bisc 309 – conservation biology. bisc 309 – guests + assignment managing species at risk court...
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Bisc 309 – Conservation Biology
Bisc 309 – Guests + AssignmentManaging Species at Risk
Court case: Failure of Dept Fisheries and Oceans to identify critical habitat for nooksak dace
Lawsuit launched by Ecojustice
May 4-7, 2009 10am onwards3rd Floor, 701 West Georgia Street, Vancouver
Freshwater water fish in lowland streams of the Fraser Valley
Bisc 309 – Lectures
From molecules to landscapes
in 13 weeks
or 40 minutes
Conservation of molecules or genetic diversity
WHY is this important?
Loss of genetic variation may
Reduce individual survival/productivityReduce populations ability to adapt
increase extinction risk
Habitat loss Pollution Overexploitation Invasive species
Small fragmented isolated popn’s
Inbreeding Loss of genetic diversity
Reduced survival and reproductionReduced ability to adapt
Reduced N An Extinction Vortex
ExamplesLow genetic diversity reduces reproductive output or survival
Conservation of molecules or genetic diversity
How big is big enough?
5000 individuals?
What are the issues?
Genetic processes are slowPurging may counter inbreedingWe don’t measure variation for selected traitsOther factors are more immediate/importantRecovery targets are rarely based on genetics
March 2008: Panda genome to be sequenced in a bid to conserve species
“ the giant panda is a global conservation symbol and deserving of such an effort”
Oliver Ryder, endangered species biologist
Conservation of Small populations
Why are small populations a concern?
Small populations are especially vulnerable to
stochastic processesallee effects
that reduce population growth
---> an extinction vortex
Environmental stochasticity
EG Onager
Strong effects on λ in all populations
Demographic stochasticityEG Dusky seaside sparrowStrong effects on λ in small populations
Managing small populations
Population viability analysisa tool to assess extinction risk
Questions/Issues How do they work?What are the problems?What else can you use them for?
Managing small populationsReintroductions
Key questionsWhen do they work best?What other factors need to be considered?
Conservation concernsHabitat loss, Degradation and Fragmentation
habitat
Edge effects
Primates634 species50% on IUCN Red ListMajor threat – habitat loss
Africa – red colobus Asia – Grey shanked douc langur
Conservation concernsHabitat loss and degradation
Can produce
edges
sink habitat
ecological traps
population declines
Managing habitat loss and degradation
Establishing reservesRestoring habitat
Conservation concernsHabitat loss and Fragmentation
Patches, area/isolation effects
Patches, area/isolation effects
Area Isolation
Occ
upa
ncy
Metapopulations and the matrix
Managing patches and metapopulations
Corridors
Simberloff asked questionCONSERVATION BARGAINS OR POOR INVESTMENTS?
We evaluated evidence thatanimals/plants use corridorscorridors influence demographycorridors influence genetic
structurecorridors influence diversity
do corridors influence species diversity?
Gilbert et al. 1998 ProcRSoc 265: 577-82
Expt withMoss micro-arthropod communities on rocks
Conservation concerns Invasive species
Pine trees in Africa
African dung beetles in Australia
Australian Possum in New Zealand
New Zealand snails in North America
Invasive species
KEY QUESTIONS
What characteristics of a community favour invasions?
Can we predict which species have large impacts?
Do invasions lead to community meltdown?
How will removal impact the current community?
Managing invasive speciesBiological Control “is the only long term solution” to invasive weeds/pests
Judy Myers (UBC)
% fo
liage
re
mo
ved
Pla
nt b
iom
ass
Purple loosestrife control
Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit 1992
United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity
Each party must as far as possible
1. Establish a system of protected areas or areas where special measures need to be taken to conserve biological diversity
2. Develop where necessary guidelines for the selection, establishment and management of protected areas
Do protected areas work?Perc
en
t n
atu
ral veg
eta
tion
Amazon Atlantic coast forest
Congo forest West African forest
Joppa et al PNAS 2008
Do protected areas work?
A + B Brazil C Nigeria D Ghana
Do marine protected areas work?
Mosqueira Mosqueira et al. 2000et al. 2000Animal ConservationAnimal Conservation
(236)
Targetspecies
6543210-1
(110)
Non-targetspecies
Overall
(541)
Response ratio
More fishin reserve
More fishout of reserve
Overall effect of 12 reserves around the world
How do you design a reserve system that includes and sustains all biodiversity and ecosystem processes of the region?
What features can be used as surrogates for overall biodiversity?
Reserve networks – case studies
Different approaches - what lessons were learnt
Cape Floristic Region Phillipines
Conservation concern – climate change
Climate change is having detectable effects
Loss of sea-ice reduces access to prey and has led to a decline in body weights and reproductive successCould adapt by switching to snow goose eggs
Climate change, by improving conditions for chytrid fungus, is implicated in extinctions of 74 harlequin frog species
The main message
Climate
Humans
Biodiversity
Adaptation and mitigation are necessaryBiodiversity/conservation plays a role in
climate regulationBiodiversity/conservation is central to
tackling climate change
Climate change
If we act as if it’s too late, then it will be
However, unlikely success might be we can’t abandon efforts to cut carbon emissions – we don’t have a better option
George Monbiot
Rich nations have promised $18 billion to help poor nations with climate change but they have disbursed only 5% of that
Guardian
Conservation Biology
“do you build models or actually do something”
Kathy Martin (CWS, UBC, forest ecologist)
Biology
provides the tools to help identify trends, evaluate data, test hypotheses and suggest solutions
Economics, Development and Politics
are critical for their implementation and success
Your job
Spread the word
Use the biology
Build models
And
Actually do something