive rate will limit the ability of the species to adapt to a changing climate.
Q: Bushmeat
Wild animals hunted for human consumption.
Q: Bushmeat crisis
Bushmeat trade rapidly expanding due to increased demand and greater accessibility.
Bushmeat consumption linked to deadly diseases such as HIV/AIDS, Ebola virus, Foot and Mouth disease
Large mammals are preferred game and face first wave of extinctions including rhinos, elephants, apes, and duikers.
Public awareness and education on the importance of biodiversity and sustainability are critical.
Rapidly expanding to countries and species which were previously not at risk, largely due to an increase in commercial logging, with an infrastructure of roads and trucks that links forests and hunters to cities and consumers.
Threatens the livelihoods and food security of indigenous and rural populations most depend on wildlife as a staple or supplement to their diet.
Q: Addressing the bushmeat crisis
Conducting anti-poaching operations
Educating children about the importance of biodiversity and sustainability
New approaches to finding ways that the local populations can secure sustainable sources of income, food, and growth.
Integrate conservation with the culture and needs of the people where it is being done; make conservaiton bring cash flow
Q: Illegal wildlife trade
Unlawful harvest and trade of live animals and plants or parts or products derived from them.
Examples: skins, leather goods, souvenirs, food. traditional medicine, pets
Q: Why is illegal wildlife trade a major ecological threat?
Species traded are often highly threatened and in danger of becoming extinct. Trade is often unsustainable.
Valued at $10-$20 billion per year.
Q: Primary motivation for illegal wildlife trade
Economic. Illegal wildlife trade is driven by high profit margins and often the high prices that are paid for rare species.
Q: Efforts to stop/prevent illegal wildlife trade
(difficult to enforce or create protective laws in developing countries where funding for equipment, training and enforcement is scarce)
Hiring/training rangers out for protection
identifying and disrupting trafficking routes
Addressing demand
Passing/enforcing laws that prohibit the trade
Find ways local communities can use wildlife sustainably and to their benefit
