biodiversity preservation and conservation

• biodiversity- measure of all the species or organism, the genes they contain and the ecosystem they are apart of
• habitat biodiversity - the number of different habitats found within an area
• species biodiversity - measure of diversity within the community, takes into account species richness and species evenness

  high index = high richness and evenness
• species richness - number of species in a habitat
• species evenness - the number of individuals within each different species
• genetic biodiversity - variety of genes that make up a species, more alleles the more genetically biodiverse
• factors affecting biodiversity

  • human population growth - demand for food and houses
  • deforestation
  • agriculture -natural vegetation cleared and monoculture
  • invasive species - grey and red squirrels
  • over exploitation - harvested faster than replenished
  • pollution - sewage
  • climate change - unable to evolve to adapt
  • disease - disease more likely to spread
• reasons for maintaining biodiversity

  ethics

  aesthetics

  economic

  ecological - interdependence of organisms
• economic reasons for maintaining biodiversity

  maintaining biodiversity improves long term productivity

  undiscovered species may have medical importance

  farming biodiversity key to protect against abiotic stress

  ecotourism

  biological control agents
• key stone species - species that are essential for the functioning of an ecosystem
• conservation - the maintenance of biodiversity through human management. It is dynamic and needs to adapt to constant change. Maintaining diversity in species, habitats and genetics

  involving :

  • sustainable development - natural resources
  • reclamation - restore damaged woods
• preservation - the protection of an area by banning human activity so the ecosystem is kept in its original state

  • marine 'no take zones'
  • nature reserves
• conservation in situ - protecting species in natural habitat

  • protected areas
  • controlling invasive species
  • managing habitats - coppicing
  • reducing pollution
  • legal protection to endangered species
  • corridors to link habitats (hedgerows)
  • feeding animals
• advantages of conversation in situ

  • plants and animals remain in natural environment
  • preserves interdependent relationships
  • permanently protects biodiversity and ecosystems by maintain genetic diversity
  • protects natural heritage
  • ecologically stable land usage
  • cheaper
• ex situ conservation - protecting a species by removing individuals from a threatened habitat and looking after them in a new area

  • zoos
  • seed banks
  • botanical gardens
  • natural habitats must be restored so animals can be placed back into the wild
• disadvantages in situ conservation

  • endangered habitats may become fragmented
  • population may have already lost too much genetic diversity
  • conditions taht caused the endangerment may be still present
  • attracts poachers
  • conflict with local people
• advantages ex situ

  • organisms protected from predation and poaching bred to increase numbers
  • health can be monitored and medical assistance
  • populations can be divides
  • selective breeding and genetic monitoring can ensure diversity maintained
  • artificial insemination is successful
• disadvantages of ex situ conservation

  • captive breeding expensive
  • behaviour altered therefore failure in natural environment
  • gene pool reduced due to less individuals in populations
  • different selection pressures
• seed banks - ex situ plant conservation

  • must be dry and dehydrated
• cites

  aims; regulate and monitor international trade in selected species of plants and animals

  ensure trade doesn't effect wild populations

  ensure trade is prohibited for commercial usage
• cbd

  aims; conserve biodiversity

  use ecosystems sustainably

  shared access to genetic material

  sharing of scientific knowledge
• country side stewardship scheme

  • make conservation part of normal farming
  • improving wildlife habitats
  • restoring neglected land
  • improve countryside educations
• case study - Galápagos Islands

  • huge biodiversty, unique climate and diverse range of habitats, resulted in evolution of rare species
  • threats: population growth, overfishing, tourism, pollution
  • conservation: 98% national park, captive breeding programme for tortoises
  • removal of invasive feral goats
• case study - Antarctica

  • overview - ice sheet
  • organisms - penguins, seals
  • threats - whaling caused soil contamination, overfishing of krill
  • conservation - fishing quotas, permits for scientific research
• case study - snowdon

  • overview - forest, grassland and mores
  • organisms - birds
  • threats - conifers dry out the mores, grazing sheep, walkers dropping rubbish
  • conversation - cannot remove tree without replacing it first
• case study - Lake District

  • overview - heathland
  • organisms - red squirrels
  • threats - invasive species, peat extraction, damage to cliffs
  • conservation - funding for farmers to reduce carbon emissions
• Case study - Masai mara

  • overview - savannah, fertile grassland and woodlands
  • human uses - farming, grazing, cultivation and ecotourism
  • conflict - elephants trample crops
  • resolved - legal hunting to manage populations
• case study - terai region of nepal

  • overview - fertile flood plains, rich agriuculrual area
  • human uses - agriculture, clear felled areas, timber for fuel and building materials
  • conflict - removal of forest has increased monsoon effects
  • resolved - forest management
• case study - peat bogs

  • overview - area that contains decomposing vegetation, carbon store, improves soil structure
  • human uses - afforestation, peat extraction and agriculture
  • conflict - burning as a fuel release c02
  • resolved - controlled grazing