Chapter 60 Biology: Biodiversity and Conservation Biology

Biodiversity

driven by species adaptations to the environment

Three components of biodiversity

Genetic diversity: The variation in genes within a species.

Species diversity: The number and variety of species in a given area.

Ecosystem diversity: The variety of ecosystems within a landscape.

Explain why biodiversity is important to humans

Humans depends upon other species for food, medicine, and industrial products.

Ecosystems provide ecosystem services including clean air and water

Humans have an ethical responsibility to protect biodiversity

Biophilia

connectedness that humans feel to nature. We are part of something larger than ourselves coined by E.O. Wilson

Conservation Biology

a branch of ecology that works to preserve biodiversity.

Restoration ecology

restores degraded habitats.

Conservation biologists

argue for the preservation of biodiversity hotspots and advocate for the creation and maintenance of nature preserves.

Both conservation biologists and restoration ecologists use methods to

correct habitat fragmentation, as well as bioremediation to maintain the diversity of habitats that species evolved in and are adapted to.

Research goals of conservation biologists

preserving biodiversity, protecting endangered species, and managing ecosystems to maintain species diversity.

Research goals of restoration ecologists

restore damaged or degraded ecosystems to their natural state, aiming to rebuild habitats and improve biodiversity.

Locate the general latitude of biodiversity hotspots

tropical and subtropical regions, especially along the equator, such as the Amazon rainforest, Southeast Asia, and Madagascar.

Why is it important to preserve biodiversity hot spots

These areas contain a high number of endemic species and are critically threatened by human activity. Preserving hotspots is vital to maintaining global biodiversity.

Fragmentation

the splitting of habitats that causes populations to become isolated from each other

Bioremediation

use of living organisms to detoxify polluted ecosystems

Corridors

connect habitat patches, allowing species to move between them, promoting genetic diversity and species survival

Patches

small, protected areas that provide habitat for the species

Why are nature preserves important?

Nature preserves protect ecosystems and species from human disturbance

Describe a sustainable lifestyle

A sustainable lifestyle minimizes negative environmental impacts by reducing resource consumption, conserving energy, using renewable resources, recycling, and supporting environmentally responsible practices. It aims to meet the needs of the present without compromising future generations' ability to meet their needs.

Summarize the work of the IUCN

volunteer group of biologists who study populations of species of concern throughout their geographic range, and, if necessary, declare species as threatened, vulnerable, or endangered.

explain how the studies of evolutionary biology and ecology are intertwined

The environment does the selecting in natural selection; species are adapted to their native habitats. Both focus on how organisms interact with their environment and how these interactions shape species’ adaptations over time

populations of species can adapt during environment changes if the rate of change slower or faster than the reproductive rate of the species

slower