IB ESS 3.3-3.4

Four arguments for the preservation of biodiversity

- Economic - Ecological - Social - Aesthetic

Edge effects

- Edge effects occur at ecotones (where two habitats meet and there is a change near the boundary) - There are more species present in ecotones - Change in abiotic factors. Ex: More wind or precipitation - Long thin reserves have a large edge effect, a circular one has the least

Direct values of biodiversity

- Food sources: Wheat, rice, and maize - Natural products: Many of the medicines, fertilizers and pesticides we use are derived from plants and animals

Large edge effect

- Having a large edge effect is beneficial because it includes more species and bigger populations

Describe the dangers of hotspots and why the rate of extinction is higher in these areas

- Hotspots are very vulnerable to habitat loss and many species within them are endemic

5 natural factors that lead to the loss of biodiversity

- Volcanic eruptions - Earthquakes - Floods - Wild fires - Hurricanes

Economic value of tropical rain forests

- 50% of the Earth's timber can be found in tropical rain forests - All year ground growth means that food can be found at any time of the year

Keystone species

- A species that plays a critical role in maintaining the structure of the ecosystem in which they live - Ex: Sea otter eating sea urchins in kelp forests

Why should we conserve biodiversity?

- Conserving biodiversity relates to what we owe to millions of plant, animal and microbe species with whom we share this planet

IUCN Red List

- A way for the IUCN to monitor the state of the world's species - Determines the conservation status of a species based on several criteria - Data is gathered on a global scale and species under threat are put into one of the Red List categories

Five types of species based approaches to conservation

- CITES - Captive breeding and zoos - Botanical gardens and seed banks - Flagship species - Keystone species

6 unnatural or human-caused factors that lead to the loss of biodiversity

- Fragmentation of habitat - Pollution - Over-exploitation - Introducing non-native species - Spread of disease - Modern agricultural practices

Indirect values of biodiversity

- Human health: The first antibiotics were obtained from fungi - Human rights: If we preserve the rain forests, indigenous tribes can continue to live in them and continue to make a livelihood - Environmental services: Fertilization and pollination of some food crops depend on insects - Gene pools: Wild animals and plants are sources of genes for hybridization and genetic engineering

Difference between IGOs, GOs and NGOs (Three Categories)

- IGOs: Composed of and answering to a group of member countries - GOs: Part of and funded by a national government. Highly bureaucratic - NGOs: Not part of a government, not for profit, may be international or local and funded by altruists and subscriptions. Some run by volunteers.

Minimum viable population size

- It's needed for a species to survive in the wild - A figure that scientists and conservationist consider

Factors that make a species prone to extinction

- Narrow geographical range - Low genetic diversity - Low population densities and large territories - Few populations of the species - A large body - Low reproductive potential - Seasonal migrants - Poor dispersers - Specialized feeders or niche requirements - Edible to humans and herding together

How conversation organizations work

- Organizations that work to conserve or preserve biodiversity - May be local, global or both - They fall into three categories depending on their constitution and funding

Red List determines conservation status of a species based on several criteria

- Population size - Degree of specialization - Distribution - Reproductive potential & behavior - Geographic range - Degree of fragmentation - Quality of habitat - Trophic level - Probability of extinction

Why are island organisms particulary vulnerable to extinction?

- Populations tend to be small - Islands have a high degree of endemic species - Genetic diversity tends to be low in small unique island populations - Islands tend to be vulnerable to the introduction of non-native predators to which they have no defense mechanism

Ecological value of tropical rain forests

- Produces 40% of the oxygen that animals use - High species diversity and high habitat diversity - Photosynthesis is rapid and not limited by lack of raw materials - Fast rate of respiration and decomposition means that the forests are very fertile with high levels of biomass

Two approaches to conservation

- Species-based conservation: Focuses on conserving the species but doesn't look at conserving the habitat in which it lives in - Habitat conservation: Conservationists set up protected areas or nature reserves that were far away from high human population

IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources)

- The Union's mission is to influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable

Significant ideas of 3.4

- The impact of losing biodiversity drives conservation efforts - The variety of arguments given for the conservation of biodiversity will depend on environmental value systems - There are various approaches to the conservation of biodiversity, with associated strengths and limitations

How does the complexity of ecosystems help maintain biodiversity?

- The more complex a food web, the more resilient it is to the loss of one species or reduction in its population size. - If one type of prey or predator is lost, the others will fill the gaps left

Example of an endangered species: DUGONG

- What: Marine mammal related to the manatee - Where: Coasts of East Africa to Australia - Why: Diet made up of sea grass, development on coasts pollutes water where sea grass grows. As a result sea grass is dying and the dugong's food source is depleting. - Done for it: Creating several councils and foundations that protest and donate to try and help the dugong.

Example of an extinct species: WEST AFRICAN BLACK RHINOCEROS

- Where: Cameroon - When it was last seen: 2006 - Why: Sports hunting, rhino habitats were being used for fields and settlements and their horns were being used for Chinese medicine. - How: 98% of black rhinos were killed by poachers due to the voracious demand for their horns.

Example of a recovered species: THE GRIZZLY BEAR

- Where: Western U.S. & Canada - Done for it: The grizzly bear was placed under the protection of the two-year old ESA, prohibiting the killing of grizzlies. - Why it was endangered: Habitat loss: Logging, mining, oil and gas drilling.

Significant ideas of 3.3

- While global biodiversity is difficult to quantify, it is decreasing rapidly due to human activity - Classification of species conservation status can provide a useful tool in conservation of biodiversity