6: Conservation and Biodiversity
- Page ID
- 222267
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Learning Outcomes
- Describe biodiversity
- Explain how species evolve through natural selection
- Identify benefits of biodiversity to humans
- Explain the effects of habitat loss, exotic species, and hunting on biodiversity
- Identify the early and predicted effects of climate change on biodiversity
- Explain the legislative framework for conservation
- Identify examples of the effects of habitat restoration
- 6.1: Introduction to Biodiversity
- This page explains the classification of life on Earth into three domains: Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya, based on cell structure and genetics. It details how organisms are categorized into unicellular prokaryotes and multicellular eukaryotes. Bacteria can be beneficial or harmful, Archaea survive in extreme conditions, and Eukarya includes plants, fungi, and animals. The page emphasizes the significance of understanding biodiversity for ecological health and conservation.
- 6.2: Origin of Biodiversity
- This page explains evolution as the biological foundation of biodiversity, highlighting that all species descend from common ancestors and that evolutionary processes are continuous. It details the theory of evolution, predominantly shaped by Charles Darwin and Alfred Wallace, which involves natural selection—where variations in traits affect survival and reproduction.
- 6.3: Importance of Biodiversity
- This page highlights significant factors affecting biodiversity, including alarming species extinctions in biodiverse ecosystems, especially tropical rainforests. It discusses biogeography and how species richness varies by region, emphasizing the importance of biodiversity for ecological balance, health, and agriculture. Additionally, it covers the roles of pollination and natural pest control in farming, stressing the decline of honeybees and sustainability challenges in fisheries.
- 6.4: Threats to Biodiversity
- This page highlights key threats to biodiversity, focusing on human population growth and resource consumption. Major threats include habitat loss, overharvesting, and invasive species, with climate change as a growing concern. Habitat destruction, especially in tropical regions, leads to species extinction, while overharvesting, notably in fisheries, has dire consequences. Invasive species disrupt ecosystems, particularly in isolated areas.
- 6.5: Preserving Biodiversity
- This page addresses biodiversity preservation challenges, highlighting the impact of speciation and extinction, including five mass extinctions and a potential sixth driven by human activities. It notes extinction rates are currently much higher than natural levels due to habitat loss. Conservation efforts, such as international treaties and wildlife preserves, are crucial but face challenges like inconsistent global warming responses and the necessity of effective habitat design.
- 6.6: Chapter Summary
- This page discusses the multifaceted nature of biodiversity, which includes species, genetic, chemical, and ecosystem diversity. It emphasizes its importance for human health and essential services, highlighting threats like population growth, unsustainable practices, climate change, and invasive species. Solutions include legal protections such as CITES and the Endangered Species Act and habitat restoration efforts to counteract biodiversity loss and support ecosystem recovery.
Thumbnail image - Habitat destruction through deforestation, especially of tropical rainforests as seen in this satellite view of Amazon rainforests in Brazil, is a major cause of the current decline in biodiversity. (credit: modification of work by Jesse Allen and Robert Simmon, NASA Earth Observatory)