The number of species on an island doubles as the island size increases tenfold.

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1 Area effect Large islands contain more species than small islands They are easier to find Their larger popula7ons have lower ex7nc7on rates They possess more habitats The number of species on an island doubles as the island size increases tenfold. Air pollu7on Degrades forest ecosystems Water pollu7on Adversely affects fish and amphibians. Agricultural runoff Harms terrestrial and aqua7c species Oil and chemical spills Kill wildlife Although pollu7on is a substan7al threat It tends to cause less damage than habitat altera7on or invasive species Vulnerable species are large, few in number long-lived have few young Siberian 7ger Hunted without rules and regula7ons Early 1990s increased 7ger poaching because of powerful economic incen7ves Today the oceans contain only 10% of the large animals they once did. 1

2 Introduc7on of non-na7ve species to new environments Accidental: zebra mussels Inten7onal: food crops Island species very vulnerable Billions in economic damage each year Invaders have no natural controls Emissions of greenhouse gases warm temperatures Modifies global weather paterns Increases the frequency of extreme weather events Increases stress on popula7ons Forces organisms to shiv their geographic ranges Most not able to cope too fast Provides food, shelter, fuel Purifies air and water and detoxifies wastes Stabilizes climate, moderates floods, droughts, wind, temperature Generates and renews soil fer7lity and cycles nutrients Pollinates plants and controls pests and disease Maintains gene7c resources Provides cultural and aesthe7c benefits Allows us to adapt to change The annual value of just 17 ecosystem services = $16-54 trillion per year 2

3 Gene7c diversity in crops Enormously valuable Turkey s wheat crops Received $50 billion worth of disease resistance from wild wheat New poten7al food crops are wai7ng to be used Serendipity berry Stevia Monellin protein 3,000 (100,000?) 7mes sweeter than sugar Salt tolerant grasses Can be irrigated with seawater Each year Pharmaceu7cal products from wild species Generate up to $150 billion in sales Rosy periwinkle Produces compounds that treat Hodgkin's disease and leukemia Biodiversity Provides income through tourism Ecotourism ($1.5-2B in WA) People visit natural areas Crea7ng economic opportunity for residents living near those areas Costa Rica: rainforests Australia: Great Barrier Reef Belize: reefs, caves, and rainforests Powerful incen7ve To preserve natural areas / reduce impacts Too many visitors Can degrade the outdoor experience and disturb wildlife 3

4 Biophilia Edward O. Wilson Connec7ons that humans subconsciously seek with life Our affinity for parks and wildlife Keeping of pets High value of real estate with views of natural lands Nature deficit disorder Specula7on of author Richard Louv Aliena7on from the natural environment May be behind some emo7onal and physical problems ConservaBon biology Studies the factors that influence the loss, protec7on, and restora7on of biodiversity Response to alarming rate of degrada7on of natural systems Applied and goal-oriented ie popula7on recovery Tries to minimize human impacts ConservaBon genebcists Study gene7c atributes of organisms to infer the status of their popula7on Minimum viable populabon How small a popula7on can become before it runs into problems 90-95% probability of survival years into future Conserva7on biologists try to learn how likely a popula7on is to persist or go ex7nct Par7cularly small and isolated ones 4

5 Endangered Species Act (1973) (ESA) Forbids the government and private ci7zens From taking ac7ons that destroy endangered species or their habitats Prevent ex7nc7on Stabilize declining popula7ons Enable popula7ons to recover As of 2011, the U.S. had 1,061 species listed as endangered and 313 listed as threatened Peregrine falcons, brown pelicans, bald eagles, and others Have recovered and are no longer listed as endangered Intensive management has stabilized other species Red-cockaded woodpecker 40% of declining popula7ons are now stable These successes occur despite Underfunding of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Na7onal Marine Fisheries Service Recently, poli7cal forces have atempted to weaken the ESA In 2006, 5,700 U.S. scien7sts wrote leters of protest to Congress Species at Risk Act (2002): Canada s endangered species law Stresses coopera7on between landowners and provincial governments Cri7cized as being too weak Other na7ons laws are not enforced The Wildlife Conserva7on Society helps pay for Russia to enforce its own an7-poaching laws 5

6 UN ConvenBon on InternaBonal Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) (1973) Protects endangered species by banning Blood Ivory interna7onal transport of their body parts ConvenBon on Biological Diversity (1992): Seeks to conserve biodiversity Use biodiversity in a sustainable manner Ensure the fair distribu7on of biodiversity s benefits By 2008, 188 na7ons had signed on Iraq, Somalia, the Va7can, and the U.S. did not join CapBve breeding: Individuals are bred and raised With the intent of reintroducing them into the wild Zoos and botanical gardens Some reintroduc7ons are controversial Ranchers opposed the reintroduc7on of wolves To Yellowstone Na7onal Park Some habitats are so fragmented, a species cannot survive California Condors (Thunderbird) 1982 down to 22 PLAY All collected and protected / bred 2008 up to flying free Cloning: Technique to create more individuals Save species from ex7nc7on Pyrenean ibex First to be unex7nct, 2009 DNA from an endangered species Inserted into an egg Implanted into a surrogate mother Most biologists agree These efforts are not adequate to recreate the lost biodiversity Ample habitat and protec7on in the wild needed to save species 6

7 Conserva7on biologists Use par7cular species as tools to conserve communi7es and ecosystems Umbrella species Species whom when protected result in the protec7on of other species in their habitats Protec7ng the habitat of these Helps protect less-charisma7c species that would not have generated public interest Flagship species Large and charisma7c species Used as spearheads for biodiversity conserva7on The World Wildlife Fund s panda bear Biodiversity hotspots Area that support high numbers of species Endemic species Species found nowhere else in the world Must have at least 1,500 endemic plant species 0.5% of the world total Must have lost 70% of its habitat due to human impact 2.3% of the planet s land surface contains 50% of the world s plant species and 42% of all terrestrial vertebrate species 7

8 Loss of biodiversity Threatens to result in a mass ex7nc7on event Equivalent to mass ex7nc7ons of the past Primary causes of biodiversity loss are Habitat altera7on, invasive species, pollu7on, overharves7ng of bio7c resources, and climate change Human society cannot func7on without biodiversity s benefits Science can help Save species, preserve habitats, restore popula7ons, and keep natural ecosystems intact 8