Biodiversity and Conservation Biology

How do we measure biodiversity?

Spices richness - num____ of species - simplest measure

Species Evenness - heter_____

number

Heterogeneity

Species richness - amount of diff___ species in a com_____

Species evenness - which has a more of an ev__ amount of spe___

Species richness - amount of different species in a community

Species evenness - which has a more of an even amount of species

Equal amount of species richness in both communities

Community A has higher species evenness

Value of biodiversity

Existence value: the intrinic value of pl___ and an_____

• cul____l bel_____

• Eth____

Existence value: the intrinsic value of plants and animals

• Cultural beliefs

• Ethics

Ecosystem services

provisioning services: prod____ obtained from na___

• F___ and mat_____

products obtained from nature

Food and materials

Ecosystem services

Regulating services: benefits obtained from the reg___ of eco____ proc____s

• air qu____, p__t con____l

benefits obtained from the regulation of ecosystem processes

• Air quality, pest control

Ecosystem services

Cultural services: non-mat____ benefits obtained from na___

• Recr______, men___ well-be____

Cultural services: non-material benefits obtained from nature

• Recreation, mental well-being

Ecosystem services

Supporting services: Necessary for pro______ of all other eco_____ services

• nut___ cy____, polli______n

Supporting services: necessary for production of all other ecosystem services

• Nutrient cycling, pollination

Threats to biodiversity

1. hab___ l__s

2. Overe_______n

   1. Overfi______

3. Inva____ spe_____

4. Poll_____

5. Cli____ c______

habitat loss

Overexploitation

Overfishing

Invasive species

Pollution

Climate change

1. Habitat loss – what is driving habitat loss and land alteration?

• Tropical def______ is the leading cause of bio_____ loss today

• Arg______ accounts for the lions share of the conv_____ of for____ land

• Only one quarter of the ea___ la___ is free of hu____ activities

Tropical deforestation is the leading cause of biodiversity loss today

Agriculture accounts for the lion’s share of the conversion of forested land

Only one quarter of the Earth’s land is free of human activities

2. Overexploitation - what types of organisms are particularly threatened?

• 90% of large-bodied f___ have been removed from the worlds oc___ (Overfi______)

• Poaching threatens large terr_____ ma____ species

Fish, oceans (Overfishing)

Terrestrial mammal

3. Invasive species

Represent a major component of global change

• Nut____ cy_____

• Consumption of nat____

• Interspecific comp_____

• Fi__ regimes

Hu___ ac___ the major driver of ex___ species intro______

Exp___! (Envi_____y & econ______y)

Nutrient cycling

Consumption of natives

Interspecific competition

Fire regimes

Human activity the major driver of exotic species introduction

Expensive! (environmentally & economically)

4. Pollution

• Envir____ to___

• So___ wa____ (pla____)

• Oceanic gar____ pa____

• Environmental toxins

• Solid waste (plastic)

• Oceanic garbage patches

5. Climate change - ecological impacts of climate change?

• increase in fl___ risk

• I__free summers in the Arctic Ocean

• Declining ocean prod_____y and sust____

• Severe dro___

5. Climate change - ecological impacts of climate change?

• increase in flood risk

• Ice free summers in the Arctic Ocean

• Declining ocean productivity and sustainability

• Severe drought

Conservation of biodiversity

• Nat____ res_____

• Pol___

• Cons____ level stra_____

nature reserves

Policy

Consumer level strategies