1. Global Science - Biodiversity
Biomes
Population Estimation
Endangered Species
Human causes
Natural causes
National Parks

2. Biomes of the world There are eight biomes: Rainforest Desert Savanna
Grassland
Temperate decidous
Coniferous
Tundra
Tiaga

3. Biodiversity
Definition: Variety of different species.

4. Importance of Diversity
Stability- stable environment
Genetic reserves- genetic diversity
Medicinal- medicines
Agricultural- food
Industrial- building homes; things we use
Scientific- experimental; new technology
Aesthetic- beautiful
Ethical- what should we do regarding the environment
Religious- religious beliefs regarding environment

5. 34 hotspots identified by ecologists as important and endangered centers of biodiversity.
Figure 10-26

6. Population Estimation
Why is it difficult to estimate wildlife populations?

7. Extinction: Lights Out
Extinction occurs when the population cannot adapt to changing environmental conditions.
The golden toad of Costa Rica’s Monteverde cloud forest has become extinct because of changes in climate.
Figure 4-11

8. Extinct- Complete disappearance of a species from the earth
Extinct- Complete disappearance of a species from the earth. Ex: Dinosaurs

9. SPECIES EXTINCTION Species can become extinct:
Locally: A species is no longer found in an area it once inhabited but is still found elsewhere in the world.
Ecologically: Occurs when so few members of a species are left they no longer play its ecological role.
Globally (biologically): Species is no longer found on the earth.

10. Global Extinction
Some animals have become prematurely extinct because of human activities.
Figure 11-2

11. Endangered and Threatened Species: Ecological Smoke Alarms
Endangered species: so few individual survivors that it could soon become extinct.
Threatened species: still abundant in its natural range but is likely to become endangered in the near future.
Figure 11-3

12. Swallowtail butterfly Humpback chub Golden lion tamarin Siberian tiger
Grizzly bear
Kirkland’s warbler
Knowlton cactus
Florida manatee
African elephant
Figure 11.3
Endangered natural capital: species that are endangered or threatened with premature extinction largely because of human activities. Almost 30,000 of the world’s species and 1,260 of those in the United States are officially listed as being in danger of becoming extinct. Most biologists believe the actual number of species at risk is much larger.
Utah prairie dog
Swallowtail butterfly
Humpback chub
Golden lion tamarin
Siberian tiger
Fig. 11-3, p. 224

13. Giant panda Black-footed ferret Whooping crane Northern spotted owl
Blue whale
Figure 11.3
Endangered natural capital: species that are endangered or threatened with premature extinction largely because of human activities. Almost 30,000 of the world’s species and 1,260 of those in the United States are officially listed as being in danger of becoming extinct. Most biologists believe the actual number of species at risk is much larger.
Mountain gorilla
Florida panther
California condor
Hawksbill sea turtle
Black rhinoceros
Fig. 11-3, p. 224

14. Endangered- Species with so few survivors that the species could soon become extinct. Ex: Leopard

15. Threatened/Vulnerable Wild species that is still abundant in its natural range but is likely to become endangered because of a decline in numbers. Ex: Northern Sea Lion

16. Rare A noticeable decline in a species
Rare A noticeable decline in a species. Ex: African Violet & some Orchids

17. Case Study: The U.S. Endangered Species Act
Biodiversity hotspots in relation to the largest concentrations of rare and potentially endangered species in the U.S.
Figure 11-18

18. Indian Tiger Range 100 years ago Range today (about 2,300 left)
Figure 11.8
Natural capital degradation: reductions in the ranges of four wildlife species, mostly as the result of habitat loss and hunting. What will happen to these and millions of other species when the world’s human population doubles and per capita resource consumption rises sharply in the next few decades? (Data from International Union for the Conservation of Nature and World Wildlife Fund)
Range 100 years ago
Range today
(about 2,300 left)
Fig. 11-8a, p. 230

19. Black Rhino Range in 1700 Range today (about 3,600 left)
Figure 11.8
Natural capital degradation: reductions in the ranges of four wildlife species, mostly as the result of habitat loss and hunting. What will happen to these and millions of other species when the world’s human population doubles and per capita resource consumption rises sharply in the next few decades? (Data from International Union for the Conservation of Nature and World Wildlife Fund)
Range in 1700
Range today
(about 3,600 left)
Fig. 11-8b, p. 230

20. African Elephant Probable range 1600 Range today Fig. 11-8c, p. 230
Figure 11.8
Natural capital degradation: reductions in the ranges of four wildlife species, mostly as the result of habitat loss and hunting. What will happen to these and millions of other species when the world’s human population doubles and per capita resource consumption rises sharply in the next few decades? (Data from International Union for the Conservation of Nature and World Wildlife Fund)
Probable range 1600
Range today
Fig. 11-8c, p. 230

21. Asian or Indian Elephant
Figure 11.8
Natural capital degradation: reductions in the ranges of four wildlife species, mostly as the result of habitat loss and hunting. What will happen to these and millions of other species when the world’s human population doubles and per capita resource consumption rises sharply in the next few decades? (Data from International Union for the Conservation of Nature and World Wildlife Fund)
Former range
Range today
(34,000–54,000 left)
Fig. 11-8d, p. 230

22. History of Extinctions
Endangered Species
History of Extinctions
Extinctions have existed long before humans had an influence
However:

23. The current extinction crisis is the first to be caused by a single species- US! . This is happening faster than ever; a few decades versus thousands to millions of years. Humans are eliminating not only the species but, the environment. Ex. Tropical rainforest

24. Effects of Humans on Biodiversity
The scientific consensus is that human activities are decreasing the earth’s biodiversity.
Figure 4-13

25. Human Caused Extinction
Causes include:
HIPPO C
Habitat Destruction
Invasive species
Population Growth
Pollution
Over-harvesting
Climate Change

26. Species and families experiencing mass extinction
Bar width represents relative
number of living species
Millions of
years ago
Era
Period
Extinction
Current extinction crisis caused
by human activities. Many species
are expected to become extinct
within the next 50–100 years.
Quaternary
Today
Cenozoic
Tertiary
Extinction 65
Cretaceous: up to 80% of ruling
reptiles (dinosaurs); many marine
species including many
foraminiferans and mollusks.
Cretaceous
Mesozoic
Jurassic
Extinction
Triassic: 35% of animal families, including many reptiles and marine mollusks.
180
Triassic
Extinction
Permian: 90% of animal families, including over 95% of marine species; many trees, amphibians, most bryozoans and brachiopods, all trilobites.
250
Permian
Carboniferous
Extinction
345
Figure 4.12
Fossils and radioactive dating indicate that five major mass extinctions (indicated by arrows) have taken place over the past 500 million years. Mass extinctions leave many organism roles (niches) unoccupied and create new niches. Each mass extinction has been followed by periods of recovery (represented by the wedge shapes) called adaptive radiations. During these periods, which last 10 million years or longer, new species evolve to fill new or vacated niches. Many scientists say that we are now in the midst of a sixth mass extinction, caused primarily by human activities.
Devonian: 30% of animal families, including agnathan and placoderm fishes and many trilobites.
Devonian
Paleozoic
Silurian
Ordovician
Extinction
500
Ordovician: 50% of animal families, including many trilobites.
Cambrian
Fig. 4-12, p. 93

27. Natural Extinctions Causes include Climate change Change in ecosystem
Lack of adaptations to change

28. National Parks – Mission Statement
On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the act creating the NPS. The “Organic
Act” states that the fundamental purpose of the NPS “is to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and
to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.”

29. National Parks contain:
• Habitat protection for 378 threatened or endangered species.
• 1.5 million archeological sites.
• 27,000 historic and prehistoric structures.
• 100 million museum items, including George Washington’s inaugural coat and Carl
Sandburg’s typewriter.
• 17,000 miles of trails.
• The world’s largest carnivore, the Alaskan Brown Bear. •

30. The world’s largest living things, Giant Sequoia trees.
• The highest point in North America, Mt. McKinley (20,320 feet); in Denali National Park.
• The longest cave system in the world, Mammoth Cave National Park, with more than 365 mapped miles of caves.
• The country’s deepest lake, Crater Lake in Crater Lake National Park, at 1,932 feet.
• The lowest point in the Western Hemisphere, Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park, at 282’ below sea level.

31. Case Study: Stresses on U.S. National Parks
Overused due to popularity.
Inholdings (private ownership) within parks threaten natural resources.
Air pollution.
Figure 10-23