Announcements

This week:

Wednesday - Review

Friday - Exam 3 (here and in 100 Greg Hall)

Next week:

Monday and Wednesday - Human Sociobiology

Final Exam - Friday, May 11, 8 am

“The Science of Scarcity and Diversity”

Soule 1986

What is Conservation Biology?

“A new synthesis of many basic sciences that provides principles and new approaches for the applied fields of resource management”.

Temple 1991

What is Conservation Biology?

“A multidisciplinary science that has developed to deal with the crisis confronting biological diversity. Goals: to investigate human impacts on biological diversity, and to develop practical approaches to prevent the extinction of species.”

Primack 1993

What is Conservation Biology?

“An integrative science pertaining to the preservation of species, ecosystems, and their diversity.”

What is Conservation Biology?

Books and Edited Volumes

Caro , T. (ed.). 1998. Behavioral Ecology and Conservation Biology. Oxford University Press, New York, New York.

Clemmons, J.R., and R. Buchholz (eds.). 1997. Behavioral Approaches to Conservation in the Wild. Cambridge University Press, New York, New York.

Festa-Bianchet , M. and M. Apollonio (eds.) 2003. Animal Behavior and Wildlife Conservation. Island Press, Washington, D.C.

Gosling, L.M., and W.J. Sutherland (eds.). 2000. Behaviour and Conservation. Cambridge University Press, New York, New York.

Sutherland, W.J. 1996. From Individual Behaviour to Population Ecology. Oxford Series in Ecology and Evolution. Oxford University Press, New York, New York.

Issues in Conservation Biology that can benefit from the study of Animal Behavior:

Captive Breeding and Reintroduction

Species Management Plans

Habitat Loss and Fragmentation

Biological Invasions

Captive Breeding and Reintroduction Programs

Captive Breeding

Need to know requirements for breeding

Social structure

Komodo Dragon

Published online 21 December 2006

Parthenogenesis in Komodo dragons

Phillip C. Watts, Kevin R. Buley, Stephanie Sanderso, Wayne Boardman, Claudio Ciofi and Richard Gibson

Should males and females be kept together to avoid triggering virgin birth in these endangered reptiles?

Parthenogenesis, the production of offspring without fertilization by a male, is rare in vertebrate species, which usually reproduce after fusion of male and female gametes. Here we use genetic fingerprinting to identify parthenogenetic offspring produced by two female Komodo dragons ( Varanus komodoensis ) that had been kept at separate institutions and isolated from males; one of these females subsequently produced additional offspring sexually. This reproductive plasticity indicates that female Komodo dragons may switch between asexual and sexual reproduction, depending on the availability of a mate — a finding that has implications for the breeding of this threatened species in captivity. Most zoos keep only females, with males being moved between zoos for mating, but perhaps they should be kept together to avoid triggering parthenogenesis and thereby decreasing genetic diversity.

Captive Breeding and Reintroduction Programs

Reintroductions

Many reintroduction attempts fail because captive bred animals lack “skills” needed to survive.

recognize and respond to predators

locate food and water

distinguish toxic from palatable food

recognize conspecifics as mates

interspecific recognitionpredator / prey interactionshost / parasite interactions

naïve prey responding to cues of introduced predators learned response innate response

New Zealand Robin and mustellids

Maloney & McLean 1995

Rana aurorabullfrogs and crayfish

Pearl et al. 2003

California condor

Imprinting on humans affected the ability of animals reintroduced in the wild to associate with other condors and breed.

Species management and viability

A. Population size (N) versus Effective Population size (Ne)

Female deaths reduce Ne

Monogamous species N = Neparental care requires both parents to be presenthard to find mates at low population sizes

Polygynous species N >> Nekilling of dominant males leads to mating of “less fit males”choosy females don’t mate?

Species Management and viability

B. Specific habitat or nesting requirementsmating systems

leks cavities and old growth forests

Essen (1991)

Attempted to change nesting locations and migratory routes lesser white fronted goose to help conserve threatened population in Sweden

sand hill cranewhooping crane

“The cheetah controversy”

1983 Steve O’Brian and colleagues

Cheetah has very low genetic diversity

- suffer high juvenile mortality

- impaired reproduction (low sperm viability)

- increased susceptibility to disease

1994 Caugley and Merola

Low genetic diversity, big deal

- lots of carnivores have low levels of diversity and low sperm viability.

- No direct link between lack of diversity and juvenile mortality

“The cheetah controversy”

1994 Caro and Laurenson

Long term behavioral studies showed that cub mortality result of predation by lions and hyenas while mother was out foraging.

“The cheetah controversy”

1998 Kevin Crooks and colleagues

Using demographic data, examined which life stage makes cheetah populations most vulnerable to decline

Cheetahs go into estrus immediately after cubs die

Small increases in adult mortality have greater effect on population than cub mortality.

“The cheetah controversy”

Under old law, no dolphins are to be encircled by tuna purse seine nets in order to be able to claim a dolphin safe label.

New US government label would mean that such nets can be set on dolphins, but that "no serious injury or mortality" of dolphins can be observed.

Consequences of hunting on species’ biology

Hunters also use sexually selected traits to assess value…

Undesirable evolutionary consequences of trophy huntingColtman et al. 2003 Nature.

Horn sizeNum

ber

of m

ates

/ lo

ngev

ity expected…

Undesirable evolutionary consequences of trophy huntingColtman et al. 2003. Nature.

1970 2005

Habitat Loss and Fragmentation

DispersalCorridor UseEdge Effects

Home Range Size

Influenced by:

Social Structureabundance and density

Mating Systemsarea and resource requirements

Habitat Loss and Fragmentation

DispersalCorridor UseEdge Effects

Home Range Size

Home range size can determine which / how many species persist in a fragmented landscape.

Crooks 2002 Con. Biol.

Biological Invasions

Introduced (non-native, exotic) - species introduced deliberately or accidentally from somewhere else

Invasive species - species that spread subsequent to establishment usually at some cost.

Biological Invasions

Competitive displacement of native speciesbehavioral mechanisms of success

Determining patterns and rate of spreaddispersal (natural versus human mediated)“hyperconnectivity”

Establishment Successsociality and allee effects