chapter 55: conservation biology & restoration ecology 1.what is conservation biology? -the...
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Chapter 55: Conservation Biology & Restoration Ecology 1. What is conservation biology?
- The integration of all aspects of biology to conserve biological diversity at all levels- Ecology, physiology, molecular biology, genetics & evolutionary biology
2. What is restoration ecology?- Applies ecological principles to return humanly disturbed ecosystems back
to their natural state3. What is biodiversity?
- Biological diversity- 3 levels
- Genetic diversity- Genetic variation within a population & genetic variation
between populations- Species diversity
- The variety of species in an ecosystem or throughout the biosphere- Threatened species – species likely to be considered endangered
in the foreseeable future- Endangered species – species in danger of becoming extinct
within their range- Ecosystem diversity
- The variety of biosphere’s ecosystems - Extinction of 1 species can impact its community & ecosystem
Figure 55.2 Three levels of biodiversity
Genetic diversity in a vole population
Species diversity in a coastal redwood ecosystem
Community and ecosystem diversityacross the landscape of an entire region
EXPRIMENT
Researchers observed that the population collapse of the greater prairie chicken was mirrored in a reduction in fertility, as measured by the hatching rate of eggs. Comparison of DNA samples from the Jasper County, Illinois, population with DNA from feathers in museum specimens showed that genetic variation had declined in the study population. In 1992, researchers began experimental translocations of prairie chickens from Minnesota, Kansas, and Nebraska in an attempt to increase genetic variation.
RESULTS After translocation (blue arrow), the viability of eggs rapidly improved, and the population rebounded.
CONCLUSION The researchers concluded that lack of genetic variation had started the Jasper County population of prairie chickens down the extinction vortex.
Num
ber
of m
ale
bird
s
(a) Population dynamics
(b) Hatching rate
200
150
100
50
0
1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000
Year
Egg
s ha
tche
d (%
)
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
1970-74 1975-79 1980-84 1985-89 1990 1993-97
Years
Figure 55.10
Chapter 55: Conservation Biology & Restoration Ecology 1. What is conservation biology?2. What is restoration ecology?3. What is biodiversity?4. What things are threatening biodiversity?
- Habitat loss- Introduced species- Overexploitation- Disruption of interaction networks (honeybee / pollination)
Figure 55.1 Tropical deforestation in West Kalimantan, Borneo
Habitat loss
(a) A red-cockaded woodpecker perches at the entrance to its nest site in a longleaf pine.
(b) Forest that can sustain red-cockaded woodpeckers has low undergrowth.
(c) Forest that cannot sustain red-cockaded woodpeckers has high, dense undergrowth that impacts the woodpeckers’ access to feeding grounds.
Figure 55.13a–c
Figure 55.6 Two introduced species
(a) Brown tree snake, intro- duced to Guam in cargo
(b) Introduced kudzu thriving in South Carolina
Figure 55.7 Overexploitation
North Atlantic bluefin tuna
Chapter 55: Conservation Biology & Restoration Ecology 1. What is conservation biology?2. What is restoration ecology?3. What is biodiversity?4. What things are threatening biodiversity?5. What’s the difference between fragmentation, an edge, and a corridor?
- Fragmentation – division of natural habitat- Edge – boundary between ecosystems – species rich- Corridor – movement strip that connects habitats
Figure 55.15
Figure 55.16 An artificial corridor
Terrestrial biodiversity hot spots
Equator
Figure 55.17
Biotic boundary forshort-term survival;MVP is 50 individuals.
Biotic boundary forlong-term survival;MVP is 500 individuals.
Grand TetonNational Park
Wyo
min
g
Idah
o
43
42
41
40
0 50 100
Kilometers
Snake R.
Yellowstone National Park
Shoshone R.
Montana
Wyoming
Montana
Idaho
Mad
ison
R.
Gal
latin
R.
Yellowstone R.
Figure 55.18
(a) Boundaries of the zoned reserves are indicated by black outlines.
(b) Local schoolchildren marvel at the diversity of life in one of Costa Rica’s reserves.
Nicaragua
CostaRica
Pan
amaNational park land
Buffer zone
PACIFIC OCEAN
CARIBBEAN SEA
Figure 55.19a, b
Biophilia• The evolutionary connection between
human beings and other plants/animals within the environment.
(a) Detail of animals in a Paleolithic mural, Lascaux, France(b) Biologist Carlos Rivera Gonzales examining a tiny tree frog in PeruFigure 55.24b