Week Two Lectures, 2003 Real World Example of Conservation Biology In Action

1. Week Two Lectures, 2003Real World Example of Conservation Biology In Action Endangered Macaws in South America Save the Macaws (13/16) sp. endangered Save the habitat Save the economic livelihood of native people Based on the macaws (capture [for sale abroad] bush meat, eggs) Protect the areas from logging and mining

2. Macaw�s Natural History

3. Hyacinth Macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus) Endangered: on the cover of our text. Down to ~8000 individuals.

4. Learning Their Natural History Was the Key to Preservation Little was known until mid 90�s Live in isolated areas Mysterious gathering at clay licks. Why? Nutrition? Minerals?

5. Macaw�s, cont. Biologists found: the clay needed to detoxify substances found in seeds they eat. SOLUTION: create a preserve, stop international trade in imported macaws What about native people? ECOTOURISM: native people act as guides, make more money than they did by selling or eating macaws Build tourist huts for ecotourism Insure that there are hollow trees or boxes for nesting Two eggs/nest, one almost always dies � remove one of the young and raise artificially and release in wild Hire locals to be the rangers for the preserves Excellent example of way Conservation Bio can work in interdisciplinary real world

6. Roots of Conservation Biology and Disciplines Involved Based on four core disciplines Ecology � study of ecosystems and their parts Population Biology � how populations grow and decline, forces that cause these fluctuations (natural and man-influenced Taxonomy � classification of organisms, before they are extinct, esp. Genetics � genetic diversity, gene pools (all of the alleles in a pop.), can man manipulate sps. at the genetic level to better achieve survival?

7. Goals of Conservation Biology Document biodiversity - hundreds of sps. become extinct every year before we even know they were there, or how they were classified 2. Investigate human impact on sps., communities, habitats, ecosystems 3. Prevent extinction while maintaining genetic diversity and PROTECTING AND RESTORING COMMUNITIES AND ECOSYSTEMS 4. Develop sustainable economic opportunities for local people

8. Useful Units of Measurement Learn the basics of the metric system Used in articles and texts on cons. bio. and biodiversity and all of biology ESPECIALLY: meter= 39.4 inches, 1000m = 1 kilometer kilometer (km) = 0.62 miles centimeter (cm) = 0.39 inches [30 cm = ~12�] hectare (ha) = 10,000 m2 = 2.47 acres and 100ha = 1 square km (KNOW this, esp.) 1 kilogram (kg) = 1000 grams = 2.2 lbs. ~28 grams = 1 oz. degree C: 0�C = 32�F 100 �C = 212�F body temp 98.6�F = 37�C [23�C = 72�F]

9. Why is Cons Bio Needed? None of the disciplines alone could solve the problem Multidisciplinary as discussed earlier KNOW the basics of figure 1.2 (p. 7) how the different disciplines work together It is a CRISIS DISCIPLINE Must have political and economic built into the field of conservation biology Ability to make policies FOR THE FUTURE What am I (We) leaving for our grandchildren? A devastated world of little biodiversity OR a sustainable world of wonderful biodiversity? Start NOW to bring this about

10. Philosophical Background of Cons Bio Worldwide beliefs in the value of protecting sps. and wilderness Henry David Thoreau: �In wildness is the preservation of the world.� Walden (1854) self reliance you are NOT your possessions wilderness important to personal development consume less, get by on your own initiative do not depend on the government for ANYTHING learn and enjoy your local flora and fauna nature worship

11. John Muir

12. Aldo Leopold A Sand County Almanac (1949) One of the first to understand and practice conservation (wise use of natural resources and the land), sustainable, with a view to the future �Acts of creation are ordinarily reserved for gods and poets, but humbler folk may circumvent this restriction if they know how. To plant a pine, for example, one need be neither god nor poet; one need only own a good shovel. By virtue of this curious loophole in the rules, any clodhopper may say: Let there be a tree--and there will be one. If his back be strong and his shovel sharp, there may eventually be ten thousand. And in the seventh year he may lean upon his shovel, and look upon his trees, and find them good.� one of the first to get involved with soil conservation and farming practices to preserve soil, prevent soil runoff, etc. also (with Pinchot), developed concept of ecosystem management (how we preserve healthy ecosystems and remediate damaged ecosystems

13. Gifford Pinchot (1865-1946) first to use term natural resources first head of National Forest Program in U. S. goal: the USE of natural resources for the greatest good of the greatest number of people for the longest period of time did not place much of a value on pure wilderness areas sustainable development developed from his ideas: meet present human needs that does not harm the communities and still leaves resources for FUTURE generations

14. Ethical Beliefs of Cons Bio The diversity of sps. and biological communities should be preserved -humans may possess biophilia The untimely extinction of populations and sps. should be prevented � (human activity has increased rate 1000x) Ecological complexity should be maintained � can�t be preserved only in zoos or preserves Evolution should continue � not interfered with by humans (reducing the numbers in a pop., ex.) Biological diversity has intrinsic value � value is conferred by their evolutionary history and unique ecological roles, value in an of itself, like the value of a work by a great master artist like Van Gogh or Monet