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Topic 3: Biodiversity and conservation

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  1. 3.1 Biodiversity and evolution

    1. 3.1.1Biodiversity levels

      • Total diversity of living systems • Habitat diversity, species diversity, genetic diversity

    2. 3.1.2Diversity and resilience

      • Components of diversity contribute to ecological system resilience

    3. 3.1.3Biodiversity from evolution

      • Cumulative change in heritable characteristics

    4. 3.1.4Natural selection

      • Mechanism driving evolutionary change • Operates continuously over billions of years

    5. 3.1.5Natural selection process

      • Variation, overproduction, competition for limited resources • Differences in adaptation affect survival and reproduction rates • Heritable variation → increased frequency of advantageous genes

    6. 3.1.6Speciation

      • Generation of new species through evolution • Population isolation → adaptation → inability to interbreed

    7. 3.1.7Species diversity components

      • Richness: number of species in community • Evenness: similarity of population sizes

    8. 3.1.8Simpson's reciprocal index

      • Quantitative measure of species diversity • Allows ecosystem comparison and monitoring change over time

    9. 3.1.9Biodiversity knowledge for conservation

      • Knowledge of global and regional biodiversity is needed for the development of effective management strategies to conserve biodiversity • Include: how knowledge of biodiversity is gathered in the local region • This is likely to involve citizen science and the work of voluntary and government-funded agencies • The training of indigenous people and others, such as parabiologists, is also used to gather information for use in conservation management

  2. 3.2 Human impact on biodiversity

    1. 3.2.1Threats to biodiversity

      • Direct: overharvesting, poaching, illegal pet trade • Indirect: habitat loss, climate change, pollution, invasive alien species

    2. 3.2.2Multiple human impacts

      • Most ecosystems subject to multiple impacts • Effects amplified when combined

    3. 3.2.3Invasive alien species

      • Reduce biodiversity through competition, predation, diseases/parasites

    4. 3.2.4IUCN Red List

      • Global conservation status assessment • Based on: population numbers, rate changes, breeding potential, geographic range, threats • Status ranks: least concern (LC) to extinct (EX)

    5. 3.2.5Conservation status benefits

      • Publicizes species vulnerability • Allows selection of conservation priorities and management strategies

    6. 3.2.6Species case studies

      • Extinct species due to human activity • Critically endangered species • Species improved by intervention

    7. 3.2.7Tragedy of the commons

      • Overexploitation of shared natural resources • Tension between individual self-interest and sustainable development • Examples: fish stocks, ocean plastic pollution

  3. 3.3 Conservation and regeneration

    1. 3.3.1Preservation justifications

      • Aesthetic, ecological, economic, ethical, social

    2. 3.3.2Conservation strategies

      • Species-based: ex situ (zoos, botanic gardens, CITES, seed banks) • Habitat-based: in situ (national parks, reserves, sanctuaries)

    3. 3.3.3Mixed conservation approach

      • Both habitat and particular species considered • Flagship/keystone species used to justify habitat conservation

    4. 3.3.4Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

      • UN treaty addressing species and habitat conservation • National strategies for conservation and sustainable use • Includes Nagoya Protocol (equitable sharing of genetic resources)

    5. 3.3.5Habitat conservation strategies

      • Protect species by conserving natural environment • May require wild area protection or active management

    6. 3.3.6Effective conservation factors

      • Understanding target species biology • Size and shape of conservation areas • Edge effects, wildlife corridors for connectivity • UNESCO biosphere reserves: pristine core, buffer zones, transition zones

    7. 3.3.7Rewilding

      • Regenerates natural processes in ecosystems • Methods: apex predator reintroduction, habitat connectivity, cessation of agriculture

    8. 3.3.8Conservation measures

      • Reverse biodiversity decline • Operating within biodiversity planetary boundary • Individual, collective, national, international levels

    9. 3.3.9Perspectives and conservation strategy choice

      • Environmental perspectives and value systems impact choices • Success depends on: community support, funding, education, legislation, research