W6 - Conservation of Species & Habitat; Forests & Forest Management

Why is measuring biodiversity difficult?

• Areas of Earth are unexplored

• Some species are too small

• Species are difficult to identify

The Red List

Species facing high risk of extinction

Vulnerable species

Species that are may be at risk of extinction due characteristics that make them sensitive to events

Habitat alteration

Habitats can be loss or fragmented due to human activities

Equilibrium theory of island biogeogrpahy

Explains the distribution of species (immigration and extinction) among islands in the ocean based on size and distance from mainland

Distance effect (island biogeography)

Islands closer to the mainland receive more immigrants than distant islands

Larger islands (island biogeography)

• Support more species

• More types of habitats

• Higher immigration rates and lower extinction rates

Habitat fragmentation

Human land use change by roads, logging and habitats lose diversity, starting with large species

Invasive species

Species not native to the area can kill native organisms and damage properties

Pollution

Air, water, agricultural runoff, oil spills affect wildlife

Overharvesting: why are K-selected species the most vulnerable?

• Long life spans

• Low birth rates

• Specialized lifestyles

Climate change (weather)

Increases the frequency of extreme events and puts pressure on populations

Conservation biology

Understanding factors that cause loss of diversity and what can be done to restore it

Minimum viable population

The smallest number of species before problems start occuring

Captive breeding

Species are bred and raised to reintroduce them into the wild

Cloning

Organisms are produced with identical genomes

Umbrella species

A wide-ranging species to make conversation decisions to protect the whole community

Flagship species

Charismatic species used as figureheads for conservation (to persuade people)

Biodiversity hotspots

Areas with very high biodiversityE

Endangered Species Act

For species at risk in Ontario

Species at Risk Act Canada (SARA)

Cooperation with landowners to protect habitats and endangered species

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species

Bans international transport of body parts

SARA categories

• Extinct

• Extirpated

• Endangered

• Threatened

Extinct species (SARA)

Species no longer exists globally

Extirpated species (SARA)

Disappeared from an area but not globally

Endangered species (SARA)

Species in danger of becoming extinct

Threatened species (SARA)

Species likely to become endangered in the future

Community-based conservation

Biologists actively engage local people to protect

Debt-for-nature swap

An organization pays off a country’s debt in exchange for that country to set aside reserves

Conservation concession

Organizations pay nations to conserve and not sell resources

Monumentalism

Beautiful parks and reserves that inspire people to protect them

Biosphere reserves

Learning places for sustainable development that are chosen for exceptional biodiversity

Core area (biosphere reserve)

Preserves biodiversity

Buffer zone (biosphere reserve)

Limited human use

Transitional area (biosphere reserve)

Permits various uses

Variable retention harvesting

Selective logging

Drylands

Open wooded lands with less trees due to dry climates

Shrublands

Wooded areas covered by shrubs and some taller trees

Savannah

Open area dominated by grasses and scattered trees

Grasslands

Lands dominated by grasses and vegetation

Primary forest

Natural regeneration of native trees and no human disturbances

Old growth forest

Primary forest that hasn’t been cut for 150+ years

Names some services forests provide as they get older

• Habitats and ecotones

• Stabilizes soil and prevents erosion

• Slows runoff

• Stores carbon and releases oxygen

Softwood

Timber harvested from coniferous trees

Hardwood

Timber harvested from deciduous trees

Non-timber forest products (NTFPs)

Medicinal, herbal, decorative and edible products

Name the 3 methods to harvest timber

• Clearcutting

• Shelterwood

• Selection harvest

Clearcutting and its effects

All trees are cut to stumps in an area

• Cost-efficient

• Greatest impact on ecosystems

• Enhances soil erosion

Shelterwood

Most trees are clearcut but few are left to provide seeds

Selection harvest

Only a few large trees are removed at once

Reforestation

Planting of trees after logging

Even-aged trees

Trees that are all the same age, resulting in less complexity in an ecosystem

Maximum sustainable yield (trees)

Cutting trees shortly after they have gone through their fastest stage of growth

Deforestation

Net loss of forests

Forestry (silviculture)

Professional field of managing forests

Ecosystem-based management

Managing the harvest of resources to minimize impact on ecosystems

Adaptive management

Testing different management approaches and aiming to improve methods

What does suppressing fires in forests cause?

• Reduces nutrient cycling

• Wood accumulation

• Bigger and worse fires

Prescribed (controlled) burns

Burning areas of forests under controlled condition, which is effective at removing extra wood and recycling nutrients

Salvage logging

Removing dead trees after a natural disturbance

Afforestation

Planting of trees where they have not existed for a long time and can be used to fight climate change and desertification in dry areas

Sustainable forestry certification

Only sustainable products can be certified, which are presented by a logo