1. Protecting Biodiversity

2. Global Biodiversity Global Biodiversity
~2 million named species (estimates range from million)
In Nature, biodiversity is enhanced by
community interactions
competition and resource partitioning
control of dominant prey species
adaptations that enhance reproduction, safety, food supply)
Environmental Disturbances
Increase # of niches due to patches of a community in different successional stages
Terrestrial (primary and secondary) and aquatic succession
However, competition and disturbance by humans reduces biodiversity

3. How do we protect biodiversity?

4. Group Investigations:
Research your assigned method to preserve biodiversity.
Explain how your method works to preserve biodiversity, what agency/agencies are involved, any advantages/disadvantages.
Provide at least one real-life example of preservation by this method or using this legislation.
Provide appropriate images and bulleted information explaining your method in a mini poster.
Be ready to present and share with the class.

5. Protecting biodiversity
Captive Breeding Programs and Preserving Species
Preserving Genetic Material (germplasms)
Endangered Species Act and Habitat Conservation Plan
CITES
U.S. Wilderness Act
International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

6. Captive Breeding Preserving One Species at a Time
How it works:
Breeding a species in captivity with the hope of releasing it into the wild.
Disadvantage:
It is not guaranteed that a released species will survive or reproduce.
Example:
California Condor
Habitat loss, poaching and lead poisoning caused all but 9 individual birds to die.
In 1986 a captive breeding program was started.
By 2005, 121 Condors existed in the wild.
Long-term survival remains doubtful.

7. Zoos, Parks, & Aquariums Preserving One Species at a Time
How it works:
These areas often house the few remaining members of a species in a protected environment.
Disadvantages:
Zoos, etc. can only preserve a small fraction of the world’s biodiversity.
Genetic bottlenecks are still likely. Often species could no longer survive in their native habitats.

8. Preserving Genetic Material Preserving One Species at a time
How it works:
We can save genetic
material from reproductive
cells that can be later used for
research or recovery programs.
Eggs, seeds, DNA
Disadvantage:
Genetic Bottlenecks can occur if we rely on the genetic material for recovery.
Sharp reduction in the size of the population; reduces genetic variation
Science of creating living organisms from genetic material is not easy, fast or cheap.

9. US and International Protection of Biodiversity at the Habitat and Species Levels

10. Biogeography and Habitat Preservation
Biogeography is the study of large scale geographic patterns in the distribution of species.
But now due to humanity for land use
Ecotone
Overlap of communities or breeding areas
Ecosystems have been fragmented into biodiversity “islands” and in addition, land set aside for biodiversity protection are “islands”

11. Studied biodiversity on mangrove islands
Developed a model to describe observed variation in species richness among the islands
Variable extinction rates and immigration rates based on island size and distance from the mainland
Extinction rate varies depending on island size
Immigration rate varies depending on distance from the mainland
THINK!
Is biodiversity lower/higher for smaller islands or bigger? For closer or farther from the mainland?

12. Newmark WD. 1995. Conservation Biology. 9(3): 512-526
“Island Biogeography” Model Can Be Applied to “Terrestrial Islands”
Extinction of Mammal Populations in Western North American National Parks
U of M grad student
William Newmark
Hypothesized that island biogeography could apply to mainland “islands” of diversity
Published a paper while at UCSD
14 Parks
Studied modern and historic records of wildlife sightings to determine species disappearance over time
Found biodiversity loss over time
Greatest in the smallest parks
Concept of conservation using ecosystem approach born of this study
Greatest biodiversity conservation requires largest pieces of land and/or wildlife corridors among the “islands.
Newmark WD Conservation Biology. 9(3):
Bryce Canyon
Crater Lake
Glacier-Waterton Lakes
Grand Canyon
Kootenay-Banff-Jasper-Yoho
Lassen Volcanic
Manning Provincial
Mount Rainier
Olympic
Rocky Mountain
Sequoia-Kings Canyon
Yellowstone-Grand Teton
Yosemite
Zion

13. Newmark WD. 1995. Conservation Biology. 9(3): 512-526
Extinction of Mammal Populations in Western North American National Parks
Newmark WD Conservation Biology. 9(3):

15. National Marine Fisheries Jurisdiction

16. Conservation International Biodiversity Hotspots

17. UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves
580 sites in 114 countries; Implement ecosystem approach to protect biodiversity

18. Biosphere reserves.  Biosphere reserves ideally consist of core areas that have minimal human impact and outer zones that have increasing levels of human impacts.