BIOL 367 midterm

normative discipline

a field that embraces certain values and attempts to apply scientific methods to achieving those values

Soule's organizational values

1. Biological diversity has intrinsic value

2. The untimely extinction of species should be prevented

3. The diversity of species and complexity of biological communities should be preserved

4. Science plays a critical role in understanding ecosystems

5. Collaboration among scientists, managers and policy makers is necessary.

central tenets of science

1. Pose significant questions that can be investigated empirically

2. link research to relevant theory

3. use methods that permit direct investigation of the question

4. provide coherent and explicit chain of reasoning

5. replicate and generalize across studies

6. disclose research to encourage professional scrutiny and critique

when is science normative

ethical standards, methodological norms, application of science

Biodiversity

the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.

E.O. Wilson

Biologist who co-coined, with Robert MacArthur, the theory of island biogeography, which identifies factors that regulate species richness on islands.

biological species concept

Species is a group of populations whose members have the potential to produce fertile offspring.

CESCC

Canadian Endangered Species Conservation Council. Provides general direction and action plans to help revive endangered species

why do vertebrates get more attention

Bigger, closer to humans, a lot of biomass, economic value, comprise keystone species

structural diversity

the range of physical shapes and sizes within a habitat or ecosystem

functional diversity

the variety of processes such as matter cycling and energy flow taking place within ecosystems

limiting factors to biodiversity

temperature and rainfall.

biodiversity hotspots

Relatively small areas of land that contain an exceptional number of endemic species and are at high risk from human activities. Tend to be around the equator, and around coastlines

cons of the hotspot approach

-misses coldspots

-criteria for it is static

-limited environmental scope

-human impact in the area difficult to control

- species diversity is valued over other ecological ideas

- political and economic factors of working in these hotspots

ecosystem level attributes

-health

-stability

-resistance

-resilience

biodiversity measures

diversity (alpha,beta,gamma), evenness, intactness, rate of change, ecological functions

alpha

measures within site diversity

beta

measures diversity between sites within a region

gamma

compares both in site and between site diversity

challenges to measuring Alpha

Detection ans rareness of species

Quantifying biodiversity

count species, compare number and abundance, and then emphasize a charactristic based on one of many indices

issues with indices

- lack of consistent use across studies

-what is valued

-lack realistic function

-provide a "useless" measure

Shannon Index

The index most commonly used to describe species diversity quantitatively.

Biodiversity intactness metric

abundance is compared to a similar undisturbed area

biocentric conservation model

identify threats to the natural state, counteract threats

social conservation model

monitor/gather scientific information about an area, use that information to influence public/stakeholders, let government descicion makers change policy

habitat fragmentation

Breakup of a habitat into smaller pieces, usually as a result of human activities.

values of biodiversity

food, tourism, clothing, clean air, clean water

direct use values

products harvested by people

Indirect use values

ecosystem benefits that are not valued in markets, such as flood prevention and pollution absorption

option values

value of maintaining the option for future use, experience, or enjoyment; may be subcategorized into bequest or existence values

Existence values

Value people derive just from knowing that a resource or species exists

Intrinsic Values

the inherit right for biodiversity and healthy ecosystems to extsit without any product for humans

Bioprospecting

the search for plant and animal species from which medicinal drugs and other commercially valuable compounds can be obtained.

Externalities

A side effect of an action that affects a third party other than the buyer or seller.

Tragedy of the Commons

situation in which people acting individually and in their own interest use up commonly available but limited resources, creating disaster for the entire community

Ecosystem Services

the processes by which life-supporting resources such as clean water, timber, fisheries, and agricultural crops are produced

provisioning services

Benefits of biodiversity that humans use, including lumber, fur, meat, crops, water, and fiber

regulating services

the service provided by natural systems that helps regulate environmental conditions

cultural services

benefits of biodiversity that provide aesthetic, spiritual, or recreational value

unrestrained instrumentalism

All earths resources exist for human use

Conservationism

environmental view which stated that land should be protected for carefully managed development, led to the formation of the National Parks System

Preservationism

The theory and practice of creatively maintaining the historic built environment and controlling the landscape component of which it is an integral part

ethics and value based ideologies

asks if we have the right to use the resources that we use

Transformative Ideologies

Seeks to transform anthropocentric minds into more ecocentric minds

Deep Ecology

an environmental movement and philosophy that regards human life as just one of many equal components of a global ecosystem.

Anthropocentrism

A human-centered view of our relationship with the environment.

Ecocentrism

belief that whole ecological systems have value

Gaia Hypothesis

the theory, put forward by James Lovelock, that living matter on the earth collectively defines and regulates the material conditions necessary for the continuance of life. The planet, or rather the biosphere, is thus likened to a vast self-regulating organism.

perverse subsidies

government payments or other financial incentives to industries that result in environmentally destructive activities. Ex. subsidies on oil and gas

Triple Bottom Line

people, planet, profit

EPI

environmental performance index. looks at both economic success (GDP) and environmental impact of nations. EPI and GDP tend to have a positive trending relationship

conservation psychology

The study of the reciprocal relationships between humans and nature, with a focus on changing attitudes and behaviours to encourage conservation of the environment.

biggest environmental concerns

- pollution of drinking water

- position of rivers, lakes, and resovoirs

- contamination of soil and water by toxic waste/radiation

lowest environmental concerns

-extinction of species

- urban sprawl

-global warming

ideology vs behaviour

many people want change for a better environment, but are unwilling to change their perusal behaviours to actually create that change

War in the Woods

1993. 12000 people in BC showed up to protest the cutting down of a forest in vancouver

polling deficiencies

- subject to contingencies

-issues often too complex for people to form meaningful opinions quickly

influences on environmental ideology

age (younger), sex (women), education (more education=more concern), social class (higher class), political ideology (liberal)

green washing

the exaggerated or false marketing of a product, good, or service as environmentally friendly

Ideals of Ethical Journalism

1. truth and accuracy

2. independence

3. fairness and impartiality

4. humanity

5. accountability

motivating self enhancers

a form of environmental advocacy that focuses on benefits for the people you are advocating to in order to convince them to take action

Framing Effects

when people give different answers to the same problem depending on how the problem is phrased (or framed)

cost-benefit ratio

comparison of benefits to potential costs that might result from change

changing fundamental values

long term change of values through environmental messaging

7 big threats to biodiversity

1. habitat loss

2. exploitation

3. climate change

4. pollution

5. invasion

6. disease

7. extinction

extinction

no member of a species can be found after a very through search

functionally extinct

There is still some of the species left, but it is so few they no longer serve their role in the ecosystem they are native to.

6th extinction

the impending biodiversity crash that will be more abrupt than any previous mass extinction; human impacts are responsible

reasons for 6th extinction

over exploitation of environments, loss of habitat, competition, invasive species, hunting, increase in population of domestic animals

IUCN

International Union for Conservation of Nature

habitat degradation

the damage to a habitat by pollution

habitat loss

The destruction of habitats that usually results from human activities

Acidification

The change in the chemical composition of soil/water, which may trigger the circulation of toxic metals.

climate change

Change in the statistical properties of the climate system when considered over periods of decades. not a primary threat to biodiversity now but will become more prominent as the effects continue to take hold

stages of habitat fragmentation

dissection, perforation, fragmentation, attrition

pollution

the presence in or introduction into the environment of a substance or thing that has harmful or poisonous effects. very large effect on amphibians

Microplastics

Small plastic particles posing negative consequences to marine environments and wildlife

palm oil land conversion

palm oil is very lucrative economically, but massive swaths of natural environments are being destroyed in order for its continued production

evidence of anthropogenic climate change

- rise in atmospheric CO2 conencides with our CO2 emissions

-increased rise in sea level

-increased glacial melting

-population declines

political views of climate change

1. it does not exist

2. It exists, but is not a problem because we will adapt to it

3. It exists, and is a problem we need to face

synergistic effects of climate change

- lower precipitation

- ocean acification

-shifting species ranges and habitat loss

Allee effect

individuals have a more difficult time surviving or reproducing if the population size is too small

Logistic harvesting models

model to determine how much can be harvested based on a logistic growth equation

carrying capacity

Largest number of individuals of a population that an environment can support. based on resource availability

maximum sustainable yield

the maximum rate at which a renewable resource can be exploited without impairing its ability to be renewed or replenished

issues with MSY

-it considers species as single biological units without consideration of their role in the larger ecology of the environment

-overlooks the need to leave enough behind that it can successfully keep up yield

Bushmeat trade

The trade and sale of wild animals for food, cause of extinction in animals

causes of bushmeat crisis

-poverty/food insecurity

-easier access

-increased demands

-few alternatives

-ineffective policy and enforement

-limited awareness of issues

invasive species

plants and animals that have migrated to places where they are not native

background rates of extinction

refers to the standard rate of extinction in earth's geological and biological history before humans became a primary contributor to extinctions

reasons for high island extinctions

1. smaller and fewer populations

2. species on islands have evolved without predators, parasites or competitors so they do not know how to handle them

Extripation

The disappearance of a particular population from a given area, but not the entire species globally