Biological Diversity, Human Impacts, Conservation

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Biological Diversity, Human Impacts, Conservation
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Biodiversity

• Refers to the variety of life in an area

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Why is Biodiversity important? Its not just
about the aesthetics

• Life depends on life
• brings stability to an ecosystem
• living things create niches for other living
  things
• symbiotic relationships can be established
  or maintained
• effective food webs can be established or
  maintained

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Importance to humans?

• Production of oxygen and carbon dioxide
• Diet
• Prevention of starvation
• Cross-breeding to make stronger, hardier
  organisms
• Materials for clothes, furniture, buildings
• medicines

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Loss of Biodiversity

• Extinct vs. Endangered vs. Threatened species

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• Threats to Biodiversity
• 1. Habitat loss
• 2. Habitat fragmentation
• 3. Habitat degradation
• 4. Introduction of Exotics

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Threats to Biodiversity

• Habitat loss
• deforestation
• clear-cutting grasslands
• draining wetlands
• Habitat fragmentation
• roads, fences
• makes it difficult for species to re-
• establish themselves
• can change climate
• can lead to edge effects

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• Habitat degradation
• (damage to habitat by pollution)
• 3 types of pollution
• air, land, water

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Air pollution

• can create breathing problems
• irritates lining of mouth and nose
• -greatest source of air pollution is the
  burning of fossil fuels
• acid precipitation
• damage to ozone layer natural filter for uv
  radiation is being lost
• Global warming

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Water Pollution

• Additions of solid or liquid waste that is not
  naturally occurring
• Ex. Excess fertilizer and animal waste wash into
  streams, rivers, lakes, ponds, and oceans cause
• ALGAL BLOOMS

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Legacy of the Exxon Valdez..
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Land Pollution

• Trash, garbage, and litter
• average American produces 1.8 kg of solid
  waste daily
• Pesticides
• DDT effects

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Introduction of Exotic species

• Exotic meaning not native to an area
• Problem is that there are NO NATURAL PREDATORS,
  so the new species grows unchecked and can get
  out of control
• Ex. Kudzu, fire ants, zebra mussels

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Conservation Biology

• Studies methods and implements plans to protect
  biodiversity.
• Effective plans are based on principles of
  ecology
• HUMANS ARE HUGE PART OF THE PROBLEM, so education
  is a key part of conservation biology

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Legal protection of species

• 1973 U.S. Endangered Species Act put into
  effect

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• Pennsylvania -- 17 listings
• Rhode Island -- 17 listings
• South Carolina -- 42 listings
• South Dakota -- 12 listings
• Tennessee -- 96 listings
• Texas -- 91 listings
• Utah -- 47 listings
• Vermont -- 8 listings
• Virginia -- 71 listings
• Washington -- 41 listings
• West Virginia -- 21 listings
• Wisconsin -- 16 listings
• Wyoming -- 18 listings
• American Samoa -- 4 listings
• Guam -- 12 listings
• Northern Mariana Islands -- 13 listings
• Puerto Rico -- 75 listings
• Virgin Islands -- 13 listings

Endangered Species/State 2004 Data

• Maine -- 15 listings
• Maryland -- 26 listings
• Massachusetts -- 24 listings
• Michigan -- 21 listings
• Minnesota -- 13 listings
• Mississippi -- 38 listings
• Missouri -- 25 listings
• Montana -- 17 listings
• Nebraska -- 13 listings
• Nevada -- 38 listings
• New Hampshire -- 12 listings
• New Jersey -- 23 listings
• New Mexico -- 42 listings
• New York -- 26 listings
• North Carolina -- 63 listings
• North Dakota -- 8 listings
• Ohio -- 26 listings
• Oklahoma -- 20 listings

• Alabama -- 115 listings
• Alaska -- 11 listings
• Arizona -- 60 listings
• Arkansas -- 29 listings
• California -- 300 listings
• Colorado -- 33 listings
• Connecticut -- 19 listings
• Delaware -- 20 listings
• District of Columbia -- 3 listings
• Florida -- 111 listings
• Georgia -- 66 listings
• Hawaii -- 317 listings
• Idaho -- 25 listings
• Illinois -- 28 listings
• Indiana -- 29 listings
• Iowa -- 14 listings
• Kansas -- 15 listings
• Kentucky -- 47 listings

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Source http//ecos.fws.gov/tess_public/StateListi
ng.do?stateall updated daily
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Preserving Habitats

• Nature preserves
• 1872, first national park Yellowstone
• Sustainable use strives to let people use the
  resources of wilderness areas in ways that will
  not damage the ecosystem
• Ex. Eskimos hunting seal and walrus in Alaska
• Habitat corridors natural strips that allow the
  migration of organisms from one area to another

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Reintroduction Programs vs. Captivity

• RIP -- Release orgs into an area where their
  species once lived
• Capitivity org that is held by people
  reintroduction of these orgs is VERY difficult,
  if not impossible

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