Final Exam Terms (CH.3, 9-12)

Instrumental value

An ecosystem or species' value based on its usefulness to humans as in food, medicine, or recreation.

Intrinsic value

The value of a species and other aspects of biodiversity, unrelated to human needs

Direct use value

The value of products that are harvested and directly used by those who harvest them (ex. timber, animals).

Consumptive use value

The value of goods that are collected and consumed locally.

Replacement cost approach

The amount people would have to pay for an equivalent product if what they typically use is unavailable.

Bushmeat

The meat from any wild animal.

Productive use value

The value of products that are sold in markets.

Indirect use value

According to biodiversity, the values that do not involve harvesting/destroying the resource (ex. water quality, soil protection, recreation, and education).

Public goods

The nonconsumptive benefits that belong to society, without private ownership

Ecosystem services

The benefits provided to people from ecosystems (ex. flood control, clean water, and reduction of pollution).

Supporting “ecosystem” services

The processes within an ecosystem that are necessary for all other ecosystem services to function.

Regulating “ecosystem” services

The benefits humans receive from natural ecosystems that moderate or control environmental processes by maintaining stable environmental conditions (ex. climate regulation, water filtration, flood control, erosion prevention, pollination, and disease control).

Ecosystem productivity

The rate at which energy is converted to organic matter by photosynthetic organisms in an ecosystem.

Water and soil protection

Implementing strategies to prevent soil erosion, maintain soil fertility, and manage water resources successfully.

Climate regulation

The natural processes by which ecosystems influence and stabilize the Earth’s climate thus maintaining a stable environment that is beneficial to life and biodiversity (ex. temperature, precipitation patterns, and greenhouse gas concentrations).

Amenity value

Biodiversity’s recreational value (ex. ecotourism).

Education and scientific value

Teaching individuals about the scientific understanding of ecosystems and biodiversity to protect and conserve natural environments and resources.

Existence value

The benefits of knowing that a habitat or species exists are measured by the amount that people will pay to prevent species from being harmed or going extinct, habitats from being destroyed, and genetic variation from being lost.

Ecotourism

Tourism that views unusual and/or interesting biological communities and species that are unique to a specific location.

Option use value

The potential future benefits of preserving a species or ecosystem.

Bioprospecting

The collection of biological materials as part of a search for new products.

Biopiracy

The collection and use of biological materials for commercial, scientific, or personal use without the necessary permits.

Protected area

A clearly defined geographical space/habitat that is recognized, dedicated, and managed primarily for biodiversity. Meant to achieve long-term conservation of nature with cultural values and ecosystem services.

IUCN protected area designation - Strict Nature Reserves

Strictly protected areas designated to preserve biodiversity, as well as potentially geological or geomorphological features, where human visitation, use, and impacts are tightly regulated and restricted to safeguard the conservation values. These areas can also serve as essential reference sites for scientific research and monitoring.

IUCN protected area designation - Wilderness Area

Protected areas are typically expansive, largely unaltered, or minimally modified regions that maintain their natural character and ecological processes, free from permanent or significant human settlement. These areas are safeguarded and managed to preserve their natural state.

IUCN protected area designations - National Park

Protected areas are vast natural or near-natural regions designated to preserve large-scale ecological processes, along with the species and ecosystems typical of the area. They also provide a foundation for environmentally and culturally compatible opportunities, including spiritual, scientific, educational, recreational, and visitor activities.

IUCN protected area designations - Natural Monument or Feature

Protected areas are designated to preserve a specific natural monument, such as a landform, seamount, submarine cavern, geological feature like a cave, or even a living feature like an ancient grove. These areas are typically small in size and often hold significant value for visitors.

IUCN protected area designations - Habitat/Species Management Area

Protected areas are designed to safeguard specific species or habitats, with management strategies reflecting this priority. While many Category IV protected areas may require regular, active interventions to meet the needs of certain species or maintain habitats, such interventions are not a mandatory aspect of the category.

IUCN protected area designations - Protected Landscape/Seascape

A protected area where the interaction between people and nature over time has created a distinct area with significant ecological, biological, cultural, and scenic value. In such areas, preserving the integrity of this interaction is crucial for maintaining and sustaining both the area and its associated conservation and other values.

IUCN protected area designations - Protected area with sustainable use of natural resources

Protected areas conserve ecosystems and habitats along with associated cultural values and traditional natural resource management systems. These areas are typically large, with the majority remaining in a natural state. A portion of the area is managed for sustainable natural resource use, and low-level, non-industrial resource use that aligns with nature conservation is considered one of the primary objectives of the area.

Marine protected areas

Designated regions in the ocean and Great Lakes set aside to protect marine life and habitats, restricting human activities for conservation efforts.

Degazettement

Actions by the government that are taken to remove the legal status of protected areas. Protected areas can be reduced in size by the government, be opened up for exploitation, or have their protected status removed.

Gap analysis

Compares biodiversity priorities with existing and proposed protected locations. This analysis compares the distribution of endangered species and biological communities with existing and proposed protected areas to determine gaps in protection.

GIS

Analyses done by computers that integrate and display spatial area, relating in particular to the natural environment, ecosystems, species, protected areas, and human activities.

Four Rs of protected area design - Representation

Protected areas should encompass as many aspects of biodiversity (species, populations, habitats, etc.) as possible.

Four Rs of protected area design - Resiliency

Protected areas must be sufficiently large to sustain all aspects of biodiversity in a healthy state for the foreseeable future, even as climate conditions evolve.

Four Rs of protected area design - Redundancy

Protected areas should include multiple examples of each aspect of biodiversity to ensure its long-term survival in the face of future uncertainties.

Four Rs of protected area design - Reality

There must be adequate funding and political commitment not only to acquire and protect lands but also to effectively regulate and manage the protected areas.

SLOSS (Single Large or Several Small) debate

A controversy concerning the advantages of a single large or several small conservation areas.

Habitat corridors

The connections between protected areas that allow for dispersal and migration. Also known as conservation corridors or movement corridors that allow plants and animals to disperse from one reserve to another which facilitates gene flow.

Biosphere reserve

Protected areas established as part of a United Nations program, to present the similarities of biodiversity conservation and sustainable development to benefit local people.

Poaching

The illegal hunting, killing, or capturing of wildlife, includes animals, plants, and fish. Often for commercial gain or the illegal trade of their parts.

Human-wildlife conflict

The negative interactions between humans and wild animals, resulting in harm, damage, or loss of resources. Leads to retaliatory actions against the wildlife and potentially jeopardizes conservation efforts.

Reasons for declines within protected areas

1. Most protected areas are too small to sustain viable, long-term populations of many species, particularly large and migratory animals.

2. Numerous species are drawn to resources located outside protected areas. It is common for primates to feed on nutrient-dense crops in nearby villages that are adjacent to the protected areas where they reside.

3. Many species migrate seasonally between protected areas to escape freezing temperatures or other extreme climate conditions, or to access essential resources such as mates, food, and water.

4. Threats from outside the protected area can spill into the protected area.

Military lands

Extensive areas of land set aside for military purposes are shielded from development and resource extraction.Certain species thrive due to the disturbance patterns created by military training exercises.

Unprotected lands

Lands that are typically unprotected but offer valuable habitats for animals, plants, and other organisms (ex. forests, grasslands, unprotected waters).

Urban areas

Native species that exist within urban areas such as public parks, streams, cities, and ponds.

Other human-dominated landscapes

Birds, insects, and other animal and plant species are often plentiful in traditional agricultural landscapes, which consist of a mix of small fields, hedges, and woodlands. In contrast to more intensive, modern agricultural practices, traditional landscapes are exposed to fewer herbicides, fertilizers, and pesticides, and offer greater habitat diversity.

Ecosystem management

Large-scale management involves lots of stakeholders with the primary goal of preserving ecosystem components and processes for the long term while satisfying the wants of society.

Conservation easement

The process of protecting land that landowners give up the right to develop on their property in exchange for financial/tax benefit.

Traditional ecological knowledge (TEK)

The knowledge Indigenous Persons have of ecosystems and management that is gained over years of experience in direct contact with the land.

Co-management

People who are local to an area work as partners with government agencies and conservation organizations in protected areas.

Ecocolonialism

The method of governments and conservation organizations disregarding the land rights and traditions of the local people to create new conservation areas.

Integrated conservation and development projects (ICDPs)

Projects regarding conservation that provide for the economic needs and welfare of local people and the reserves.

Extractive reserves

Areas that are protected where sustainable extraction of certain natural products is allowed.

Community-based conservation (CBC)

The protection of natural resources and areas that are owned, controlled, and/or managed by local people.

Ecological resilience

An ecosystem’s natural ability to recover after a disturbance.

Ecological restoration

The process of assisting or accelerating the recovery of damaged ecosystems.

Compensatory mitigation/Biodiversity offset

Regarding restoration, when a new site is created or rehabilitated in compensation for a site destroyed or damaged elsewhere by development.

Reference site

The control site provides goals for restoration in regard to species composition, community structure, and ecosystem processes.

Four main approaches to restoration of biological communities - Passive Restoration

Restoration is too expensive, previous attempts have failed, or experience has shown that the ecosystem will recover without help. Letting the ecosystem recover on its own, without human help.

Four main approaches to restoration of biological communities - Rehabilitation

A diminished ecosystem is replaced with a different productive ecosystem type (that might include non-native species). Applies if some of the original ecosystem function is obtained without recovering most of the native species.

Four main approaches to restoration of biological communities - Partial Restoration

Some of the ecosystem functions and some of the original, dominant species are restored.

Four main approaches to restoration of biological communities - Complete Restoration

The area is restored to its original species composition and structure by a program of site modification/reintroduction of the original species.

Abiotic barriers to restoration

The most degraded, nonfunctional sites require overcoming abiotic constraints that contribute to the problem, such as plowing a field that is dominated by nonnative invasive species, removing levees from a river, or building structures for coral to grow on.

Biotic barriers to restoration

Biotic barriers are overcome by planting native species, reintroducing missing trophic levels, or providing a food source

Adaptive restoration

The process of implementing a restoration plan and monitoring how well it works, then using the results to adjust the plan for restoration.

Rewilding

The process of returning a species (large mammal/carnivores) to their natural condition prior to human impact to regulate the system.

Bioremediation

The use of an organism to clean up pollutants.

Novel ecosystems

Ecosystems where there is a mixture of native and non-native species that coexist in a community unlike the original or reference site.

Eutrophication

The accumulation of excess nutrients in water caused by human activity causes algal blooms.

Economic development

Focuses on improving efficiency, organization, and resource distribution, but not on increasing resource consumption.

Economic Growth

The material increase in the amount of resources used.

Sustainable development

The balance between human needs with the preservation of biodiversity and ecosystems for present and future generations.

Unsustainable development

Any type of development that negatively impacts biodiversity and ecosystem function.

Land trust

A non-profit organization that acquires/manages land, or specific land rights, for conservation purposes.

Limited development agreement

A compromise that involves a landowner, a property developer, and a conservation organization that combines development with the protection of the remaining land/environment.

Conservation leasing

Provides payments to private landowners who actively manage their land for biodiversity protection.

Conservation banking

A system that involves developers paying landowners for the preservation of an endangered species or protected habitat type to pay for a species or habitat that is destroyed elsewhere.

Payments for ecosystem services (PES)

Direct payments to individual landowners and local communities that protect species or vital ecosystem characteristics.

Conservation concessions

A method where conservation organizations pay a government or other landowner to preserve habitat rather than allow an extractive industry to damage the habitat.

Convention on Biological Diversity

Protects all components of biodiversity, uses the components sustainably, and shares the benefits of the new products that are made with the genetic resources of wild and domestic species.

Aichi Biodiversity Targets

A list of goals to achieve sustainability was developed by the CBD. The targets aim to slow or stop the loss of biodiversity by reducing the impact of human activities.

International conservation NGOs

Non-profit organizations that are independent of governments that focus on protecting biodiversity and natural resources across international borders.

National Environmental Fund

Like a trust fund or foundation used to provide secure, long-term support for conservation initiatives in developing countries.

Debt-for-nature swap

Agreements in which a developing country agrees to fund additional conservation initiatives in exchange for a conservation organization canceling some of its discounted debt.

4 Cs - Concern

Donors and recipients want to solve the problem.

4 Cs - Contracts

Mutually satisfactory and enforceable contracts for the project can be agreed on.

4 Cs - Capacity

There is capacity to take on the project in terms of institutions, personnel, and infrastructure.

4 Cs - Causes

The causes of the problem are understood and addressed.