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G.4 Conservation of Biodiversity

G.4 Conservation of Biodiversity. Extinction. Has always been part of evolution!!! Those species that are best adapted to their environment survive to reproduce Those which are not, die Impacts of humans have greatly accelerated the rate of species extinction in the world!.

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G.4 Conservation of Biodiversity

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  1. G.4 Conservation of Biodiversity

  2. Extinction • Has always been part of evolution!!! • Those species that are best adapted to their environment survive to reproduce • Those which are not, die • Impacts of humans have greatly accelerated the rate of species extinction in the world!

  3. Reasons for Extinction • Overexploitation • Habitat Loss • Introduced species • Pollution • Loss of genetic variation • Catastrophic Disturbances

  4. Passenger Pigeon • Found in North America • In 1800’s the population was in the billions • Last survivor died in captivity in 1944 in the Cincinatti Zoo Causes: • Produce only 1 egg/year • Habitat loss due to farming • Fed on chestnuts, acorns, and beech nuts • Used for shooting practice • Hunted for feathers (for hats) and meat

  5. Carolina Parakeet • Found in Northern US and Southern Canada from the east coast to the midwest • Nest in hollow trees • Extinct in the wild since 1900 Causes: • Nesting trees cleared for farming and fuel in the mid 1800’s • Introduction of honey bee from Europe lead to competition = demise of the parakeet • Feathers used in hats • Parakeets kept as pets

  6. Great Auk • A flightless bird found in North America, Europe, and the north Atlantic • The last mating pair died in 1844 Causes: • Only have 1 egg/year • Slaughtered for food and bait by fisherman • Killed for the feather industry (down for bedding)

  7. Should Panda’s be left to go extinct? • British scientists Packham and Wright think it is at least something that should be considered http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4nFwAvZ0OI

  8. Conservation Nature Reserves • Areas of aquatic or terrestrial ecosystems that have been protected in order to conserve biodiversity or unique species. • Conservation can be attempted by setting aside land for restricted access and controlled use. • These include small nature reserves and larger parks (ie – Algonquin Provincial Park)

  9. Features that promote conservation of biodiversity 1) Edge Effects • The ecology at the edge of an ecosystem is different than at the centre • When habitat’s are fragmented the relative proportion that occurs at a boundary increases • There could be a change in microclimate that can reduce appropriate habitats • Can open up species for greater predation

  10. Features that promote conservation of biodiversity 2) Size • Single large sites are preferred over several small sites • Large sites can support larger populations, have more niches and more resources • Smaller habitats have more edge area putting more organisms at greater risk

  11. Features that promote conservation of biodiversity 3) Habitat Corridors • Habitats can be fragmented by developed land (farming, housing, etc…) or roads • Corridors connect otherwise isolated habitats • Wildlife can travel between the habitats in corridors • Can include greenbelts or tunnels under roads

  12. Active Management Techniques Effective management is the key to keeping the diversity of a nature reserve. This is accomplished by: • Restoration of the land to its natural state • Recovery of threatened species by restoring their habitat • Re-introductions of native species • Removal of invasive species • Protection against development and pollution • Funding and increasing public awareness

  13. In Situ Conservation • Within the original habitat • Habitat preservation - Nature reserves help endangered species by maintaining their habitat and preventing competition from invasive species. • Long term management strategy

  14. Ex Situ Conservation • Often used as a last resort if a species cannot be kept in its natural habitat safely or the population if incredibly small Captive breeding • Zoo’s and wildlife refuges • Techniques include: • artificial insemination • embryo transfer to a surrogate • cryogenics

  15. Peregrine Falcon • Reason for decline: DDT and related pesticides • By the time DDT was banned in 1972 the population in Eastern North America was gone • Populations from other parts of the country were used to establish captive breeding an re-introduce the population

  16. Gray Wolf • Yellowstone National Park • Two packs from Canada were reintroduced in 1995 and 1996 • By 2002, 16 packs and more than 200 wolves were in the park

  17. Botanical Gardens – cultivation, breeding, and research • Seed Banks– Seeds are kept in cold, dark conditions that prevent the seeds from germinating. Seeds from plants from all over the world are stored in seed banks.

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