1. Outline: What is Conservation Biology?
Philosophy and Origins of Conservation Biology
Conservation Biology Defined
Contrast with Traditional Biology
Conservation Biology as a Crisis-Oriented Science
Conservation Biology as “Value Laden”
Course Philosophy

2. Conservation vs. Preservation
Environment
Environment
sustainable use of natural resources X
hands-off
Biota
Biota

3. Transcendentalism
“Nature is the incarnation of thought. The world is the mind precipitated.”
“What is a farm but a mute gospel?”
“The greatest delight which the fields and woods minister is the suggestion of an occult relation.”

4. Preservation
Argued for removal of technology from natural areas - hands off pristine wilderness
Enjoy nature for intrinsic value; leave it untouched.
“Environmentalists” of today – John Muir founded “The Sierra Club”.

5. Conservation
“The first principle of conservation is development, the use of the natural resources now existing on this continent for the benefit of the people who live here now”
Utilitarian conservation ethic

6. The Land Ethic
“In short, a land ethic changes the role of Homo sapiens from conqueror of the land-community to plain member and citizen of it. It implies respect for his fellow-members, and also respect for the community as such.”
Not based on economics

7. Historical Conservation
Only the “utilitarian” ethic has been persuasive to those not already committed to conservation.
Most conservation efforts prior to 1960 were concerned with:
Land conservation – setting aside parcels of land for protection and public enjoyment.
Wildlife management of game animal populations to provide opportunities for hunting, fishing, and observation.

8. Conservation Biology?

9. Definition “Conservation biology seeks to integrate
evolutionary theory with environmental reality
to predict how an animal/population/species
will react to future/current changes, usually
human caused, in its environment/density/
distribution. Most importantly, whether it will
survive and what to do to prevent extinction.”
- Michael Soule, 1978

10. Modern Conservation Biology
Conserving endangered species
Demographic and genetic consequences of small population size, PVA, biology of small populations, manipulative techniques that enhance survival probability and design of nature reserves for particular species.
Conserving functional and structural aspects of important ecosystems
Diversity and stability of ecological communities, habitat fragmentation, landscape ecology, island biogeography, and restoration ecology

11. Basic Biology
To what extent does mutualism structure ecological communities?
Is inbreeding depression due primarily to the expression of recessive deleterious alleles or to loss of heterozygosity?
What are phylogenetic constraints and to what extent do they determine the form of animals and plants?

12. Conservation Biology Basic biology Conservation biology
Identify a problem of interest, then select methods of investigation.
Conservation biology
Problems are chosen for us, must select methods of response (management) and identify what we need to know to select those methods.

13. Spotted Owls
How much forest is required to prevent extinction of the spotted owl?

14. Type I vs. Type II Error
Null Hypothesis (H0): We do not need acres to prevent extinction of the spotted owl.
Type I Error: Reject H0 when true.
Type II Error: Accept H0 when false.

15. Crisis Discipline
Up to ½ of the Earth’s biodiversity will be lost in the next several decades.
We don’t have time to collect all the relevant information for all species.
Deciding to recommend further study is a decision. It is a decision that if there is a problem, we can still correct it later.

16. Conservation Biology: “Value Laden”
Mission: Develop new guiding principles and technologies to allow society to preserve biological diversity before that biodiversity disappears forever.
Traditional scientific disciplines do not have missions
Is this a detriment to conservation biology?
Reading assignment on web.

17. Multidisciplinary Basic Biology Population Genetics Management
Population Biology
Evolution
Systematics
Management
Wildlife
Forestry
Fisheries
Conservation
Biology
Implementation
Planning, Education
Law, Communication
Public Health,Engineering
Veterinary Science
Physical Environment
Chemistry
Geology, Physics
Geography
Social Environment
Economics, Sociology
Political Science
Anthropology, Philosophy

18. Course Philosophy NOT tree-hugging 101
Objective: to apply principles of population genetics, population ecology, community ecology, and systematics to the conservation of biological diversity.

19. Special Role of Biology in Conservation
Provide rough and ready guidelines for decisions made with little data.
Identify what data will be most useful for future decisions.
Develop adaptive strategies that begin with information already available and build on it in a way to increase the chances of success.