Why study biodiversity, ecology, and Earth’s biodiversity

conservation biology?

• What is biodiversity?

• How do biologists organize biodiversity?

• Why is biodiversity important?

• What is the “biodiversity crisis”?

• How can we protect biodiversity?

Earth’s biodiversity How many species are there?

Biodiversity – the diversity of life on Earth • about ________ species have been named
– variety at all levels of biological organization • estimated to be between _____ and _____ species on Earth

Components of biodiversity:
• Genetic diversity – genetic variation within _________
or _______
• Species diversity – numbers of species within _______
• Diversity among higher taxa – variation between genera,
families, orders, etc.
• Ecosystem diversity – variation among ecosystems,
communities, landscapes
Are different groups of organisms equally diverse?
Are different parts of the world equally diverse

“an inordinate fondness

Actual biodiversity for beetles”
How is biodiversity organized?

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Regions and ecosystems vary in biodiversity Why is biodiversity important?
Variation among regions and ecosystems in
species composition and species diversity value – resources, including _____
– medicines and other helpful chemicals
– genes for better crops
– “opportunity cost”

value – prevent erosion

– purify _______
– recycle CO2
– regulate ________
– recycle nutrients through _____________
– collectively, “ecosystem services”
Biodiversity hotspots – regions with very high biodiversity value – direct or indirect enjoyment of nature
• mainly in the , also , some other areas
Intrinsic value – independent of humans
Diverse ecosystems – tropical rainforests, coral reefs, islands

species – found only one place in the world, often on islands

What is the “biodiversity crisis”? What is the “biodiversity crisis”?

Humans are causing extinctions at a tremendous rate. Humans are causing extinctions at a tremendous rate.
• ____ times faster than expected without human activity • _____ times faster than expected without human activity
• parallels or exceeds previous mass extinction events • parallels or exceeds previous mass extinction events

current rate of extinction Why is the loss of biodiversity a crisis?

is at least ____ background
• _________ value of biodiversity lost or threatened
• “ecological services” lost or threatened
• ecosystems more ________ to further ____________
What if extinction > speciation?

What are the biggest threats to biodiversity? What are the biggest threats to biodiversity?
• habitat destruction and fragmentation • habitat destruction and fragmentation

• habitat _____________

population size, gene flow, genetic diversity

extinction, colonization

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 What are the biggest threats to biodiversity? What are the biggest threats to biodiversity?
• habitat destruction and fragmentation • habitat destruction and fragmentation

• habitat _____________ • habitat _____________

• introduced species • introduced species

• _____________

Human population growth exacerbates all of these threats.

What is conservation biology? What do conservation biologists do?

• the science of protecting and restoring apply ecological and evolutionary principles :
biodiversity and ecological health
• to understand biodiversity and ecosystem functioning

• to understand ______ to biodiversity and ecosystem health

• an applied science
• ultimately, to ______ and _____ biodiversity and ecosystem health

basic principles goals

ecology applied maintain biological diversity What makes a
evolutionary biology
to healthy ecosystem?
and ecosystem health
genetics
physiology How can we ______
and ______ biodiversity
and ecosystem health?

Why are some species more vulnerable to extinction? Why are some species more vulnerable to extinction?

Æ restricted range (e.g., _______ species) Æ restricted range

• habitat loss or modification Æ small population size

• environmental stochasticity
• demographic stochasticity

stochasticity – ______________ demography – _____________

• inbreeding depression
with population isolation: • genetic drift
• lower chance for population “______”
by _________ with small population:

• lower gene flow • higher chance for _________

• lower fitness (inbreeding)
with a single population: How can small population size
• harder to _____ in the future
• no chance for “______” and gene flow lead to an “extinction vortex”?
Æ highly specialized habitat requirements

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 What makes a healthy ecosystem? What makes a healthy ecosystem?
• intact ________ and function • intact ________ and function

Trophic levels:
–
_______ species:
Functional groups,
e.g., pollinators:

–
+

What makes a healthy ecosystem? What makes a healthy ecosystem?

• intact ________ and function • intact ________ and function

Nutrient cycling: • ________ of ecosystems to stress

Diversity:

Ecosystem services,
e.g., water purification:

What makes a healthy ecosystem? How can we protect and restore biodiversity and
ecological health?
• intact ________ and function
Æ mitigate habitat fragmentation
• ________ of ecosystems to stress
• connectivity Æ _________

Complexity and functional redundancy:

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How can we protect and restore biodiversity and How can we protect and restore biodiversity and
ecological health? ecological health?

Æ mitigate habitat fragmentation Æ mitigate habitat fragmentation

• connectivity Æ _________ • connectivity Æ _________
• core habitat Æ ____________ • core habitat Æ ____________
• habitat diversity

Single large or
several small
reserves?

How can we protect and restore biodiversity and How can we protect and restore biodiversity and
ecological health? ecological health?

Æ mitigate habitat fragmentation Æ mitigate habitat fragmentation

Æ control non-native species Æ control non-native species

Æ manage for sustainability

maximum sustainable yield:

• maintain viable population size
• _____ rate ≤ _____ rate
• protect vulnerable life stages

How can we protect and restore biodiversity and How can we protect and restore biodiversity and
ecological health? ecological health?

Æ mitigate habitat fragmentation Æ mitigate habitat fragmentation

Æ control non-native species Æ control non-native species

Æ manage for sustainably Æ manage for sustainably

maximum sustainable yield: Æ restore ecosystems

• maintain viable population size

• _____ rate ≤ _____ rate
• protect vulnerable life stages

minimize bycatch

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How can we protect and restore biodiversity and How do we decide which species and ecosystems
ecological health? to preserve?
value:
Æ mitigate habitat fragmentation
• species interactions
Æ control non-native species • contribution to ecosystem services

Æ manage for sustainably

Æ restore ecosystems

Æ protect endangered species

Æ protect ecosystems
biodiversity hotspots
ecosystem services

How do we decide which species and ecosystems How do we decide which species and ecosystems
to preserve? to preserve?
value: value:
• species interactions • species interactions
• contribution to ecosystem services • possibility for extinction cascades
• keystone species
value:
• contribution to ecosystem services
• taxonomic, phenotypic, and genetic distinctiveness
value:
tuatara • taxonomic, phenotypic, and genetic distinctiveness

snakes & lizards and value:

turtles • “charismatic megafauna”
crocs, dinos & birds
A tuatara is not a lizard!

How do ecology and evolution inform conservation

biology?

• What is a species?

• What determines whether species evolve or die?

• Where does genetic variation come from?

• What determines whether populations grow or crash?

• How can competing species coexist?

• Why do ecosystems differ in biodiversity?

• How do communities and ecosystems “work”?

• What causes extinction?