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Starr/Taggarts Biology:
The Unity and Diversity of Life, Chapter 27
10e
The mystery of Easter Island and its lesson for us, if we listen
Key Concepts:
Current biodiversity is the result of abrupt extinctions and slow recoveries Extinctions may have complicated causes Over past 40 years, rates of extinction have risen Human population growth threatens biodiversity Conservation biology identifies hotspots, determines how to maintain biodiversity
Mass extinctions are followed by recoveries that require 20-200 million years
Era
Cenozoic
Period Quaternary 1 mya Tertiary 65 Cretaceous 145 Jurassic 213 Triassic 248 Permian 286 Carboniferous 360 Devonian 410 Silurian 440 Ordovician 505 Cambrian 544 Precambrian
With high population growth rates &cultural practices (agriculture, deforestation), humans --> major agents Mass Extinction of extinction.
Asteroid impact at K-T boundary
Mass Extinction
Mesozoic
Pangea forms. Asteroid impact? Major glaciation, huge lava flows Mass Extinction Meteorite impact, sea level decline, many marine grps go,global cooling?
Mass Extinction
Paleozoic
Mollusks
Roundworms Plants Fungi Protozoans 0 400 800 1,200 1,600
Asteroid impact
But - biodiversity had already been declining
Threatened Regions
Fig.27.4,p 478
Habitat Islands
Island species especially vulnerable to extinction-nowhere to go Island biogeography can be used to estimate future extinctions in islands such as natl parks, tropical forests, lakes MacArthur-Wilson model
Destroy 50% of habitat, drive 10% of the endemic species to extinction
Indicator Species
Provide warning of widespread loss of biodiversity Migratory songbirds
64 species surveyed 1978-1987
Overharvesting
Whales
Whales Harvested
Fig.27.6b,p 479
illegal products
Coral bleaching
Symbionts die when expelled, then corals do Effect of global warming? Sea temps.
Oil spills ,sewage, & other pollutants Dredging Dynamite , cyanide fishing methods
coral reef
island
lagoon
open ocean
27.4
oceanographer and marine biologist who heavily influenced the environmental and conservation movements
Conservation Biology
Pure and applied research
Systematic survey of range of biodiversity Attempt to understand its origins - ecological and evolutionary Identify methods that maintain and use biodiversity for human good Focus on hot spots for inventory, especially of indicator species Bioeconomic analysis; assign future value of regions Sustainable development
Tropical forest Temperate forest Northern coniferous forest Tropical grassland and savanna Temperate grassland Mountain grassland
Mediterranean shrub Desert Arctic tundra Mangrove swamp Marine ecoregion Freshwater ecoregion Fig. 27.10, p. 483
World Wildlife Funds map of the most vulnerable areas of land & sea
dirt road cut 3-5 years ago cut 6-10 years ago uncut forest
stream in watershed
Fig. 27.11, p. 484
Riparian zone before and after restoration, San Pedro River, AZ USA
Endemic species may have more of a chance to survive; most require a riparian zone for food, shelter, shade
Fig. 27.12, p. 484
In Conclusion
Global biodiversity is greater now than
ever, but a sixth extinction crisis may be underway After global mass extinctions, biodiversity recovers very slowly Human population growth is highest in regions with most vulnerable biodiversity An endangered species is an endemic species that is threatened with extinction
In Conclusion
Habitat loss, habitat fragmentation, exotic
In Conclusion
Humans are destroying coral reefs through
biodiversity, analyzes its origins, and identifies methods to maintain and use biodiversity for the good of the human population
In Conclusion
The exponential growth of the human population works at odds with any suggested biodiversity remediation measures. And can we strike a balance between economic growth and a sustainable, healthy environment?