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sustainable (low input) agriculture (AKA organic farming)

Agriculture that has a minimal/no impact on the land. It is often thought that these foods are healthier or safer in some way.

endangered species

A species whose numbers are so small that the species is at risk of extinction

What is a threatened species?

A threatened species is a wild species that is still abundant in its natural range but likely to become endangered because of a decline in numbers.

safe harbor agreements

A voluntary agreement between a landowner and the USFWS that is designed to help the species in question as well as give the land owner some reassurances about his or her ability to continue economic activities on the land in the future

"Tragedy of the Commons"

An economic problem in which every individual tries to reap the greatest benefit from a given resource.

What is an endangered species?

An endangered species is a wild species with so few individual survivors that the species could soon become extinct in all or most of its natural range.

Human controlled breeding has created homogenous gene pools in livestock and crop plants leading to?

An increased endangerment of domestic species.

environmental indicators

An indicator that describes the current state of an environmental system.

agrofrestry (alley cropping)

An integrated approach of using the interactive benefits from combining trees and shrubs with crops and/or livestock. It combines agricultural and forestry technologies to create more diverse, productive, profitable, healthy, and sustainable land-use systems.

What protection is given to species that are listed as endangered or threatened in the U.S.?

Animals identified and listed as endangered or threatened species cannot be injured, hunted, collected, or killed in the U.S.

Why are some species (such as ocean fish) overharvested?

The overharvesting of species typical stems (comes from) market demand for goods associated with a particular species. Bluefin tuna for example are highly prized for sushi and since there are so few left, they are overharvested and bring a large dollar amount in return.

ecological island

a comparatively small habitat separated from a major habitat of the same kind

Habitat conservation plan

a cooperative agreement that allows landowners to harm threatened or endangered species in some ways if they voluntarily improve habitat for the species in others

shifting cultivation

A form of subsistence agriculture in which people shift activity from one field to another; each field is used for crops for relatively few years and left fallow for a relatively long period.

ecotourism

A form of tourism that supports the conservation and sustainable development of ecologically unique areas

renewable

A resource that can be remade quickly

nonrenewable

A resource that cannot be remade quickly or cannot be remade at all

threatened species

A species that could become endangered in the near future

endemic species

A species that is found in its originating location and is generally restricted to that geographic area.

What is the difference between biological and ecological extinction?

Biological extinction occurs when a species is no longer found anywhere on the Earth. Biological extinction is forever. Ecological extinction occurs when there are so few members of a species left that it can no longer play its ecological roles in the biological communities where it is found.

Describe what biophilia is? Who coined the term?

Biologist Edward O. Wilson contends that because of the billions of years of biological connections leading to the evolution of the human species, we have an inherent affinity for the natural world -a phenomenon he calls biophilia (love of life).

When we look at trends in global biodiversity today, what trends do we see?

Both species and genetic diversity is decreasing.

Are captive breeding programs the answer?

Captive breeding programs do help but the real key is to save habitat for these endangered species in the wild. Captive breeding programs in zoos actually require the captive population to number between 100 and 500 to work well and to maximize genetic diversity.

polyculture

Complex form of intercropping in which a large number of different plants maturing at different times are planted together.

fisheries

Concentrations of particular aquatic species suitable for commercial harvesting in a given ocean area or inland body of water

CITES

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species; an international agreement between 175 governments that aims to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival

commercial extinction

Depletion of the population of a wild species used as a resource to a level at which it is no longer profitable to harvest the species.

overgrazing

Destruction of vegetation caused by too many grazing animals consuming the plants in a particular area so they cannot recover

What is egg pulling?

Egg pulling refers to collecting eggs from the wild and hatching them in zoos or research centers. This has helped to bring back several species from the brink of extinction such as the California condor and the whooping crane.

ESA

Endangered Species Act of 1973; the primary legislation for protecting biodiversity in the United States

An important reason to preserve biodiversity is because of the instrumental value of ecosystems (ecosystem services). What are some examples?

Food, medicinal products, timber, insect pollination, etc.

fish farming

Form of aquaculture in which fish are cultivated in a controlled pond or other environment and harvested when they reach the desired size.

fish ranching

Form of aquaculture in which members of a fish species such as salmon are held in captivity for the first few years of their lives, released, and then harvested as adults when they return from the ocean to their freshwater birthplace to spawn. See also fish farming.

ecosystems approach

Four-point plan that aims to protect threatened habitats and ecosystem services.

aguaculture

Growing aquatic species in net pens or tanks. It can be in tanks. If genetically modified fish get into the Ocean it can destroy environment.

sustainable yield

Highest rate at which a renewable resource can be used indefinitely without reducing its available supply

What is an extinct species?

In biology and ecology, extinction is the cessation of existence of a species or group of taxa, reducing biodiversity. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species (although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point). Because a species' potential range may be very large, determining this moment is difficult, and is usually done retrospectively.

seed banks

Institutions that preserve seed types as a kind of living museum of genetic diversity

Why is the story of the passenger pigeon such an important one?

It best illustrates the role humans can play in the premature extinction of species. Who would have ever thought that such a plentiful bird would ever go extinct in such a short period of time?Some of the things that led to their demise include: uncontrolled commercial hunting(overharvesting), loss of food supplies as forests were cleared for farms, loss of habitat as forests were cleared for cities, and large numbers were easy to kill at one time because they were generally found in large flocks.

What are some of the characteristics of livestock?

Livestock come from very few species, the genetic diversity of livestock has declined during the past century, different breeds are adapted to different climatic conditions, and different breeds are adapted to different diseases.

geneticially modified organisms (GMOs)

Living things that have undergone genetic engineering for the purposes of self betterment. Generally done to improve the quality of foods.

What local extinction?

Local extinction occurs when a species is no longer found in an area it once inhabited but is still found elsewhere in the world.

Soil Erosion

Movement of soil components, especially topsoil, from one place to another, usually by wind, flowing water, or both. This natural process can be greatly accelerated by human activities that remove vegetation from soil.

NMFS

National Marine Fisheries Service: inspects and certifies fishing vessles, seafood processing plants, retail facilities for federal sanatation standards

local extinction

Occurs when a species is no longer found in an area it once inhabited but is still found elsewhere in the world.

intercropping

Planting different crops together

crops

Plants grown for food. Ex. corn, wheat, rice, apples, etc.

traditional intensive agriculture

Producing enough food for a farm family's survival and perhaps a surplus that can be sold. This type of agriculture uses higher inputs of labor, fertilizer, and water than traditional subsistence agriculture. See traditional subsistence agriculture. Compare industrialized agriculture.

undergrazing

Reduction of the net primary productivity of grassland vegetation and grass cover from absence of grazing for long periods (at least 5 years).

main 2 kinds of Meat

Second largest component of the human diet; livestock (beef, veal and lamb) and poultry (chicken and duck)

interplanting

Simultaneously growing a variety of crops on the same plot. See agroforestry, intercropping, polyculture, polyvarietal cultivation.

What are some good examples of birds that are endangered species?

The California condor and whooping crane are all classified as endangered species. The whooping crane is vulnerable to extinction because of its low reproduction rate. Captive breeding programs have been essential in the work to increase the numbers of California condors and whooping cranes.

What are some birds humans have helped out directly with their nesting requirements?

The Eastern bluebird has made a thriving comeback thanks to the artificial nest boxes that have been put up along fence rows to make up for the dearth(lack of)of natural cavities in dead and dying trees. Artificial nest boxes installed along rivers, streams, along lakes, swamps, and other waterways have helped to restore the population of the wood duck that normally nests in tree cavities.

What is an important endangered bird species in Michigan?

The Kirtland Warbler is endangered because of its picky nesting habits and nest parasitism by cowbirds.

What is the status of the Northern spotted owl?

The Northern spotted owl is also endangered because much of its habitat of old growth forests in the Pacific Northwest have been heavily logged.In addition, it faces competition from another owl species, the barred owl.

What are some well-known biologically extinct species?

The Passenger Pigeon, Carolina Parakeet, Dodo Bird, Tasmanian Tiger, Ivory Billed Woodpecker, etc.

What federal organization is responsible for identifying and listing endangered and threatened ocean species?

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the federal agency responsible for identifying and listed endangered species in the United States.

biotic pollution

The accidental or intentional introduction of a foreign species into an area where it is not native

How does our current extinction crisis differ from previous mass extinctions (who or what is causing the current crisis)?

The big difference is that all of the previous five mass extinctions were caused by changes in Earth systems that man had no hand in (they all took place before human life evolved). The current Sixth Mass Extinction crisis differs from previous biological extinctions in that it is being caused by humans.

The causes of endangerment and extinction of wild species with the longest delay is human ___ growth.

The cause of endangerment and extinction of wild species with the longest delay is human population growth.

agriculture

The deliberate effort to modify a portion of Earth's surface through the cultivation of crops and the raising of livestock for sustenance or economic gain.

How are we attempting to preserve seed diversity?

The facility in Sweden known as the Svalbard Global seed vault is designed to preserve seed diversity.

captive breeding

The mating of endangered animals in zoos or preserves

Crop Rotation

The practice of rotating use of different fields from crop to crop each year, to avoid exhausting the soil.

aquaculture

The raising of aquatic organisms for human consumption

Why are bird's such good indicator species?

The reason that birds are excellent environmental indicators is because they live in every climate and biome, respond quickly to environmental changes in their habitats, and are easy to track and count.

What does the term biodiversity include?

The term biodiversity is a buzzword that incorporates genetic variation, the number of different species adjusted for relative abundance, and variability of habitat.

What are some drawbacks of gene banks, arboreta,and botanical gardens?

There is not enough funding to provide storage of all endangered species. There is also too little storage capacity. In addition, seeds in storage do not evolve and therefore become less fit for reintroduction into a changed environment. Finally, some plant seeds do not store well.

undernutrition

Too little food energy or too few nutrients to prevent disease or to promote growth; a form of malnutrition

overnutrition

Too much food energy or excess nutrients to the degree of causing disease or increasing risk of disease; a form of malnutrition

USFWS

U.S. fish and wildlife service; protects fish, wildlife, and natural ecosystems, maintains national wildlife refuges, and enforces wildlife laws

industrialized (high input) agriculture

Using large inputs of energy from fossil fuels (especially oil and natural gas), water, fertilizer, and pesticides to produce large quantities of crops and livestock for domestic and foreign sale

global extinction

When a species can no longer be found anywhere (globally)

precautionary approach

When a threat is of serious environmental damage, we should not wait for scientific proof before taking action

slash-and-burn

a farming method involving the cutting of trees, then burning them to provide ash-enriched soil for the planting of crops.

pastureland

a field covered with grass or herbage and suitable for grazing by livestock

malnutrition

a state of poor nutrition

HIPPO

acronym to remember the important causes of premature extictiom H- habitat destruction (loss) , degradation, fragmentation I- invasive species P- pollution P- population growth O- overharvesting

habitat island

any habitat surrounded by a different one. Most national parks and other nature reserves are habitat islands, many of them encircled by potentially damaging logging, mining, energy extraction, and industrial activities.

Intertillage

between rows of plant crops

species-area relationship

biologists observe how the number of species present increases with a size of an area; a 90% loss of habitat causes the extinction of about half of the species living in that habitat; the relationship between island size and equilibrium species diversity

overfishing

catching fish at a faster rate than they can reproduce

egg peeling

collecting wild eggs laid by critically endangered bird species and then hatching them in zoos or research centers

Extensive subsistence agriculture

consists of any agricultural economy in which the crops and/or animals are used nearly exclusively for local or family consumption on large areas of land and minimal labor input per acre.

CBD

convention on biological diversity; agreement between 188 countries that legally commits participating governments to reversing the global decline of biological diversity and equitably sharing the benefits from using the world's genetic resources.

livestock

farm animals; domestic animals raised for their working ability or for their value as a source of food and other products

genetic engineering (gene splicing)

insertion of an alien gene into an organism to give it a beneficial genetic trait

rangeland

land suitable for grazing livestock

voluntary candidate conservation agreements

landowners agree to take specific steps to help conserve a species whose population is declining but is not yet listen as endangered or threatened

speciation crisis

limiting the long-term recovery of biodiversity by eliminating places where new species can evolve

tradition subsistence agriculture

only make enough for themselves and their families

polyvarietal cultivation

planting a plot with several genetic varieties of the same crop

sunshine farm project

principles of sustanability by raising crops without fossil fuesl, or any other **** and rlies on solar energy. plants perennial crops and uses natural predators for pest control

plantation agriculture

raising a large amount of a "cash crop" for local sale or export

green revolution

term used to describe the transformation of agriculture in many developing nations that led to significant increases in agricultural production between the 1940s and 1960s.

Desertification

the gradual transformation of habitable land into desert.

ecological extinction

there are so few individuals of a species that this species can no longer perform its ecological function

biological extinction

true extermination of a species. There are no individuals of this species left on the planet.

reconciliation ecology

working together, compromising, finding ways to share land; inventing, establishing and maintaining new habitats to conserve species diversity in places where people live, work, or play