Conservation Biology Saving Species & Ecosystems

Conservation Outcomes

Define conservation biology and natural capital.
Provide examples of threats to species.
Describe efforts to save species from extinction.

When we see conservation represented in advertising, it is often depicted as a human hand protecting large organisms and some habitat.

Conservation Biology is the study of biodiversity with the goal of protecting species and ecosystems.

This field integrates knowledge from several other fields and students in conservation biology may send years gaining necessary knowledge and skills.

One of the considerations in decision making is whether a species and/or its ecosystem provides natural capital. This is indicating some value to humans.

Attention is usually placed on large-bodied animals. Recently increased emphasis has been placed on the keystone species that have large ecosystem impacts even if relatively low in number and biomass.

Do species matter even if the are not large, have a significant impact on other species, or have value to us?

This is a question that draws on knowledge from multiple fields of study.

So you can weigh your own thoughts, below are examples of species facing extinction.

These are examples of threats that can drive species to extinction:

The primary threat to species is habitat loss. Plovers need places to safely lay their eggs, and roping off those areas has increased their population size from historically low levels.

Introduced species like feral (\”wild\”) cats brought to Australia can threatened relatively defenseless animals like the rufous-hare wallaby.

Excessive hunting of prairie dogs almost drove one of their predators, the black-footed ferret to extinction. They are being brought back to protected ranch lands.

DDT, a pesticide, accumulated in food webs and made bird eggs fragile. Eagles dropped in number as parents sat on and crushed their eggs. DDT is still produced, but banned for use in the U.S.

These are a few examples of efforts to save endangered species

Habitat can be preserved, but this is challenging when you have species like ocean-going salmon that use many small rivers as part of their reproductive cycle.

Individual organisms of a highly endangered species on the brink of extinction can be monitored. Florida panthers can be hit by cars and may need emergency veterinary assistance.

Breeding programs of culturally significant species like the whooping crane can be elaborate and expensive. The birds have to be trained by humans to eat, fly, and migrate, without imprinting on humans instead of fellow birds.

Possibly the most successful, but subtle solution is educating people about species and ecosystems. Popular fiction and movies reflects the impact these efforts have had.