Class 9, 10.29 (Biodiversity and Conservation)

biodiversity

- Gene (DNA)
- Species
- Population
- Ecosystem
- Biome

true or false. For some specific groups,there are more speciesextinct, that the ones thatexist today

true

Biodiversity Importance

Ecosystem Services
- Resilience to Change
- Sources of Resources
- Cultural and Aesthetic Value

Global Pattern of Biodiversity

Biodiversity tends to be greatest (red) in the tropics
and lowest (blue) toward the poles.

where does the sun most warm the earth?

near the equator

where is pressure highest and lowest on earth?

lowest at equator, highest at poles, warm wet air rises and cools(Hadley Cells)

global patterns of precipitation and solar energy

northern hemisphere summer(north), autumn and winter(equator), northenr hemisphere winter(south)

where is the seasonal variation low at?

tropics(Like costa rica)

finish the sentence: tropics are stable in temperature but variable in

precipitation

biomes with higher temperature generally have higher or lower levels of precipitation?

higher

rainforests

6% of land area, 50% of terrestrial plant and animal species

do rainforests make their own weather?

yes

biodiversity hotspots

Thirty-four regions are considered "hot spots" due to their density (.5% or 1500) of endemic species that occur nowhere else.

species richness

total number of species in a given area

where are amphibian mostly cluttered at

wet areas

Functional Redundancy

Roles such as pollination,decomposition, nutrient cycling. More species, similarroles performance

Diverse Responses to Disturbance

While some species are affected by disturbances, others might thrive, helping the ecosystem recovery faster.

Increased Productivity and Stability

Diverse ecosystems tend to be more productive, therefore more stable and less susceptible to sudden changes

Interconnected Relationships

Predators-Prey dynamics.With high diversity of organisms, in the lack of primary prey, predators can switch

Sixth Mass Extinction

Many scientists believe that we are now in the sixth mass extinction. The current extinction event began with the disappearance of the Pleistocene megafauna beginning around 50,000 years ago (BP).

anthropocene

a proposed new geological epoch, or unit of geologic time, when human activity has become the primary force shaping the planet

US percentage of Harmful subsidies and money

700 billion dollars and 71% of harmful subsidies

how much has global living index decreased by over 50 years

73 percent

what group of animals lowered in red list of species survival

cycads

what countries have lowered in biodiversity intactness

all regions/countries

dominant drivers of change

habitat loss, overexploitation, climate change, pollution, disease, invasive species

habitiat loss/degredation

occurs when the amount of space available for a species to survive and reproduce is reduced, due to things like lodging , transportation, and unreasonable amount of agriculture

Overexploitation

the practice of harvesting a natural resource faster than it can be naturally replaced. This unsustainable practice can lead to the destruction of the resource and threaten biodiversity.

climate change

changes in climate that are not natural to their cycle, changes seasons/temperature that affects animals

pollution

can cause certain environments to become no longer inhabtiable

invasive species

can take over ecosystems and take too many resources from other animals

disease

animals and humans travel more to more ecosystems, transfering new diseases not know to local animals

appendix 1

15% animal species 85% plant species, 3%, species threatened by extinction. Internationla trade generally prohibited

appendix 2

97&. 65% animal 35 % plant. species that arent threated currently but could be if trade isint regulated. Trade allowed but controlled.

appendix 3

1%. 95% animal. subject to regulation for party and trade is done through cooperation of other parties.

Reasons for concern about biodiversity loss

- Ecosystem services- Climate change & carbon storage- Diseases- Food security- Marketable products and services- Scientific knowledge- Instrumental uses (medicines, foods, etc.)- Ethics- Aesthetics- "Biophilia"- Environmental justice- Intergenerational justice

Efforts to protect species and biodiversity

- Local and state laws and agencies- Federal laws- Laws of other countries- NGOs- Labeling and certification programs- Nature preserves- Working landscapes- Funding mechanisms- Indigenous lands and stewardship- International agreements & treaties

why are nature based solutions essential?

they provide up to 40 percent of the emission reductions needed by 2030 to keep global average temperature increases under 2 degrees celsius.

Why are Nature-based solutions are relatively cheap?

Using only cost-effective solutions, nature's mitigation potential is estimated at 11.3 billion tons in 2030—roughly the equivalent of stopping burning oil globally

Nature-based solutions come with multiple benefits:

These include water filtration, flood buffering, improved soil health, protection of habitat, enhanced resilience, and protection for emerging diseases

Nature-based solutions can be used to divert attention

Tree planting campaigns and other such programs are vulnerable to manipulation, misrepresentation, and greenwashing by firms and countries trying to use them as a cover for continued fossil fuel use.

bioaccumulation

the process by which chemicals and other substances gradually build up in an organism over time

DDT example of bioaccumulation

soldiers used it in ww2, then very popular for agriculture, but affected birds since their eggs were thin(for channel islands it was eagle and pelicans)

biomagnification

If a predator consumes prey that has accumulated a toxic substance, the predator also accumulates the substance. As this process repeats at each level of the food chain, the concentration of the chemical can increase significantly, a phenomenon known as biomagnification.

channel island fox/eagle example

1980s eagles introduced to channel islands to hunt the extra abundance of grazers, but killed too many island foxes who had no natural predators before. Foxes were introduced, livestock eradicated, eagles relocated, and then everyone was happy!

Large carnivores are important because of their

1. Cultural histories 2. Ecological roles 3. Conservation status 4. Challenges of coexisting

Conservation status of large carnivores

Most large carnivores are declining in population, due to habitat loss and persecution by people. Some of these species, such as pandas, have become the subjects of major conservation efforts. One of the few large carnivores doing very well is the American black bear. In CA, black bears have increased from ~10k in the 1980s to nearly ~40k today.

Cultural histories of large carnivores

Many indigenous groups in North America, Europe, and Asia have long standing cultural relations with large carnivores such as bears(which are considered agents of health) and consider these animals their literal kin

The Ecology & Politics of Wolves

The Ecology & Politics of Wolves For thousands of years, people lived alongside wolves in complex cultural and ecological relationships. Around the 17thcentury, Europeans began persecuting wolves on a larger scale—and exporting their views to other parts of the world. Wolves disappeared from Scotland in the 18th century, large parts of the United States in the 19th century, and the Japanese island of Hokkaido by the early 20th century

Ecological roles of large carnivores

Some large carnivores are keystone species, playing crucial ecological roles by consuming herbivores, whose numbers and behaviors shape the vegetation, soil, and thus the entire landscape. Yet these relationships are often complex and difficult to demonstrate across diverse ecosystems

Challenges of coexisting for large carnivores

Because large carnivores require large home ranges, few can be protected only within nature reserves. This means that to conserve them, people need to learn to live with them. Coexisting can be challenging due to several issues, from human misperceptions of risk to concerns about impacts on livestock.