GeE-213- Environmental Sciences
Chapter IV – Written Quiz
Sustaining Biodiversity: Saving Species and Ecosystem Services
Name:___________________________________________ Schedule:__________________
Core Case Study: Where Have All the Honeybees Gone?
• Bees play a key role in _______________
• Globally, about one third of the __________ __________ comes from insect-pollinated plants
• Currently, agriculture depends heavily on a __________ species of bee
– Suffering from Colony Collapse Disorder
• Each year, __________ of colonies in Europe and the U.S.
9-1 What Role Do Humans Play in the Loss of Species and Ecosystem Services?
• Species are becoming extinct _____ to _____ times faster than they were before modern humans arrived on the
earth
– By the end of this century, the extinction rate is expected to be _____ times higher than that
background rate
Extinctions Are Natural but Sometimes They Increase Sharply
• __________ extinction
– No species member alive
• Trophic __________
– Population declines or extinctions among connected species
• __________ extinction
– Many species in a short amount of time
Some Human Activities Hasten Extinctions and Threaten Ecosystem Services
• __________ extinction rate
– 1 extinct species / year / 1 million species
• Extinction rates have __________ recently
– Current extinction rate is at least _____ times higher than typical background rate of 0.0001%
• Rate of extinction and threats to ecosystem services likely to rise sharply in the next 50-100 years
– Due to harmful __________ impacts
• Biodiversity __________
– Extinction rates projected to be much __________ than average
• Biologically diverse environments are being eliminated or fragmented
Endangered and Threatened Species Are Ecological Smoke Alarms
• __________ species
– So few members that the species could soon become extinct
• __________ species (vulnerable species)
– Still enough members to survive, but numbers declining
– May soon be endangered
• __________ extinct
– In areas a species is normally found
• __________ extinct
– To the point at which species can no longer play a functional role in the ecosystem
9-2 Why Should We Care about the Rising Rate of Species Extinction?
• We should avoid speeding up the extinction of wild species because:
– Of the ecosystem and economic services they provide
– It can take __________ of years for nature to recover from large-scale extinctions
– Many people believe that species have a __________ to exist regardless of their usefulness to us
Species Are a Vital Part of the Earth’s Natural Capital
• Major reasons to prevent extinctions
• Species provide vital __________ services
– Help keep _____ alive and support our economies
• Many species also contribute economic services
– __________ for food, fuel, lumber, and medicine
– _______________
• It will take __________ million years to regain species biodiversity after this century’s extinctions
• Many people believe species have an __________ right to exist
• How do we decide which species to protect?
9-3 How Are We Threatening Species and Ecosystem Services?
• The greatest threats to any species are (in order):
– Loss or degradation of its __________
– Harmful __________ species
– __________ population growth
– __________
– Climate change
– ____________________
Loss of Habitat Is the Single Greatest Threat to Species: Remember HIPPCO
• Habitat destruction, degradation, and fragmentation
• Invasive (nonnative) species
• Population and resource use growth
• Pollution
• Climate change
• Overexploitation
• Habitat fragmentation
• Large intact habitat __________ by roads, crops, and urban development
• National parks and nature reserves as habitat __________
We Have Moved Disruptive Species into Some Ecosystems
• Many species introductions are __________
• __________ species may have no natural:
– Predators, competitors, parasites, pathogens
• Nonnative species can crowd out __________ species
– Invasive species
Case Study: The Kudzu Vine and Kudzu Bugs
• Imported from Japan in the 1930s
– Help control soil erosion
• Very difficult to kill
• Could there be benefits of kudzu?
• Kudzu bug – imported from Japan
– Can kill Kudzu vine
– Also kills soybeans
Some Accidentally Introduced Species Can Disrupt Ecosystems
• Argentine fire ant – introduced in the _____
– Reduced populations of native ants
– Painful stings can kill
– Pesticide spraying in _____ and _____ worsened conditions
– Tiny parasitic __________ may help control fire ants
Case Study: Burmese Pythons Are Eating Their Way through the Florida Everglades
• __________ introduced
• Reproduce rapidly and are hard to kill
• Greatly depleted _______________ populations of:
– Rabbits, foxes, raccoons, opossums, and deer
Prevention Is the Best Way to Reduce Threats from Invasive Species
• Research programs identifying invaders
• Establishing international treaties banning transfer between countries
• Public education about exotic pets and plants
• What else can be done to prevent invasive species?
Other Causes of Species Extinctions
• Human population growth and overconsumption
– Degrading habitat
• Pollution
– ____________________ can cause extinctions of species not directly affected by pollution
• Climate change
– Some species will become extinct, some will spread
Case Study: Polar Bears and Climate Change
• Live only in the Arctic
• Arctic ice is melting
– Decreasing polar bear habitat
– Polar bears must swim farther between ice
• Weaker females; less reproduction
Illegal Killing, Capturing, and Selling of Wild Species Threatens Biodiversity
• Poaching and smuggling of animals and plants
– Animal parts
– Pets
– Plants for landscaping and enjoyment
• Prevention
– Research and education
A Rising Demand for Bushmeat Threatens Some African Species
• West and Central African wild animals
– Supply major cities with exotic meats
• Hunting has driven one species to extinction
– Miss Waldron’s red colobus monkey
• Threatened species:
– Monkeys, apes, antelope, elephants, and hippos
Case Study: A Disturbing Message from the Birds
• 70% of the world’s bird species are declining
• Habitat loss and fragmentation of the birds’ breeding habitats
– Forests cleared for farms, lumber plantations, roads, and development
• Intentional or accidental introduction of nonnative species
– These species eat the birds
– Exposure to pesticides
– Overexploitation
o For pets
– Birds are indicator species
o Respond quickly to environmental changes
– Birds perform critical ecosystem and economic services
– Extinctions could affect many other species
9-4 How Can We Sustain Wild Species and Their Ecosystem Services?
• We can reduce species extinction and sustain ecosystem services by:
– Establishing and enforcing national environmental _____ and international __________
– Creating protected wildlife _______________
– Taking _______________ measures to prevent such harm
International Treaties and National Laws Help to Protect Species
• _____ – Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)
– Signed by 172 countries
• Convention on Biological Diversity (BCD)
– Focuses on ecosystems
– Ratified by _____ countries (not the U.S.)
Case Study: The U.S. Endangered Species Act
• Endangered Species Act (ESA) – 1973 and later amended in 1982, 1985, and 1988
– Identify and protect endangered species in the U.S. and abroad
• National Marine Fisheries Service for ocean species
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for all others
• Forbids federal agencies (except Defense) from funding or authorizing projects that jeopardize endangered or
threatened species
– In 2012, _____ species officially listed
• Offer incentives to private property owners to help
• Is the ESA a failure?
– Species are listed only when in serious danger
– Conditions for more than half of listed species are stable or improving
– Budget is about _____ cents per U.S. citizen
We Can Establish Wildlife Refuges and Other Protected Areas
• In _____, Theodore Roosevelt established the first federal wildlife refuge
– Pelican Island, Florida
• Wildlife refuges
– Most are wetland sanctuaries
– More needed for endangered plants
– Are not immune from disturbance
Seed Banks, Botanical Gardens, and Wildlife Farms Can Help Protect Species
• __________ banks
– Preserve genetic material of endangered plants
• Botanical gardens and arboreta
– Living plants
• Farms can raise organisms for commercial sale
Zoos and Aquariums Can Protect Some Species
• Techniques for preserving endangered terrestrial species
– Egg pulling
– Captive breeding
– Artificial insemination
– Embryo transfer
– Use of incubators
– Cross-fostering
• Goal of ultimately releasing/reintroducing populations to the wild
• Limited space and funds
The Precautionary Principle
• Precautionary principle
– Act to prevent or reduce harm when preliminary evidence indicates acting is needed
• Species are the primary components of biodiversity
• Should we focus on the preservation of species or the preservation of ecosystems?
Case Study: Protecting Honeybees and Other Pollinators
• Failure to protect honeybees
– Loss of vital ecosystem services
• Farmers are:
– Breeding bees resistant to harmful parasitic mites and fungi
– Raising their own colonies
– Improving bee nutrition
Three Big Ideas
• We are hastening the extinction of wild species and degrading the ecosystem services they provide by:
– Destroying and degrading habitats
– Introducing harmful invasive species
– Increasing human population growth, pollution, climate change, and overexploitation
• We should avoid causing the extinction of wild species
– Species provide vital ecosystem and economic services
– Their existence should not depend primarily on their usefulness to us
• We can work to prevent the extinction of species and to protect overall biodiversity and ecosystem services by:
– Using laws and treaties
– Protecting wildlife sanctuaries
– Making greater use of the precautionary principle
