Chapter 55 Conservation Biology and Restoration Ecology

I. Humans Threaten Biodiversity Three levels of Biodiversity –Genetic –Species –Ecosystem Major Threats –Habitat destruction –Introduced species –Overexploitation –Disruption of Interaction Networks

LE 55-2 Genetic diversity in a vole population Species diversity in a coastal redwood ecosystem Community and ecosystem diversity across the landscape of an entire region

Figure 55-05

LE 55-6 Brown tree snake, intro- duced to Guam in cargo. Introduced kudzu thriving in South Carolina

Figure 55-08

II. Population Conservation Small population approach –Extinction vortex –Minimum Viable Population size –Effective Population size Declining-Population Approach

LE 55-9 Reduction in individual fitness and population adaptability Small population Loss of genetic variability Higher mortality Genetic drift Inbreeding Lower reproduction Smaller population

LE Population dynamics Year Number of male birds Hatching rate 1970–74 Years Eggs hatched (%) –791980–841985– –97

Figure 55-11

LE Year Number of individuals Females with cubs Cubs

LE A red-cockaded woodpecker perches at the entrance to its nest site in a longleaf pine. Forest that can sustain red- cockaded woodpeckers has low undergrowth. Forest that cannot sustain red-cockaded woodpeckers has high, dense undergrowth that impacts the woodpeckers’ access to feeding grounds.

III. Sustaining Biotas Landscape Structure –Fragmentation, edges and corridors Protected Areas –Actual evapotranspiration

LE Natural edges. Grasslands give way to forest ecosystems in Yellowstone National Park. Edges created by human activity. Pronounced edges (roads) surround clear-cuts in this photograph of a heavily logged rain forest in Malaysia.

Figure 55-15

Figure 55-16

LE Terrestrial biodiversity hot spots Equator

LE Kilometers ° Yellowstone National Park Madison R. Idaho Montana Gallatin R. 42° 41° 40° Grand Teton National Park Wyoming Snake R. Montana Idaho Wyoming Yellowstone R. Shoshone R.

LE Natural disasters Groundwater exploitation Industrial pollution Meteor strike Human-caused disasters Natural OR human- caused disasters , Recovery time (years) (log scale) –3 10 –1 10 – Spatial scale (km 2 ) (log scale) 1, Salination Flood Urbanization Tsunami Oil spill Modern agriculture Forest fire Nuclear bomb Acid rain Volcanic eruption Lightning strike Tree fall Land- slide Slash & burn

IV. Restoration Ecology Bioremediation Biological augmentation Sustainability