NR300 Biological Diversity EXAM 1

What are the major impacts of large dams on river systems?

-Changes in flow regimes -large impacts to deltas because soil is getting stuck in dames -increased temperatures because of shallower streams -restricting corridors

What are the most important and pervasive threats to grasslands?

-Fragmentation (fencing) -Habitat destruction & land conservation -replacement of wildlife with livestock -water usurpation -overhunting

What are common "themes" (or characteristics) of grasslands?

-Highest herbivore densities in the world -migratory/nomadic lifestyles -water scarcity, riverline habitats -livestock, not farming

Know the FIVE major forces that threaten biodiversity.

1. Habitat loss and fragmentation 2. Invasive species 3. Climate change 4. Over exploitation 5. Pollution

What are the biological consequences of habitat fragmentation?

1. Initial inclusion 2. Crowding effect 3. Area effect 4. Isolation 5. Edge effects

Name at least four edge effects (2+ biotic and 2+ abiotic).

1. Light (abiotic) 2. Wind (abiotic) 3. Temperature (abiotic) 4.Ecological Trap (biotic, nest example) 5. Predation (biotic) 6. Loss of core habitat (biotic?) 7. Increase in herbivory and seed predation (deer and mice) (biotic)

What characteristics makes a species especially vulnerable to climate change?

1. Low dispersal rates 2. Specialized habitat requirements 3. Limited physiological or behavioral plasticity 4. Low genetic variation 5. Strong dependencies on other species disrupted by climate change 6. Rarity 7. Reliance on environmental triggers (e.g. temperature) as a cue for life history events such as breeding and flowering

As a conservation biologist, what could you do to make a region and ecological community more resilient to climate change?

1. Minimize human stresses 2. Increase connectivity/ corridors to allow movement 3. Expand protected area network to include diverse ecosystem conditions and to encompass current and future species ranges. 4. Assisted migration

Who are the people most strongly associated with the 1) romantic-transcendental conservation ethic, 2) the resource conservation ethic and 3) the evolutionary-ecological land ethic?

1. Romantic-Transcendental: Henry Thoreau & John Muir 2. Resource Conservation: Gifford Pinchot 3. Evolutionary-Ecological: Aldo Leopold

In what four broad ways is the abiotic environment changing as a result of climate change?

1. Sea level rise 2. Changes in temperature 3. Increased frequency of severe weather events 4. Precipitation

Explain three different ways that biologists estimate the number of species that have not yet been described.

1. Species accumulation curves? 2. 3.

Approximately how many species have been described? What is the estimate on the total number of living species on earth (described and undescribed)?

1.75 million living species and 300,000 fossil species have been described Estimates on total living species range from 3 to 30 million, new study = 8.7m

Define and distinguish between invasive and introduced species.

3 Major differences:

What is the "Anthropocene"?

A proposed epoch dating from the commencement of significant human impact on the Earth's geology and ecosystems, including, but not limited to, anthropogenic climate change

What is a novel ecosystem?

A system of abiotic, biotic, and social components that, by virtue of human influence manifest novel qualities without intensive human management

Be able to define and distinguish between alpha, beta and gamma diversity. Where in the world would you expect high or low alpha and beta diversity?

Alpha diversity- species richness in a single place Beta diversity- change in species richness between two places (total species unique to each place) Gamma diversity- overall diversity for multiple places within a region ("geographic scale species diversity")

Isolation

Barriers between habitats can cause extinction or loss of genetic diversity

Why is preserving genetic diversity important both for natural communities and human well-being?

For natural communities it provides natural selection and causes the drive to evolve, while for the human well-being it could be for ecosystem services

What is biodiversity? Define and understand the hierarchical components of biodiversity ranging from genetic to ecosystem diversity.

Biodiversity- the different forms of life. Genetic Diversity- genetic variability is the basis for natural selection & evolution, survival of species depends on it. Ecosystem Diversity- the variations in ecosystems within a geographical location and its overall impact on human existence and the environment

What is conservation biology? How has this field changed over the past 30 years? In particular, how does Peter Kareiva's perspective on conservation science (Kareiva and Marvier 2012) differ from Michael Soule's (1985)?

Conservation bio- the goal to provide principles & tools for preserving biological diversity. Over the years the perspective has changed from nature orientated to a human-centered view

How is conservation biology similar or different from natural resources fields such as forestry or wildlife biology?

Conservation biology is an overarching thing while forestry and wildlife biology focus on their specific field

What techniques or market tools can be used to convert the value of nature into dollars? Why use contingent valuation? What are some of the limitations of this approach?

Conventional, Impact & Hypothetical Market Approaches Use contingent valuation b/c it is the willingness to pay for some environmental good. Some limitations would be humans not caring or willing to pay for it

What are the major arguments for and against the ecosystem services approach to conserving biodiversity?

For: gives monetry insentives for conservation Against: selling out on nature?

What were the most important outcomes of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (as described in class)?

Designed to meet needs of decision makers among government, business, civil society. Largest assessment ever undertaken of the health of ecosystems.

What is an evolutionarily significant unit (ESU)?

ESU- a population of organisms that is considered distinct for purposes of conservation

What is ecocentrism and how does it differ from other philosophies/belief systems towards nature?

Ecocentrism- whole ecological systems have value, a holistic perspective that preserves connections

What are ecosystem services? Be able to list the four categories of services (as defined in the MEA) and provide an example of each.

Ecosystem Services- conditions and processes through which ecosystems and their constituent species sustain and fulfill human life. 1. Provisioning- ex: food, water, & fuel 2. Regulating- ex: climate and water regulations 3. Cultural- ex: aesthetic, spiritual, recreational and educational 4. Supporting- ex: nutrient cycling, soil formation and primary production

What is the most important threat to biodiversity, globally?

Habitat loss and fragmentation

Why is managing wild horses in the American west such a "wicked" problem?

Human values, there are an invasive species but culturally important

In the "New Normal" article you read, Emma Marris suggests we are in a world dominated by ecosystems that are a mixture of invasive and native species, and that this is a new reality that conservation biologists need to accept. Do you agree? Why or why not?

I personally agree. What do you think, Rachael?

Habitat loss

Impacts so severe that nearly all species are adversely affected and the time span needed for recovery is extremely long

Habitat degradation

Impacts that affect many but not all species and that may be temporary

Name at least two intentional and two unintentional pathways through which species are introduced and become established.

Intentional: Novelty, people transporting them because they think they are cool, and as an effort of pest control. Unintentional: boats (maritime traffic), travel in general, pets

Understand the two classic philosophies towards nature: intrinsic and utilitarian value.

Intrinsic- biocentric, the value that something has in itself Instrumental (utilitarian)- anthropogenic, the value that something has because it helps us to get or achieve some other thing

In the case study presented by Stefan, what is the primary threat to argali sheep in Mongolia, and what conservation strategy resulted in increased birth mass, juvenile survival and population growth?

Livestock are a major threat

How does the total planetary biomass of humans, pets/livestock and wild mammals compare?

Most biomass on earth is livestock. Next is humans land last is wild mammals

Does habitat fragmentation have consistent negative effects on biodiversity if you control for habitat loss? (see article by Fahrig)

No

Are the impacts of climate change uniform across the globe

No, and although they pose a major threat to some taxa and systems, climate change is not universally negative for all species.

Be familiar with range shifts and phenological mismatch as two ecological consequences of climate change that effect species and species interactions.

Okay

Crowding effect

Population densities increase then collapse

What is the definition of a population? How does this differ from a community or ecosystem?

Population- A group of individuals of a particular species living in a specific area at the same time -Populations can be genetically distinct because they are uniquely adapted to their environment

What are the risks and benefits associated with assisted colonization?

Risks: 1. Better to focus on the source of the issue (greenhouse gasses) 2. Species could become invasive 3. Create "unnatural" communities 4. Trans-located individuals may not survive Benefits: 1. Existing protected areas are inadequate 2. Species may go extinct if we don't 3. It's happening anyways 4. Better to have an "engineered" world than a world with more species loss

Understand the extent that roads contribute to habitat fragmentation in the U.S.

Roads are 1% of all US land area, some animals need to be within a certain distance away from a road which is becoming nearly impossible.

Initial Inclusion

Species lost that were only found in cleared areas

What is the definition of a species? Why does defining a species matter? What is the difference between biological, morphological and phylogenetic species concepts?

Species- any distinct population segment of any species of vertebrate fish or wildlife which interbreeds when mature

Be familiar with the IUCN red list - what information does this database provide?

The level of the endangerment the animal is in and assessing the biodiversity

Be familiar with the barred owl removal experiment you read about and that we discussed in class - what is the motivation for this project, and why is it controversial?

The motivation is to save the Spotted Owls by killing off the Barred Owl

How are grasslands maintained (e.g. why doesn't succession convert grasslands to forest over time)?

Through drought, fire, frost, and grazing.

What are the objectives of a Bioblitz?

To get an overall count of the plants, animals, fungi, and other organisms that live in a place

What are "Payments for Ecosystem Services"? Be familiar with one example of where such a program has been implemented and why.

Users of ecosystem services pay landowners who supply these services. Example: In Costa Rica the land owners to keep their property undeveloped in order to help with water purification, biodiversity resources and scenic beauty.

Understand that both human population growth and consumption rates are leading to biodiversity loss. What surprising factors reduced fertility rates in countries like India and Brazil (see reading)? How does per capita consumption differ across the globe?

Watching TV- Indian woman watched a show about woman making it in the outside world (business) and it proved that having less kids was the key to a better life

According to the article you read describing Hanski's research, what might be the relationship between species diversity and human health?

With humans moving to urban areas with limited diversity they aren't exposed to as many germs/bacteria that could improve their immune system, so more diversity helps our bodies in the long run

What are several reasons why preserving population diversity is important?

allergies

How does the current extinction event differ from previous mass extinctions? What metric does Ceballos et al. (2017) use to show that the magnitude of biological annihilation is under-appreciated?

current species loss is not triggered by natural disaster. All caused by one species of mammal. Humans are both the cause and the solution, it is not inevitable. 15,000-100,000 species going extinct each year.

What are the "seven forms of rarity"? What factors increase a species risk of extinction?

population size: habitat specificity: geographic range:....

Area effect

some species home range are larger than the fragments that remain

What does the Asian Tsunami/mangrove example illustrate about the importance of accounting for ecosystem services?

• Benefits of coastal tree vegetation in reducing coastal destruction by tsunamis ○ Highly damaged villages (no coastal vegetation) ○ Undamaged villages (coastal vegetation) ○ Wave damage extended inland in non vegetated areas • Ecosystem services from mangrove forests ○ Storm protection ○ Nursery habitat for juvenile fish ○ Reducing soil erosion o Waste processing

What characteristics make species more likely to be successful invaders?

• High fecundity • High propagule pressure • Ability to spread vegetatively • Broad physical tolerances • Broad diet -Lack of natural enemies or competitors in new environment- "ecological release

What characteristics of natural communities make them more susceptible to invasion?

• Low biological diversity • Climate and habitat hospitable • Species poor communities -Disturbance - can alter the availability of resources or reduce the effectiveness of competitors (often facilitated by previous invaders)

What are the mechanisms through which invasive species have negative effects on native species?

• When a new and aggressive species is introduced into an ecosystem, it might not have any natural predators or controls, it can breed and spread quickly and take over an area ○ Native wildlife may not have evolved defenses against the invasive species and cannot compete for survival • Prey on native species • Outcompeting native species for food or resources • Carry diseases and bringing them into the new ecosystem • Killing native species young • Prevent reproduction of native species -Change the food web- destroying or replacing native food sources