Transcript Ecology G4-ConservationofBiodiversity[1] - jutrzopx

Option G
Ecology and Conservation
G1- Community Ecology
G2- Ecosystems and Biomes
G3- Impacts of Humans on Ecosystems
Test
G4- Conservation and Biodiversity
G5- Population Ecology
Test
Option G
Ecology and Conservation
G4- Conservation and Biodiversity
Biotic Indices
1. Explain the use of biotic indices and
indicator species in monitoring
environmental change.
• Problems in natural ecosystems can be detected
quickly if there is frequent and proper
monitoring.
• Indicator species- organisms that are known to
show certain characteristics in the presence or
absence of an environmental phenomenon, such
as chemical pollution and climate conditions
Biotic Indices
• Measurements for indicator species can include:
• Presence/Absence
• Relative abundance
• Physical abnormalities
Indicator Species
Wood Storks
• In the Everglades the birds declined from 6000 to
500 since the 1960’s.
• They feed by touch in shallow muddy water full
of plants.
• This requires the seasonally drying of the
wetlands to concentrate enough fish to support
the large birds.
• Human water management is disrupting the
natural wetland cycles.
Indicator Species
• Different species of Lichen have different
tolerances to sulphur dioxide
• Unpolluted Well Oxygenated Water- Stonefly,
mayfly and caddis fly larvae
• Low Oxygenated, excessive levels of suspended
organic matter- Chironomid midge larvae, rat
tailed maggot larvae and tubifex worms
Biotic Indices
• Biotic Index- calculation that gives an overall
environmental assessment of a river or other
ecosystem.
– Involves multiplying the number of indicator species
by its pollution tolerance rating.
– An abundance of tolerant species gives a low overall
score and an abundance of intolerant species gives a
high score.
– The lower the score indicates some type of problem
Extinction of Species
2. Outline the factors that contributed to the
extinction of one named animal species.
Extinction of an Animal Species
Conuropsis carolinensis- Carolina Parakeet
• Brightly colored, found in forests to the east of
Mississippi, from New York to Florida.
• Fed on seeds of trees and herbs.
• Clearance of forest (habitat destruction) reduced their
habitat and they began feeding on crop plants.
• Farmers began killing them, others collected them for
their feathers, and also as pets.
• By 1900 there were none left in the wild and the last
one died in the Cincinnati Zoo in 1918
Diversity
3. Outline the biogeographical features of nature reserves
that promote the conservation of diversity.
• The size and shape of nature reserves affects their
conservation value.
• The distribution of ecosystems within a nature reserve
is also important.
Diversity
• Large nature reserves usually promote better
conservation of biodiversity more effectively than
multiple smaller ones.
• Edge Effect- An edge effect in biology is the effect of
the juxtaposition of contrasting environments on an
ecosystem.
– This term is commonly used in conjunction with the boundary
between natural habitats, especially forests, and disturbed or
developed land.
– Edge effects are especially pronounced in small habitat
fragments where they may extend throughout the patch.
• Corridors- connect isolated habitats by providing a path
for animals to travel
– Examples: tunnel under a road, corridors to connect giant
panda populations
Conservation
4. Discuss the role of active management techniques in
conservation.
Active Management Strategies:
1. Restoration- attempt to return land to its natural state,
including supplementary feeding or clearing of vegetation
2. Recovery of threatened species- restore that species’ specific
ecosystem
3. Removal of introduced species- alien species must be
eliminated, especially alien species of predators and invasive
plants
4. Legal protection against development or pollution- using
laws, posted signs an security to prevent human activity that
can damage the ecosystem
5. Funding and prioritizing- increase public awareness to help
get funding
Conservation Example
The National Key Deer Refuge in Big Pine Key encompasses
8542 acres. The refuge is home to the imperiled tropical
hardwood hammock habitat and 22 federally listed
endangered and threatened species of plants and animals, 5
of which are endemic.
1. Deer management as an endangered species, including
medical and rehabilitation, habitat restoration and
enhancement, routine herd health monitoring and population
checks, and research on population density, behavior, and
migration patterns.
2. Prescribed fires
3. Routine wildlife monitoring
4. Habitat restoration
5. Mechanical and chemical control of invasive exotic plants
6. Education/Interpretation
7. Law enforcement
8. Volunteer assistance with projects and programs
In Situ Conservation
5. Discuss the advantages of in situ conservation of
endangered species (terrestrial and aquatic nature
reserves).
• In situ conservation- keeping organisms in their
own habitat
– The best place to conserve a species is in its own
habitat.
– Many terrestrial and marine nature reserves have
been established for this purpose.
Advantages of in situ conservation
•
•
Advantages of in situ conservation:
1. Species remain adapted to their habitats
2. Greater genetic diversity can be conserved
3. Animals maintain natural behavior patterns
4. Species interact with each other, helping to conserve the
whole ecosystem
In situ conservation is not always enough:
1. Some species become so rare that it is not safe to leave them
unprotected in the wild
2. Sometimes destruction of a natural habitat makes it essential
to remove threatened species from it.
Ex Situ Conservation
6. Outline the use of ex situ conservation measures
including captive breeding of animals, botanical
gardens, and seed banks.
• Ex situ conservation- involves conserving
biological diversity in human controlled settings.
Ex situ conservation measures
Captive breeding- some or all members of a species are
caught and moved to a zoo, where they are encouraged
to breed.
• There are special techniques such as artificial insemination
and host mothering (a female of a rare species is treated with
fertility drugs to produce multiple eggs- these eggs are
collected, fertilized with sperm, and surgically implanted
into a females of related but less rare species) that are used
to increase the number of offspring.
• Hormone patches have also been developed to stimulate
reproduction in endangered bird species.
• When numbers are high enough, some are returned to the
wild to re-establish a natural population.
• Captive breeding has helped the Hawaiian Kestrel.
Ex situ conservation measures
Botanical gardens- sites where many different
species of plants are cultivated, either in
greenhouses or in the open.
• One of the largest, Royal Botanical Gardens of
Kew has more than 50,000 of the world’s
250,000 known species in its collection.
Ex situ conservation measures
Seed banks- seeds are kept in cold storage at -10C
to -20C.
• Seeds of most species remain viable for more
than a hundred years in these conditions.
• Other species that are not as long lasting can be
germinated and grown to produce replacement
seed before viability is lost.
• The Kew Millennium Seed Bank will eventually
hold seed of 25,000 endangered species.