Chapter 17Chapter 17Biological Biological ResourcesResources

Overview of Chapter 17Overview of Chapter 17

Biological DiversityBiological Diversity Extinction and Species Extinction and Species EndangermentEndangerment Endangered and Threatened SpeciesEndangered and Threatened Species What courses species endangermentWhat courses species endangerment

Conservation BiologyConservation Biology Conservation Policies and LawsConservation Policies and Laws Wildlife ManagementWildlife Management

Biological DiversityBiological Diversity

Biological DiversityBiological Diversity Number, variety and variability of Number, variety and variability of EarthEarth’’s organismss organisms

Consists of three components: Consists of three components: Genetic diversity (below)Genetic diversity (below) SpeciesSpeciesrichnessrichness

EcosystemEcosystemdiversitydiversity

Why We Need OrganismsWhy We Need Organisms

Example contributions to human life:Example contributions to human life: FoodFood ClothingClothing ShelterShelter Pollination of cropsPollination of crops Antibiotics and medicinesAntibiotics and medicines Biological processes (nitrogen fixation)Biological processes (nitrogen fixation)

Biological Diversity represents an Biological Diversity represents an untapped resource for future usesuntapped resource for future uses

Ecosystem Services and Ecosystem Services and Species RichnessSpecies Richness All organisms are All organisms are interrelatedinterrelated

Ecosystem servicesEcosystem services Important Important environmental environmental benefits that benefits that ecosystems provide to ecosystems provide to peoplepeople

Removal of a species Removal of a species from a community can from a community can decrease ecosystem decrease ecosystem servicesservices

Scientific Importance Scientific Importance of Genetic Diversityof Genetic Diversity Genetic EngineeringGenetic Engineering

Incorporation of genes from one Incorporation of genes from one organism into a different speciesorganism into a different species

Provided:Provided: New vaccinesNew vaccines More productive farm animalsMore productive farm animals Agricultural plants with desirable Agricultural plants with desirable characteristicscharacteristics

Depends on genetic diversity Depends on genetic diversity (cannot create genes)(cannot create genes) Important to protect this diversityImportant to protect this diversity

Medical Importance of Medical Importance of OrganismsOrganisms Genetic Genetic Resources are Resources are important to important to pharmaceutical pharmaceutical industryindustry

ExamplesExamples Rosy Periwinkle Rosy Periwinkle – Cancer drug – Cancer drug (right)(right)

Aquatic sponge – Aquatic sponge – AIDS drugAIDS drug

Importance of OrganismsImportance of Organisms

Agricultural ImportanceAgricultural Importance Numerous species that are Numerous species that are nutritionally superior to the food we nutritionally superior to the food we eateat

Industrial ImportanceIndustrial Importance Industry depends on products from Industry depends on products from organismsorganisms Oils and lubricantsOils and lubricants Paper and lumberPaper and lumber

Ethical and Aesthetic ImportanceEthical and Aesthetic Importance

ExtinctionExtinction

Elimination of species from Elimination of species from earthearth IrreversibleIrreversible Eventual fate of all speciesEventual fate of all species

Background extinctionBackground extinction Mass extinctionMass extinction

Endangered & Extinct Endangered & Extinct SpeciesSpecies

Endangered & Extinct Endangered & Extinct SpeciesSpecies

Endangered and Endangered and Threatened SpeciesThreatened Species EarthEarth’’s biological diversity is s biological diversity is disappearing at an unprecedented ratedisappearing at an unprecedented rate

Endangered SpeciesEndangered Species Species that faces threats that may Species that faces threats that may cause it to become extinct within a cause it to become extinct within a short periodshort period

Threatened SpeciesThreatened Species Species whose population has declined to Species whose population has declined to the point that it may be at risk of the point that it may be at risk of extinctionextinction

Characteristic of Characteristic of Endangered SpeciesEndangered Species Extremely small (localized) rangeExtremely small (localized) range Requiring a large territoryRequiring a large territory Living on an islandLiving on an island Having a low reproductive successHaving a low reproductive success Small population size Small population size Low reproductive ratesLow reproductive rates Requiring specialized breeding Requiring specialized breeding areasareas

Having specialized feeding habitatsHaving specialized feeding habitats

California CondorCalifornia Condor

Scavenger birdScavenger bird Requires large, Requires large, undisturbed undisturbed territoryterritory

1983 - only 22 birds1983 - only 22 birds 1987–1992 - no 1987–1992 - no longer found in longer found in naturenature

1992 - reintroduced 1992 - reintroduced to nature from zoosto nature from zoos

Currently - 200 Currently - 200 condors in naturecondors in nature

Where is Declining Where is Declining Biological Diversity Biological Diversity the Greatest Problem?the Greatest Problem? Concern throughout the USConcern throughout the US US- Most serious in:US- Most serious in:

Hawaii (63% of species at risk)Hawaii (63% of species at risk) California (29% of species at risk)California (29% of species at risk)

Globally - Most serious in Globally - Most serious in tropical rain foreststropical rain forests South and Central AmericaSouth and Central America Central AfricaCentral Africa SE AsiaSE Asia

EarthEarth’’s Biodiversity s Biodiversity HotspotsHotspots

Causes of Declining Causes of Declining BiodiversityBiodiversity

Human Cause - Land Use Human Cause - Land Use ChangeChange Destruction, fragmentation or Destruction, fragmentation or degradation of habitatsdegradation of habitats

Little habitatLittle habitatremains forremains formanymanyendangeredendangeredspeciesspecies

Human Cause - Invasive Human Cause - Invasive SpeciesSpecies

Left: Illegal Trade in Products Made From Endangered Species

Right: Illegal Animal Trade - Green Parrots from the Amazon Rainforest

Human Cause- Human Cause- OverexploitationOverexploitation

Human Cause - PollutionHuman Cause - Pollution

Examples: Acid rain, ozone Examples: Acid rain, ozone depletion, climate warming, depletion, climate warming, excessive fertilizer, excessive fertilizer, industrial wastesindustrial wastes

Case-In-PointCase-In-PointDisappearing FrogsDisappearing Frogs Amphibians are Amphibians are indicator speciesindicator species 168 Amphibian 168 Amphibian species have gone species have gone extinct in last 2 extinct in last 2 decadesdecades

No single cause has No single cause has been identifiedbeen identified

Deformities have Deformities have also been also been identified (right)identified (right)

Conservation BiologyConservation Biology

Scientific study of how humans Scientific study of how humans impact organisms and the impact organisms and the development of ways to protect development of ways to protect biodiversitybiodiversity

Involves:Involves: Protecting habitatsProtecting habitats Restoring damaged or destroyed Restoring damaged or destroyed habitatshabitats

Zoos, aquaria, botanical gardensZoos, aquaria, botanical gardens Seed banksSeed banks

Challenges in Challenges in Conservation ManagementConservation Management

Fragmented HabitatsFragmented Habitats

Habitat Habitat separated by separated by roads or other roads or other human human developmentdevelopment

Habitat Habitat corridors - corridors - allow animals allow animals to move from to move from one fragment one fragment to another to another safelysafely

Restoring Damaged Restoring Damaged HabitatsHabitats Restoration ecologyRestoration ecology

Study of the historical condition Study of the historical condition of a human-damaged ecosystemof a human-damaged ecosystem

Goal is to return it to its former Goal is to return it to its former statestate

BenefitsBenefits Creates biological habitatsCreates biological habitats Regeneration of soil damaged by Regeneration of soil damaged by agriculture or miningagriculture or mining

DisadvantagesDisadvantages ExpensiveExpensive Take a long time to restore an areaTake a long time to restore an area

Left: (1935) Left: (1935) Early stages Early stages of prairie of prairie restorationrestoration

Right: Right: (current day) (current day) restored restored prairieprairie

Restoring Damaged Restoring Damaged HabitatsHabitats

Zoos, Aquaria and Zoos, Aquaria and Botanical GardenBotanical Garden Save organisms from Save organisms from extinctionextinction Artificial Artificial inseminationinsemination

Embryo transferEmbryo transfer Surrogate mothers Surrogate mothers (right)(right)

Goal is to Goal is to reintroduce reintroduce organisms back to organisms back to their natural their natural habitathabitat

Seed BanksSeed Banks

Stored seeds are Stored seeds are safe from habitat safe from habitat destruction, destruction, climate warming, climate warming, etc.etc.

Can use seed Can use seed banks to banks to reintroduce reintroduce extinct plant extinct plant speciesspecies

Some seeds cannot Some seeds cannot be storedbe stored

Endangered Species Act (ESA) Endangered Species Act (ESA) 19731973 Authorized protection of Authorized protection of endangered and threatened speciesendangered and threatened species

Currently 1300 species are listed Currently 1300 species are listed in USin US

Left: Endangered Left: Endangered Species, the Species, the Florida PantherFlorida Panther

Conservation Policies Conservation Policies and Lawsand Laws

Conservation Policies Conservation Policies and Lawsand Laws Endangered Species Act (continued)Endangered Species Act (continued)

Species are designated as endangered or Species are designated as endangered or threatened based on biological groundsthreatened based on biological grounds

Controversial LegislationControversial Legislation No compensation for private property owners No compensation for private property owners who suffer financial losswho suffer financial loss

Was not reauthorized in 1992 as Was not reauthorized in 1992 as scheduledscheduled Private property rights vs. Private property rights vs. conservationconservation

Conservation Policies Conservation Policies and Lawsand Laws Habitat Conservation PlansHabitat Conservation Plans

1982 Amendment to ESA1982 Amendment to ESA Resolved conflicts between development Resolved conflicts between development interests and species protectioninterests and species protection

International Conservation:International Conservation: World Conservation Strategy (1980)World Conservation Strategy (1980) Convention on Biological DiversityConvention on Biological Diversity Convention on International Trade and Convention on International Trade and Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) (1975)Fauna (CITES) (1975)

Wildlife ManagementWildlife Management

Application of conservation Application of conservation principles to manage wild species principles to manage wild species and their habitats for human benefit and their habitats for human benefit or for the welfare of other speciesor for the welfare of other species

Different priorities than Different priorities than conservation biologyconservation biology Wildlife managers concerned with common Wildlife managers concerned with common speciesspecies

Conservation biologist concerned with Conservation biologist concerned with threatened or endangered speciesthreatened or endangered species

Wildlife ManagementWildlife Management

Migratory AnimalsMigratory Animals Ex: Artic Snow Geese - increase in Ex: Artic Snow Geese - increase in population has damaged much of population has damaged much of Arctic fragile coastal ecosystem Arctic fragile coastal ecosystem (below)(below)

Wildlife ManagementWildlife Management

Aquatic OrganismsAquatic Organisms Must be managed to ensure they are Must be managed to ensure they are not overexploitednot overexploited

Freshwater fishesFreshwater fishes Laws regulate time of year, size of Laws regulate time of year, size of fish and maximum allowable catchfish and maximum allowable catch

Ocean fishesOcean fishes Ocean fisheries often viewed as Ocean fisheries often viewed as common propertycommon property