Conservation Biology 406L/506L

Transcription

1 Lecture 02, 27 Aug 2009 ConBio, Footprint Conservation Biology ECOL 406R/506R University of Arizona Fall 2009 Kevin Bonine Mary Jane Epps 506 meet at 1505h today Primack Ch1 Meine et al Ecological Footprint Upcoming Readings Tues 01 Sept: Primack Ch1, pp of Ch3 Leopold readings (see website) Optional: Callicott 1997 (from Meffe and Carroll) Thurs 03 Sept: Primack Ch2, Myers et al st Lab tomorrow 1pm northwest corner BSE 1 Conservation Biology 406L/506L Lab Friday (tomorrow) 1pm NW corner BSE (~4th and Highland) Hat, water, sunscreen, close-toed shoes Readings on Course Website 28 Aug. Tumamoc Hill and Introduction, VAN ecological research, study plots, geology, Tucson basin, desert vegetation, introductions and schedules 2 1

2 3 Ecological Footprint 1 ha = 2.47 acres P.S. Learn the metric system Miller,

3 Ecological Footprint Def: Number of productive acres (fishing grounds, forests, agricultural fields) needed to maintain a given lifestyle -Driving (roads, vehicles, fuel, etc.) -Housing (land and resources for construction) -Food (land, transport, inputs, trophic level) -Other goods and services In 2002 model US citizens used 24 acres/person on average (Canadians 17, Italians 9, Pakistanis 2) As of ~2002 model, planet has about 4.5 acres/person Sustainability? (1 acre = hectare) 5 Kevin Bonine USA 23 August

4 Kevin Bonine Peru 23 August x 2.47 = 6.9 acres Infrastructure and Lifestyle 7 Contribution to Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Global Warming ~Ecological Footprint Miller,

5 Your assignment for today was: For Thursday, please calculate your ecological footprint TWICE: Once for your life here in the U.S. A second time using the same information, but choose a different country. Frequently Asked Questions re: Ecological Footprint: Bring the Numbers to Class on Thursday. Convert to Hectares. 9 Largest? Smallest? Other countries? Direction of difference? Magnitude of difference? 10 5

6 Global Average 11 Kevin, U.S. Aug 2008 If everyone on the planet lived my lifestyle, we would need: 5.05 Earths 12 6

7 What do the data tell us? Name US Footprint (ha) Other Footprint (ha) Kevin B. Mike Todd I Nathan Anne Glen Amanda Kevin Jherimie Meryl Kim Phuong Ursula Dan Dan Antjie Kim Hitomi Amy Zach Andrew Ashwin Brandon Lauren Mackenzie Isabel Kal Roberto for in Botswana in greece italy China 5.18 Tanzania 36.5 Finland 9.44 Kenya 22.3 Guatemala 2.8 Jamaica Switzerland 7.14 Vietnam 5.39 Vietnam Argentina Namibia 4.05 Afghanistan Germany 24.8 China Japan Czech Argentina Australia 3.79 India Swaziland Spain Thailand Japan Botswana Japan mas o menos 13 Kevin, Botswana Aug 2008 If everyone on the planet lived my lifestyle, we would need: 1.20 earths 14 7

8 Social Issues Related to Conservation Biology are Challenging There are only global hectares available per person on a renewable basis. This means we are overshooting the Earth's biological capacity by nearly 50%. To sustain present levels of consumption, we would need: 23.47/15.71 = Ecological Footprint The big choices seem to matter the most: -transportation -food (unprocessed, local, trophic level) -housing -reproduction Recycling etc. important, but not as big an impact Paper or Plastic? - Bring your own. 16 8

9 Ecological Footprint -Reproduction -Housing -Travel -Food -Etc. 17 (Commoner, Ehrlich, early 1970s) Developed Countries 1.2 billion people (~19%) high average per capita purchasing power have 85% world s wealth use 88% natural resources generate 75% waste and pollution I = P A T Environmental Impact = Population x Affluence x Technology (of a society) (consumption) Developing Countries 81% of the people have 15% world s wealth use 12% world s natural resources produce 25% waste and pollution Poor parents in a developing country need to have children to equal the impact of 2 U.S. children 18 9

10 One of Commoner's lasting legacies is his four laws of ecology, as written in The Closing Circle in The four laws are: 1. Everything is Connected to Everything Else. There is one ecosphere for all living organisms and what affects one, affects all. 2. Everything Must Go Somewhere. There is no "waste" in nature and there is no away to which things can be thrown. 3. Nature Knows Best. Humankind has fashioned technology to improve upon nature, but such change in a natural system is, says Commoner, likely to be detrimental to that system. 4. There Is No Such Thing as a Free Lunch. In nature, both sides of the equation must balance, for every gain there is a cost, and all debts are eventually paid. 19 Brennan and Withgott

11 Conservation Biology vs. Ecology vs. Environmentalism vs. other? 49 Problems Addressed by Conservation Biologists: 1 Genetic Diversity variation, inbreeding, drift, hybridization 2 Species MVP, PVA small populations declining populations metapopulations 3 Habitat loss, fragmentation, isolation, heterogeneity 4 Ecosystem Processes scale 5 Human sustainability 50 the crux 11

12 What is Conservation Biology? Primack Ch1, Meine et al Talking Points: Normative Discipline defined by its goal? Is it Science? Advocacy vs. Objectivity Science vs. Finger Painting 51 ~Soulé s (1985) normative postulates 1. Biological diversity is good and should be preserved 2. Untimely extinctions are bad -SUPERKILLING 3. Evolution is good (genotypic variation) and should continue - process - extinct in the wild? 4. Ecological complexity should be maintained - emergent property 5. Biotic diversity has intrinsic value - intrinsic vs. instrumental 52 12

13 Callicott