Zoo 110 lec final: Conservation of Animal Biodiversity

What are the two subfields of conservation biology

1. Study of biological and social factors that affect success of conservation efforts

   1. Asses what’s successful or not

2. Identification of ecosystems and species whose conservation is a high priority

   1. Very few of them are left

   2. Habitat is extremely vulnerable

What are the main threats to animal biodiversity today?

1. Disease

2. Human factors

   1. Hunting

   2. Introduction of invasive species

   3. Habitat degradation

      1. Pollution

      2. Deforestation

3. Climate change (anthropogenic or otherwise)

How does habitat fragmentation lead to extinction?

Individuals struggle to move between habitat patches, which can lead to inbreeding and a loss of genetic diversity

According to the WWF, what percentage decline has occurred in wildlife populations since 1970?

83%

What is the problem with focusing solely on conservation of large, charismatic animals?

1. Only populations that have more attention→ do we really have a grasp on which ones are going extinct

2. Many other animals (often smaller, considered to be less appealing) = ignored

How does climate change affect extinction and result in a change in distribution of species?

1. Rising temperatures

   1. Changes local habitat suitability 

2. Ocean acidification

What is the largest carbon sink on Earth?

The ocean

How does the largest carbon sink affect animals that live there? (e.g. via temperature increase and acidification)

1. Interferes with the ability of marine organisms to build their shells and skeletons

2. Changes in Species Distribution

   1. Rising ocean temperatures can force species to migrate to cooler waters, which can disrupt ecosystems and food sources for other animals.

3. Coral Bleaching

what is the reality of The Big Ocean Myth – vast and inexhaustible

marine resources are finite and we have overexploited all nature of aquatic resources

Chytrid fungus and its effects on amphibian populations

1. affects the epidermal layer (skin) and can inhibit the ability of infected amphibians to effectively thermoregulate

2. perform oxygen exchange through the skin and hydrate themselves which can result in mortality

Invasive species and their impact on native taxa

1. competitive exclusion (displacement) of native populations

2. imposing new selective pressures on them

Why are scientific collections important for conservation?

1. Know what is being lost by 

   1. Understanding where an animal was found 

   2. Historical variation among/within populations 

   3. Educational value 

   4. Description of new taxa 

   5. Systematics

What are some good reasons for preserving animal biodiversity?

1. Ecosystem complexity = Ecosystem productivity and resilience

2. Possible utility for humans (e.g., horseshoe crab hemolymph)

3. Insight into evolutionary history

4. Intrinsic value and beauty