1. Conserving Biodiversity - The Species Approach
Chapter 9

2. Concerns Why be concerned about losing species? Instrumental values –
Resources
Services
Regulation
Economic
Intrinsic values –
Inherent value
Precautionary principle

3. Species Extinction Types of extinction Commercial - Local -
Ecological -
Biological - is forever
~99.9% of species ever in existence are extinct.
~0.5% extinction rates currently

4. Global Declines in Genetic Diversity
Populations with low genetic diversity are not well suited to surviving environmental change
Inbreeding depression
Inbreeding may produce offspring with decreased ability to survive and reproduce
Higher genetic diversity reduces the probability of receiving harmful mutations from parents
E.g.: Florida panther ( individuals remain), mountain lion, cougar, cheetahs

5. Who is affected?

6. Causes of Extinction Just remember HIPPOC:
Habitat destruction, Invasive species, Population growth, Pollution, Over-fishing/Over- hunting, Climate Change

7. Habitat Loss
From human development that remove natural habitat and replaces with homes, industry, agriculture, malls and roads which restricts a species distribution and range
Habitats have distinct characteristics that allow species to thrive and alteration of this threatens species lives and therefore the complex food webs of that system.
Habitat fragmentation is also an issue as it increases edges (and thus edge effects) reduce the types of species that can live near the disturbance.

8. Aquatic Habitat loss Loss of coastal zones 2-10 x of tropical forest
58% of seagrass beds, 20% of coral reefs, 85% of oyster beds
Sea level rise
Trawling
Dams
Excessive water withdrawals
Diversions
Over 50% of wetlands have been drained for agricultural land, development, or to eliminate breeding grounds of mosquitoes

9. Invasive species
Alien and exotic species are either introduced accidentally (shipping containers) or intentionally (pets) and compete for limited resources.
Invasive species out-compete for limited resources.
Asian mite and bee colonies
Asian pine beetle in Rocky Mountain National Forest
Python in Everglades
Zebra barnacle –the Great lakes
Kudzu vine –in the south
Silver carp –accidently introduced into the Mississippi river and have expanded to Lake Michigan
Lion fish
Nile perch in Lake Victoria

10. Pollution
Threats to biodiversity come from pesticides, heavy metals, acids and oil spills
Bald eagle and DDT (bioaccumulation and biomagnification)
2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill which killed sea turtles, dolphins, pelicans, fish and shellfish
Dispersants used to break up the oil are also toxic to many species
Eutrophication/Dead zones from fertilizers mainly nitrates
Plastics

11. Population
As the human population continues to grow exponentially, we are increasing our consumption of natural resources
80% of people live along or near coastlines
Recreation
Construction
Oil rigs
Poverty is another factor to consider

12. Climate Change
Evolution cannot keep pace with rapid environmental change
Loss of glacial caps, desertification are altering ecosystems
Sea level rise
Ocean acidification

13. Overharvesting Hunting, fishing, harvesting
Overharvesting is removing species at a faster rate than the population can be replaced.
Passenger pigeon (extinct 1914) Giant ground sloths, Mammoths, American camels, Moa birds, Dodo bird were all hunted to extinction
The American bison almost suffered the same fate

14. Overfishing Maximum Sustainable Yield Optimum sustainable yield (OSY)
Max number harvestable
Difficult to assess
Skewed numbers from fishermen
Food web connections
Difficult to enforce
Optimum sustainable yield (OSY)
MSY with more room for error
Multispecies management
Food - web connections
Precautionary Principle

15. Overharvesting – Plant and Animal Trade
Legal and illegal trade of species threaten many species
U.S. Lacey Act 1900 –
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) 1973 – controls the trade of threatened plants and animals.

16. How should we prioritize
We need to set aside areas to conserve biodiversity and the most efficient way is through conservation of hotspots.
Hotspots are regions where most of the world’s biodiversity is concentrated.
This regions are of high concern because of the high numbers of endemic species (native) that live nowhere else.
As of 2010, Conservation International has identified 34 hotspots, which represent 2.3% of the worlds land area, 50% of all plant species and 42% of vertebrate species.

17. Florida Everglades Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan Restore:
Water quality
Water quantity

18. How should we manage and sustain fisheries?

19. Conservation via Single Species
Conservation Legislation
U.S. Lacey Act of 1900
Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972
Convention of Biological Diversity (1992)
Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973
CITES

20. Should We save the Panda?