Biodiversity and Conservation

Created by Beckie Granatstein, B.A., BSc., MSc.

What is Biodiversity?

The variety of life on Earth at all its levels, from genes to ecosystems AND the ecological and evolutionary processes that determine and sustain biodiversity

So many species yet to be discovered!

• About 1.5-1.75 million species have been identified.

• Scientists estimate that there are between 13-20 million species in total

The Importance of Biodiversity

• Intrinsic versus instrumental

Vs.

Components of Biodiversity• Genetic diversity• Species diversity• Ecosystem diversity

Diversity Within a Species• Genetic Diversity• The diversity within a specific population • The diversity between populations

Diversity Between Species

• Species diversity• The number of different species• Species are diverse depending on their looks

morphology, biology, and phylogentics• Measured by scientists by both richness and

evenness

Diversity on the Largest Scale• Ecosystem Diversity• Variations in ecosystems types across our

whole landscapes• Tropical forests versus boreal forest versus

grassland versus oceans

Importance of Ecosystems• Purification of air and water• Detoxification and decomposition of wastes• Cycling of nutrients• Many others

Human Impacts and Biodiversity

• Humans are negatively affecting every ecosystem in the world

• Introduce species, habitat destruction, overexploitation and disruption of pathways

Anthropocene

• The world has been in the Holocene epoch for 11,700 years, it has been characterized by stable climate

• Geologist now believe human activity has caused us to enter a new geological age.

What is conservation biology?

• The practice of analyzing and preserving biological diversity

• “Conserve what is left”

Conservation biologists try to:

• Anticipate• Prevent• Minimize

Crisis Discipline

• Conservation biologists have to act before knowing all the information

• To wait for more information usually means it will be too late

Holistic Approach

• Involves many different disciplines of science

Keystone species

• Human activities are removing important species from ecosystems causing them to crash

Methods used for Conservation

• Scientific Research• Ex-Situ Methods versus In-Situ Methods

VS

Case study

How can you help!

• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle• Plant Native Species• Spread the word! • Work in the field • Become a Citizen Scientist

References

• http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/littonc/PDFs/480_ConservationBiologyI.pdf

• http://www.life.illinois.edu/ib/451/lect-syllabus.html• http://freecourseware.uwc.ac.za/freecourseware/biodiv

ersity-conservation-biology/conservation-biology/1.-what-is-conservation-biology

• http://www.conbio.org/resources/education/faq.cfm• http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-1333

5683• http://www.iucn.org/what/tpas/biodiversity/about/?gcl

id=CKaEh67_660CFYZrKgoduCrz5Q• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservation_biology• http://marinebio.org/oceans/conservation/moyle/ch8.a

sp• http://www.michaelsoule.com/resource_files/85/85_re

source_file1.pdf• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Condor#Conser

vation