Chapter 18 Biodiversity and Conservation

What is biodiversity in general terms

“The variety of genes, species, and ecosystems on earth.”

The number and varieties of organisms in an area

Name the four ecosystem services “benefits to humans of biodiversity and natural ecosystems”

Provisioning Services

Regulating services

habitat services

cultural services

Provisioning services

“Resources that can be extracted from the landscape.”

tree sap into Medicine

Habitat services

“The maintenance of genetic diversity, habitat for species”

regulating services

air, water, and soil quality.

carbon storage and climate regulation

pollination and biological control

cultural services

See wilderness as aesthetic or symbolic.

• recreation and mental health

• tourism

what is conservation biology and who is involved in this field?

Conservation biology is a field of science that includes scientists and citizens to research and promote biodiversity and preserve it.

Differentiate between the three levels of biodiversity

Species diversity: the number of species

Ecosystem diversity: the number of ecosystems

Genetic Diversity: the variety of traits within a population

What is a biodiversity hot spot, and what is the significance of a hot spot"?

regions of the world with a reservoir of biodiversity or areas with higher degrees of biodiversity “that face the threat of destruction”. “Home to the 25%+ of the worlds species”

example: tropical rainforest: costa rica. Coral reefs, islands,

How does solar energy affect diversity?

Solar energy fuels life, increasing species richness.

Solar energy is highest on the equator because as latitude increases, the solar energy is distributed and less powerful.

How does evolutionary history affect diversity?

Communities diversify over time, so more time that passes without a climatic event, the greater the diversity in an area.

How does rate of disturbance affect diversity?

A habitat with an intermediate amount of disturbances tend to have the greatest species richness.

No disturbance can lead to one species being driven out due to its competitive advantage

How does water affect biodiversity

More water equals more diversity,

example: the ocean.

Where is biodiversity the highest?

Biodiversity is highest on the equator due to solar energy, evolutionary history, and intermediate disturbance rate.

Differentiate between background extinction and mass extinctions: Although climate change is often cited as the cause of the previous 5 mass extinctions, what is primarily driving the current mass extinction?

Background extinction is extinction occurring at lower rates during times other than mass extinctions.

Mass extinctions: a large number of species become extinct over a short period of time due to extraordinary and sudden environmental change.

Recent mass extinction is manmade. *Human activities may be causing another mass extinction.

What are some of the causes of extinction and diversity loss? what are the extinction risk factors?

Extinction risk factors

1. Restrictive geographic range: species restricted in their range are more vulnerable that those with extensive ranges

Small population size

• species with small population sizes are at increased risk of extinction

Narrow habitat tolerance

• Species are at greater risk of extinction compared to broader habitat tolerant species

Causes of extinction

1. Over exploitation/harvesting/hunting

2.Habitat loss/destruction

3. Introduced species

Know the history, causes, impacts, and possible solutions of acid rain, include the molecules involved.

Causes: burning of fossil fuels, compressed into coal and when burned the impurities are released as gas, returning to earth as acidic precipitation.

Molecule: sulfur, nitrogen

Impact: destruction of soil, trees

Solutions: using wind and soolar energy, reducing the use of coal, switching to the use of natural gas, *installed scrubbers in coal-burnning plants can extract sulfur dioxide gas before it gets released.

Know the history, causes, impacts, and possible solutions of greenhouse gases, include the molecules involved.

Global warming has been increasing.

Causes: burning of fossil fuels and clearing of land.

Impact: climate change

Molecule: carbon dioxide and methane (CO2 and CH4)

Solutions: reduced emissions of greenhouse gases (particularly from the burning of fossil fuels)

Know the history, causes, impacts, and possible solutions of deforestation , include the molecules involved.

Rain forest, more than half has been destroyed or tropical rain forests.

Cause: the land cleared for agriculture, logging, gold mines, and oil wells

Impact: endangering species and increasing the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atsmophere.

solutions: reduce destruction of high-biodiversity habitats, particulary tropical rain forests

molecules: carbon dioxide

Know the history, causes, impacts, and possible solutions of ozone layer depletion , include the molecules involved.

Ozone depletion is partly caused by CFC, man made. CFC has been banned.

causes : synthetic chemicals known as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) leak into the atmosphere, where they cause the break down of ozone (O3)

Impact: increased levels of ultraviolet light reach the earth’s surface, leading to a greater incidence of health problems in animals and decreased rates of photosynthesis in plants.

strategies: stop the manufacture of chemcials like cfc

Understand the role of landscape conservation in urban planning