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BIODIVERSITY = Biological diversity http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/ What is biodiversity? • the genetic diversity contained in • the variety of life forms and • the ecosystems they inhabit and in which they play ecological roles. •Copyright ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc, publishing as Benjamin Cummings What is biodiversity? Biodiversity has several levels: Genetic Diversity Heliconius Species Diversity Ecosystem Diversity How do we benefit from biodiversity? • • • • • • Medicine Economic Food security Scientific Cultural Ecosystem Services • Aesthetic BLM We derive medicine from biodiversity • 25% of all pharmaceuticals in U.S. contain ingredients derived from native plants. We derive food from biodiversity We derive materials and energy from biodiversity We derive scientific understanding from biodiversity We derive cultural diversity from biodiversity We derive recreation from biodiversity We derive ecotourism from biodiversity We derive aesthetics from biodiversity We derive ecosystem services from biodiversity •http://www.sos2006.jp/english/rsbs_summary_e/rsbs_files/22.jpg US$33 trillion per year. As a comparison, global gross national product total is around US $18 trillion per year. Robert Constanza et al. Genetic Diversity: Insurance Genetically identical: Genetically diverse: Susceptible to change Resistant to change Species diversity How many species on Earth? ~2 million species named; 3-100 million est. Organizing species into a hierarchy • Kingdom – Phylum • Animalia – Chordata • Mammalia – Carnivora • Class –Order »Family » Genus » Species »Canidae » » Canis latrans Hint: King Phillip Came Over From Germany Smiling 6 Kingdoms of Life • • • • • • 1. Archea (<1%) 2. Bacteria (<1%) 3. Protists (4%) 4. Fungi (5%) 5. Plants (18%) 6. Animals (73%) Animal Diversity 33% of all animals are what? 33% BEETLES! Order level Animal Diversity 74% of all animals are what? 74% INSECTS! Class level Animal Diversity 86% of all animals are what? ARTHROPODS Phylum level 86% Insects, Spiders, Scorpions, Crustaceans, etc. Animal Diversity 4% of all animals are what? 4% VERTEBRATES Fish, Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds, Mammals Proportions of named organisms Kinds of Biodiversity Loss • 1. Loss of Abundance – Genetic • 2. Species Extinction • 3. Ecosystem Disruption/Loss 1. Heliconius 2. Hawaii’s Black Mamo 3. Loss of rainforest •Patterns in Biodiversity • Species diversity varies • by groups: some have many species, some few • by latitude: species richness increases toward Equator •bird species in North and Central America Biodiversity Hotspots Link Kinds of Losses of Biodiversity • 1. Loss of Abundance – Genetic – loss of diversity within a species, affects genetic diversity (loss of diversity in the gene pool, thus less adaptability). http://nitro.biosci.arizona.edu/courses/EEB182/Lecture13/lect13.html Mt. Graham Red Squirrel Kinds of Losses of Biodiversity • 2. Species extinction – Natural – Human-caused •NASA panda.org Kinds of Losses of Biodiversity • 2. Natural Species extinction • “Background” extinctions – ~1 extinction/5-10 years • Mass extinctions Kinds of Losses of Biodiversity • 2. Human-caused species extinctions • 1600-1900: 1 species/year • Current: > 100-1,000 species/year Kinds of Losses of Biodiversity • 2. Human-caused species extinctions • Species characteristics that affect chances of extinction: – economic importance – specialist vs. generalist – reproductive rates... Main Causes of Species Extinctions by Humans 1. Habitat Loss: Alteration, Fragmentation 2. Introduced Species 3. Overharvesting Kinds of Losses of Biodiversity • 3. Ecosystem Disruption or Loss – Habitat Fragmentation and the Theory of Island Biogeography Theory of Island Biogeography • Scientists observed that bigger islands have exponentially more species on them. • (NOTE: scales are logarithmic, this is an exponential curve) Theory of Island Biogeography • How many species are present on an island depends on – 1. rates of extinction – 2. rates of colonization • These rates depend on – 1. size of the island – 2. distance to the mainland Theory of Island Biogeography • Rates of colonization and extinction depend on: –1. Size of the island •Bigger islands = more species –2. Distance to the mainland •Closer to mainland (“source” of “new” individuals and species) = more species Does the theory of island biogeography apply to habitat islands on land? Human land use fragments habitat • Over time, habitat is lost and fragmented as land is “converted” to agriculture, houses, parking lots, malls, roads…. Fragmentation • Fragmentation works like the theory of island biogeography predicts it would... Each little area of woods acts like an island •Copyright ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc, publishing as Benjamin Cummings Species increase with increasing habitat island size Exponential Increase •Do national parks act like islands in island biogeography theory? Do larger parks preserve more species? Park Area (km2) % Species Lost Bryce Canyon 144 36% Lassen Volcano Crater Lake 426 641 43% 31% Rocky Mt 1,049 31% Sequoia-Kings Canyon Glacier-Waterton Grand Teton-Yellowstone 3,389 4,627 10,328 23% 7% 4% Kootenay-Banff-JasperYoho 20,736 0% Source: Wolf, E.C. 1987. On the brink of extinction. Protection of Biodiversity • Species Approaches – Hunting and Fishing Laws – Endangered Species Act – Treaties – Zoos/Gene Banks • Ecosystem Approaches – Parks/Preserves, etc. Endangered Species Act • Definitions – Endangered species: “any species which is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range” Endangered Species Act • Definitions – Threatened species: “any species which is likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range.” Endangered Species Act • Provisions of the Act: 1. List Species requiring protection – Exemptions for “undue economic hardship” 2. Protect Species (no hunting, etc.) 3. Protect Critical Habitat 4. Species Recovery Program – Recovery Team – Recovery Plan Endangered Species Act – Protection measures • 1. Prohibits hunting, killing, capturing, selling, importing, or exporting any endangered species or products Bear gall bladder products. Marketed bile products include eye medicines, hemorrhoid cream and bear bile wine. (Photo courtesy of Animals Asia Foundation) Endangered Species Act • Protection measures • 2. Protects critical habitat – “Areas that are essential for the conservation of a threatened or endangered species and which may require special management considerations.” – Forbids government or governmentsponsored activities that might threaten an endangered species Endangered Species Act • Protection measures • 2. Protects critical habitat Endangered Species Act • Applications • Snail darter vs. Tellico Dam • American alligator • Kirtland Warbler Endangered Species Act Total Animals Plants US Endangered 1046 448 598 US Threatened 305 159 146 1351 607 744 AZ Endangered 36 25 11 AZ Threatened 18 12 6 AZ Total 54 37 17 US Total Link to USFWS Site Link to Pima County Global Species List • IUCN Red List IUCN link http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Protection of Biodiversity • Treaties: International – CITES • 1975, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species Protection of Biodiversity • Zoos and genetic banks – Captive breeding programs, reintroduction – Problems • Small population size Protection of Biodiversity Problems: Small population size Source: Data from H. L. Jones and J. Diamond, “Short-term-base Studies of Turnover in Breeding Bird Populations on the California Coast Island,” in Condor, vol. 78:526-549, 1976. Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display. Protection of Biodiversity • Ecosystem approach – Preserves, parks, refuges, wilderness areas, etc. Ideas about preserving biodiversity • Which is better? Ideas about preserving biodiversity • Continuous better than fragmented Ideas about preserving biodiversity • Which is better? Ideas about preserving biodiversity • Triangle minimizes distance between Ideas about preserving biodiversity • Which is better? Ideas about preserving biodiversity • Corridors allow gene flow