What is Biodiversity?

2. What is Biodiversity? • What is Biodiversity? • Why is Biodiversity Important? “To keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent tinkering” (Aldo Leopold)

3. Species diversity • What is a species? • What is Species Diversity? • What will increase species diversity? • How can “subspecies” be an indicator of divergence? • What will decrease species diversity?

4. Genetic diversity • What is Genetic Diversity? • DNA is considered the “raw material of evolution”. Explain. • Populations with higher genetic diversity can survive. Explain. • Shrinking populations tend to produce inferior offspring. Explain.

5. Ecosystem diversity • What is Ecosystem diversity? • What factors will influence ecosystem diversity?

6. Biodiversity is unevenly distributed • Describe the latitudinal gradient of biodiversity. • What factors influence this gradient? Canada has 30 - 100 species of breeding birds, while Costa Rica has more than 600 species

7. Loss of Biodiversity • What is the difference between Extinction and Extirpation? • What is the difference between Background Extinction and Mass Extinction? • The current global extinction rate is 100 to 1,000 times greater than the background rate Paleontologists estimate 99% of all species that ever lived are now extinct

8. In the U.S., in the last 500 years, 236 animal and 17 plant species are confirmed extinct • Species facing high risks of extinctions • 23% of mammal species • 12% of bird species • 31 - 86% of all other species

9. Biodiversity loss has many causes • What are the four primary causes of population decline? • What is the newly added fifth cause?

10. Island biogeography • What happens to species richness of an island with increased size and distance from the mainland? Explain.

11. Habitat Fragmentation • A habitat may be an “island in a sea” of other habitats. Explain this metaphor. • Explain the cause of forest fragmentation. • Why is this a threat to biodiversity?

12. Endangered Species Act (1973) • Forbidsthe government and private citizens from taking actions that destroy endangered species or their habitats. • What are the successes of ESA? • Why is ESA controversial? • What are “flagship species” and how are they important to conservation efforts? As of 2007, the U.S. had 1,312 species listed as endangered or threatened

13. International conservation efforts UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (1973) (CITES) – protects endangered species by banning international transport of their body parts Convention on Biological Diversity (1992) – Seeks to conserve biodiversity Use biodiversity in a sustainable manner Ensure the fair distribution of biodiversity’s benefits By 2007, 188 nations had signed on Iraq, Somalia, the Vatican, and the U.S. did not join

14. Biodiversity hotspots Support a great number of endemic species The area must have at least 1.500 endemic plant species (0.5% of the world total) It 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

15. Do we have ethical obligations to other species?