How do we define conservation biology

• Conservation biology is a scientific discipline but it is an applied one that seeks to counter biodiversity loss

• Biological conservation is a crisis discipline. The rate of biodiversity loss is greater than the rate of knowledge gain

• Demand for rapid answers can lead to poor science and advocacy

• We need to focus on the long term viability of the whole system

  • The kakapo is endangered

  • They discovered some after believing they were extinct

  • They only breed when there is a mass seeding event

  • Because they are a lekking species males are more costly than females therefore when they were in favourable conditions they make more males

  • Therefore the conservation project generated lots more kakapos but didnt fix the long term problem of the survival of the species

Origin of discipline

• Romantic transcendental ethic (1850’s) …

  • Nature is magical it has inherent value nature is not just economic

  • This movement led to sierra club, yosemite NP, preservationist movement

• Resource conservation ethic (1900’s) …

  • We should protect nature because it provides valuable resources for humans

  • Led to the multiple use concept

• Evolutionary - ecological land ethic (1950’s) …

  • Ecosystems are integrated systems

  • Combines utilitarianism with philosophical benefits of nature

• Crisis discipline

  • …

1. Quantify loss and impact

   1. …

2. Causal mechanisms

   1. The wood warbler has experienced a population decline of 60%

   2. Plant pollinator relationships - orchids and a pollinating oil collecting bees, plant declines due to reduced pollination in urban areas? Or is climate change causing the reduction of orchids?

3. Identifying solutions

   1. Protected area gap analysis

   2. We need to work out which species are not contained in a protected area network

   3. Skylark plots - they found that they were declining because of the timing of farmland harvest. When the birds were ready to lay eggs the crops were already thick and the birds found it difficult to find food also the food was being treated with pesticides. They found that they could leave 1% of their fields free from harvest and free from pesticides so the skylarks could feed