CONSERVATION BIOLOGY

CONSERVATION BIOLOGY

• CONSERVATION BIOLOGY– A GOAL-ORIENTED SCIENCE THAT SEEKS TO

COUNTER THE BIODIVERSITY CRISIS• A RAPID DECREASE IN EARTH’S GREAT VARIETY OF LIFE• THERE ARE 3 MAJOR THREATS TO BIODIVERSITY

– H______________ D_______________– I_______________ S_______________– OVER________________

CONSERVATION BIOLOGY

• HABITAT DESTRUCTION, AS THE RESULT OF HUMAN ALTERATION, POSES THE SINGLE GREATEST THREAT TO BIODIVERSITY

CONSERVATION BIOLOGY

• INTRODUCED SPECIES (A.K.A. EXOTIC SPECIES) IS THE SECOND GREATEST THREAT

CONSERVATION BIOLOGY

• BIODIVERSITY IS VITAL TO HUMAN WELFARE– REASONS TO CARE ABOUT BIODIVERSITY• AESTHETICS• ETHICS• FOOD, CLOTHING, SHELTER, SOIL• MEDICINES• *ECOSYSTEM STABILITY RELIES ON BIODIVERSITY*

CONSERVATION BIOLOGY

• TECHNOLOGY AND THE POPULATION EXPLOSION COMPOUND OUR IMPACT ON HABITATS AND OTHER SPECIES– DEVELOPED

NATIONS CONSUME FAR MORE RESOURCES PER PERSON (PER CAPITA); OVERCONSUMPTION

CONSERVATION BIOLOGY

• MAJOR ECOLOGICAL CONCERNS INCLUDE– OZONE DEPLETION

CONSERVATION BIOLOGY

• MAJOR ECOLOGICAL CONCERNS INCLUDE– GLOBAL WARMING

• AS A RESULTOF ANINCREASED“GREENHOUSEEFFECT”– KEEP IN MIND,

THIS IS ANESSENTIALPROCESS TOSUPPORT LIFEON EARTH!!

CONSERVATION BIOLOGY

• MAJOR ECOLOGICAL CONCERNS INCLUDE– BIOLOGICAL MAGNIFICATION (BIO-

MAGNIFICATION)• THE BIOMASS AT ANY GIVEN TROPHIC LEVEL IS

PRODUCED FROM A MUCH LARGER TOXIN-CONTAINING BIOMASSS INGESTED FROM THE LEVEL BELOW

CONSERVATION BIOLOGY

• MAJOR ECOLOGICAL CONCERNS INCLUDE– ENDANGERED POPULATIONS• ENDANGERED SPECIES

– A SPECIES IN DANGER OF EXTINCTION THROUGHOUT ALL OR A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF ITS RANGE

• THREATENED SPECIES– THOSE THAT ARE LIKELY TO BECOME ENDANGERED IN THE

FORESEEABLE FUTURE• ENDEMIC SPECIES

– FOUND NOWHERE ELSE; HIGHLY SENSITIVE TO HABITAT DEGRADATION

CONSERVATION BIOLOGY

• WHAT CAN WE DO?– RESTORATION ECOLOGY• USES ECOLOGY PRINCIPLES TO DEVELOP WAYS TO

RETURN DEGRADED ECOSYSTEMS TO CONDITIONS AS SIMILAR AS POSSIBLE TO THEIR NATURAL, PRE-DEGRADED STATE

CONSERVATION BIOLOGY

• WHAT CAN WE DO?– BIOREMEDIATION• THE USE OF LIVING ORGANISMS, USUALLY

PROKARYOTES, FUNGI, OR PLANTS, TO DETOXIFY POLLUTED ECOSYSTEMS

CONSERVATION BIOLOGY

• WHAT CAN WE DO?– SPREAD SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE TO MAKE A

MORE CONCENTRATED EFFORT TO CONSERVE THE BIOSPHERE AND ITS RESOURCES!!

– ALWAYS REMEMBER, STUPID PEOPLE IN LARGE NUMBERS ARE VERY DANGEROUS!!

CONSERVATION BIOLOGY

• OVERVIEW– HABITAT DESTRUCTION• OZONE DEPLETION• GLOBAL WARMING

– INTRODUCED SPECIES• EXOTIC SPECIES• ENDANGERED SPECIES

– OVEREXPLOITATION• OVERPOPULATION LEADS TO OVERCONSUMPTION

CONSERVATION BIOLOGY• SO, IF STUPID

PEOPLE INLARGE NUMBERS AREDANGEROUS…WHATEXACTLYMAKES ANYLIVING THINGINTELLIGENT?

• COME ON BACKTO FIND OUT!!