Ecol 3530 module 1

lecture one

goals of con bio

full range of biodiversity

understand human impacts

develop protection approaches

crisis discipline

decisions made under stressful constraints

normative discipline

using values to assign outcomes as good or bad

for example in con bio the norm discipline is that extinctions should be prevented

natural word and spritual is linked

hinduism, dharma care for the earth

buddhism virtues non agresseive towrds nature

taoism obey the earth

judeo-christian, caretakers of nature

lynn white

wondered why people intreperted the bible nature = human wealth

conservation in early europe

punishment for poaching, forest reserve in 1540

rise of naturalists

victorian middle class, rise of museums + gardens, collecting specimens, cataloging

victorian extinctions

over collecting lead to extinctions in 1800s

the first conservation societies in europe

open spaces society, national trust historic interest and natural beauty, royal society protection of birds

US con ecol origins

mid 1800s caused by widespread habitat destruction and exploitations

early 20th centruy us extinct birds

passanger pigeon and carolina parakeet poor things

early conservation philosphers

transcendentalists like ralph waldo and david thoreau, law olmsted, john muir, pinchot

there is an aesthetic value in nature

intrinsic spiritual value is more important than the tangible material instrumental value of nature

john muir

founeded sierra club, naturlalist

pinchot

resource conservation, the greatest good of nature is providing the most and longest resources over time, supported heling the people, head of us forest service

birth of us fed agencies

division of forestry in USDA

wildlife refugue sysetem

forestry service

national parks

great plains dust bowl

improper use of land, soil conservation act,

aldo leopold

land ethic in sand county almanac, ecological complexity, wilderness society

ethics vs morals

ethics are logical and universal

morals are subjective and up to interpretation

1960-70s everything is on fire

cuyahoga river on fire, baby boomers pop, DDT pesticides

rachel carson

silent spring, how DDT was killing birds, she was vocal bioaccumulation

tragedy of the commons

shared spaces will always be exploited, short term self interest downfall of shareing, i want another cow!

negative externalaites

the cost of a transaction is payed by someone not involved, oil drilling for money ruling the earth for me

public unrest in 60s 70s

causes environmental legislation, and birth of conservation biology

environmental philosophy

natural environment and humans place in it

environmental ethics

moral relationship to humans and the environment

environmentalism

The movement of protecting the natural world caused by activism, political and educational