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 STUPIDPEOPLE INLARGE NUMBERS AREDANGEROUS…WHATEXACTLYMAKES ANYLIVING THINGINTELLIGENT?
• COME ON BACKTO FIND OUT!!