REN R 464 - Conservation & Management of Endangered Species

Con. Bio. Guiding Principles

Evolution is the basic axiom that unifies all biology. The ecological world is dynamic and largely non-equilibrial. Human presence must be included in conservation planning.

IUCN

International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources

COSEWIC

Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada

SARA

Species at Risk Act (Canada)

ESA

Endangered Species Act (USA)

CITES

Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species

WWF

World Wildlife Fund (World Wide Fund)

ESRF

Endangered Species Recovery Fund (Canada)

CWS

Canadian Wildlife Service

RENEW

Recovery of Nationally Endangered Wildlife (Canada)

CESCC

Canadian Endangered Species Conservation Council (the council)

Species

A group of individuals that have common characteristics. A subclass of a genus or subgenus. Resemble each other through common ancestry & similar ecological niche. Have the potential to breed w/ each other

Biological Species Concept (BSC)

Groups of actually or potentially interbreeding populations, that are reproductively isolated from other such groups. Most common adopted concept

Phylogenetic Species Concept (PSC)

Smallest diagnosable cluster of individual organisms which there is a parental pattern of ancestry and descent. Larger species richness estimates. Currently endangered species would be split into several taxa. May expedite protection

Synapomorphy

Characteristic shared by two or more taxa that was derived by a common ancestor

Evolutionary Species Concept

Single lineage of ancestral descendant populations of organisms which maintains its identity from other such lineages & which has its own evolutionary tendencies and historical fate. Occurs when a group w/n a species separates and develops its own unique characteristics

Ecological Species Concept

Lineage (or closely related set of lineages) which occupies an adaptive zone minimally different from any other lineage in its range and which evolves separately from any other lineage outside its range. OR a set of organisms exploiting (or adapting to) a specific niche

Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU)

a population of organisms that is considered distinct for purposes of conservation. A distinct local pop w/n a species that has very diff behavioural & phenological traits & thus harbours enough genetic uniqueness to warrant its own management & conservation agenda. Can apply to species, subspecies, varieties, pops, race

Wildlife species (COSEWIC definition)

a species, subspecies, or geographically or genetically distinct pop of animal, plant, or other organism, other than a bacteria or virus, that is wild by nature & is either native to Canada or has extended its range into Canada w/o human intervention & has been present in Canada for at least 50 yrs

Designatable Units (DU)

should be discrete & evolutionary significant units of the taxonomic species where “significant” means that the unit is important to the evolutionary legacy of the species as a whole; and if lost would likely not be replaced through natural dispersion. Based on variety or subspecies rank, discrete pops, & evolutionary significance

Niche

role an organism or pop plays w/n its community or ecosystem

Population

a group of individuals of the same species occupying a defined area at the same time

Community

An assemblage or organisms (multiple pops) forming an identifiable group w/n a biome/common location

Genetic drift

Important for small pops. Allele frequencies may change from one generation to the next, simply due to chance. When an allele is at a low frequency in a small pop, it has significant chance of being lost in each generation

Population bottleneck

Occurs when pop suffers severe temp reduction in size. Genetic diversity of future generations is contained w/n a few individuals that survive & reproduce. Overall genetic variability is reduced

Founder effect

Occurs when few individuals establish a new pop. The few carry only random fraction of genetic diversity found in larger parent pop

Genetic biodiversity

variety of genetic info b/w species. How much variation is in the gene pool

Species biodiversity

How many diff species are present in particular area

Geographical biodiversity

Variety of habitats or ecosystems in a location

The Precautionary Principle

Lack of full scientific certainty must not be used as a reason to delay measures to avoid or minimize threats to species at risk

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

Shapes how countries shape national laws surrounding conservation. Lack of full scientific certainty should not be used as a reason for postponing measures to avoid or minimize such a threat

IUCN Key roles

Funding for conservation efforts, public education & communication, & managing the red list

IUCN Red List

Global system for assessing species at risk

CBD Main Goals

Conservation of biological diversity, sustainable use of biodiversity & its components, and fair & equitable sharing of genetic resources

SARA Goals

Protect critical habitat as much as possible through voluntary actions & stewardship measures. Preventing Canadian indigenous species, subspecies, & distinct populations from becoming extirpated or extinct, providing for the recovery of endangered or threatened species, & encouraging the management of other species to prevent them from becoming at risk

SARA Critical habitat safety net

protection orders that “:can only apply on provincial or private lands if provincial legislation or other measures are not already in place to protect the species, & if cooperative stewardship measures fail

NACOSAR

National Aboriginal Council on Species at Risk

Canadian Endangered Species Conservation Council

Comprises the federal & provincial environment ministers plus others. Coordinates the species-conservation activities of the various govs

National Aboriginal Council on Species at Risk

Gives Aboriginal people input into assessment & recovery of species at risk

National Stewardship Action Plan

Creates incentives & measures to support voluntary stewardship action taken by govs organizations & individuals

Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada

Classifying species (to levels of risk) as extinct, extirpated, endangered, threatened or of special concern (or not at risk), assessing the status of wildlife species, & identifying threats to their survival

The Endangered Species Act (ESA)

To provide a means whereby the ecosystems upon which endangered & threatened species depend may be conserved and to provide a program for the conservation of such species. Requires the listing of endangered & threatened species based solely on scientific criteria, prohibits anyone from harming a listed species or destroying its habitat, & compels the development of recovery plans for all listed species.

Assessment

Process by which a species is assigned a risk status

Listing

Legal process by which a species is granted protection in law. Includes the assessment process

Critically endangered (CE)

Facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild

Endangered (EN)

Facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild

Vulnerable (VN)

Facing a high risk of extinction in the wild

Near Threatened (NT)

Close to qualifying for a threatened, endangered, or vulnerable category in the near future

Population & Population size

Total number of individuals of the taxon

Subpopulations

Geographically or otherwise distinct groups in the pop b/w which there is little demographic or genetic exchange (one gamete or less per year). All together make up total pop

Mature Individuals

Number of individuals known, estimated, or inferred to be capable of reproduction. For clones, all reproducing units should be counted separately. Individuals not producing new recruits should not be counted. Use lowest estimate if pop fluctuates. Definition varies w/ taxon groups

Generation time (length)

Many ways to measure. Calculation is important, can have consequences regarding status assignment. Ex. average age of parents of the current cohort (most typical), Age at which 50% of total reproductive output is achieved, Age of maturity + 0.5* (length of reproductive period in life cycle

Continuing decline

recent, current, or projected future decline (may be smooth, sporadic, or irregular) which is liable to continue (b/c of threats) unless remedial measures are taken

Extreme fluctuations

pop size or distribution area varies widely, rapidly, & frequently, typically w/ a variation greater than one order of magnitude (10x). Positive relationship b/w extinction risk & variance in rate of pop growth (especially in lows of the cycle (when species is most vulnerable)). Involve organisms w/ life histories prone to boom/bust dynamics. Must involve mature individuals

Severely fragmented

For only “B” criteria. Pop where most of individuals are found in small/relatively isolated subpopulations. When the subpopulation goes extinct, reduced probability of re-colonization. Often involves taxa w/ low dispersal ability - more at risk than easily dispersed ones. More distance b/w subpopulations = less likely re-colonization (habitat fragmentation). More than 50% of total area of occupancy is in habitat patches that are smaller than would be required to support viable pop & separated from other habitat patches by a large distance.

Extent of occurrence (EO/EOO)

Area contained within the shortest continuous imaginary boundary which can be drawn to encompass all the known, inferred or projected sites of present occurrence of a taxon. The area included in a polygon w/o concave angles that encompasses the geographic distribution of all known populations of a wildlife species. Measures the geographic spread of risk for threats. Large EO = low risk = unlikely to cover large area. Small EO = high risk = Likely to effect all/more subpopulations

location

a geographically or ecologically distinct area in which a single threatening event can rapidly affect all individuals of the species. defined in reference to most plausible threat. Size of location depends on area covered by the threatening event & may include one+ species

Rescue effect

process by which immigrating propagules/individuals result in lower extinction risk for the target pop.

Designated special concern

wildlife species that are particularly sensitive to human activities or natural events but are not endangered or threatened wildlife species