Biodiversity • Variety of living things, number of kinds • Ecological diversity – different habitats, niches, species interactions • Species diversity – different kinds of organisms, relationships among species • Genetic diversity – different genes & combinations of genes within populations
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Benefits of Biodiversity • Ecosystem functions • Ecosystem services • Cleaning water, • Cleaning air, • Habitat & breeding areas for wildlife, … • Aesthetic and cultural benefits
Natural Resources • Management of natural resources – Assure availability of resources for the future – Three “philosophies” • Maximum sustained yield • Ecosystem-based management • Adaptive management
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Benefits of Biodiversity • New food sources – Grains, fruits, vegetables, meat, fish
Biodiversity • How much biodiversity 1.7—2.0 million species Estimates to 100 million
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Biodiversity • Where is the biodiversity – Everywhere • Every continent and habitat has unique life forms – Concentrated in the tropics • Panama: > 500 species of breeding birds • Arctic: 50-100 species – Dense concentrations
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Threats to Biodiversity • Extinction and population reductions – Hunting and overharvesting • Tiger • Dodo • Whales • Sharks – Habitat loss
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Threats to Biodiversity • Extinction and population reductions – Pollution – Climate change – Invasive species
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Protecting Biodiversity • How can we protect biodiversity – Stop overharvesting • Sustainable yield • Hunting & fishing laws (every state ?) – in developing nations ? – Protect habitat • Refuges, parks, preserves – Endangered Species Act
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Protecting Biodiversity • Refuges, parks, preserves – How big should refuges be? – Where should they be? – McArthur & Wilson “Theory of Island Biogeography” • colonization rate • extinction rate (local) • predicts number of species
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Protecting Biodiversity • Effect of island size • Effect of island distance
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Protecting Biodiversity • McArthur & Wilson “Theory of Island Biogeography” – colonization rate – extinction rate (local) – predicts number of species
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Protecting Biodiversity • Island Biogeography – Island size predicts number of species
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Protecting Biodiversity • Island Biogeography – Everyplace is an island – Habitat fragmentation • Smaller fragments hold fewer species
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Protecting Biodiversity • Endangered Species Act (1973) – Goal to “recover” species so they no longer need protection under ESA – Implements U.S. participation in CITES • “Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species” • Prohibits trade in listed species – whole organisms – parts: skins, bones, teeth, flowers, leaves, etc. • Other laws: – Marine Mammal Protection Act – Migratory Bird Treaty Act – Anadromous Fish Conservation Act – etc.
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Protecting Biodiversity • Endangered Species Act • http://www.fws.gov/ (1973) endangered/ – Listing of “endangered” and “threatened” species – Restricts development of habitats – Captive breeding programs • Release of captive bred stocks to enhance or recover wild populations.
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Protecting Biodiversity • Biodiversity “hotspots” – Protection of habitat