Lec 32 (Biodiversity part 1)

Question 1

Biodiversity?

Answer 1

The variability among living organisms from all sources
and the ecological complexes of which they are part;
includes diversity within and among species and
ecosystems.

Question 2

Humans impacts on biodiversity?

Answer 2

• Globally, 25% of mammals and 13% of birds are extinct, threatened, or near threatened

Question 3

Why do we need to conserve biodiversity?

Answer 3

• Intrinsic value
• Functional value
• Utilitarian value
• “Serendipitous” (potential) value

Question 4

Potential mechanisms linking biodiversity and ecosystem function?

Answer 4

• Complementarity
• Facilitation
• Sampling effect

Question 5

• Complementarity?
• Facilitation?
• Sampling effect?

Answer 5

• Complementarity
– Increased coverage of available
niche-space

• Facilitation
– Increased performance with other
species

• Sampling effect
– Increased chance of having ‘great’
species

Question 6

Ecosystem Function:?

Ecosystem Goods and Services?

Answer 6

“the habitat, biological or system properties or
processes of ecosystems”.

“the benefits human populations derive, directly
or indirectly, from ecosystem functions”.
Often referred simply as “ecosystem services”

Question 7

Ecosystem Functions → ?

Answer 7

Ecosystem Goods and Services

Question 8

Ecosystem services?

Answer 8

“…functions provided by nature that

improve and sustain human wellbeing”

Question 9

Ecosystem services is often broken down into four subcategories… (what do we get fro nature)

Answer 9

1. Provisioning
2. Regulating
3. Cultural
4. Supporting

Question 10

Ecosystem Services: Provisioning?

Answer 10

The delivery/production of products we need:

• Food
• Energy
• Water
• Minerals
• Medical compounds

Question 11

Ecosystem Services: Regulating?

Answer 11

Services provided that regulate our environment.

• Decomposition
• Water purification
• CO2
sequestration
• Pest control
• Flood prevention

Question 12

Ecosystem Services: SupportingÉ

Answer 12

The provision of ecosystem processes needed to support life and all other ecosystem services.

• Primary production
• Nutrient cycling
• Soil formation

Question 13

Ecosystem Services: Cultural?

Answer 13

“Non-material” benefits that enrich the human experience.

– Spiritual and religious
– Recreation
– Aesthetic
– Heritage

Question 14

How can we measure ecosystem

services?

Answer 14

Put a price on it…Natural capital or Ecosystem valuation

Question 15

Natural capital?

Ecosystem valuation?

Answer 15

the summation of all of the
ecosystem services on Earth, available to us for
free.

the assignment of
economic value to an ecosystem or ecosystem
services.

Question 16

Ecosystem valuation often represents?

Answer 16

1. The monetary cost of replacing the
   ecosystem service.
2. The monetary value of the capital gained
   from the resource

Question 17

Ecosystem Valuation examples?

Answer 17

Timber

Carbon storage

Polination

Rangeland

Water purification

Question 18

Ecosystem Valuation and timber?

Answer 18

Value of the timber produced
– Pulp
– Saw-logs
– Veneer

Question 19

Ecosystem Valuation: Carbon Storage?

Answer 19

How much carbon is stored in forests..

Takes into account succession in forests and is
valued as the market cost of carbon

Question 20

Ecosystem Valuation: Pollination?

Answer 20

In Alberta, mainly focused on pollination of canola

Fields must be 1km from undeveloped land to attract wild bees

Valued as the improvement in yield as a result of wild-bee pollination

Question 21

Ecosystem Valuation: Rangeland?

Answer 21

Includes the value of forage production (for cattle) and
carbon storage

Forage was price to replace with commercial feed

Based on soil, climate, and history of grazing (carbon)

Question 22

Ecosystem Valuation: Water Purification?

Answer 22

Quantity of sediment and excess nutrients (P and N)
in surface waters.

Value of removal of sediment and nutrients by ecosystems

Question 23

The tragedy of the Commons?

Answer 23

an economic theory involving a shared resource in which each individual acts independents according to their own best interest, contrary to the common good
of all users, by depleting or spoiling a resource.

Question 24

Human Impacts on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services?

Answer 24

• Habitat loss (degradation & fragmentation)
• Climate change
• Over-exploitation
• Pollution
• Invasive species

Question 25

The current rate of species extinctions on Earth
is_______- more than natural rate and its
accelerating

Answer 25

100 - 1,000x

Question 26

The two main contributors of human impact on biodiversity are?

Answer 26

Human appropriation of NPP (net primary production)

Agricultural footprint

Question 27

Dominant human impacts are_____ and ________

Answer 27

croplands and pastures

cover ~40% of the earths surface

Question 28

Threatened?

Endangered?

Answer 28

A species likely to become endangered
if limiting factors are not reversed (caribou and bison)

A species facing imminent extirpation
or extinction (fox)