Biology 367: Conservation Biology Intro

• Biology 367 is a Conservation Biology course, and the instructor is Professor Jessica Haines
• The office location is 6-118M, the email is [email protected], the phone number is N/A, and the room number is 5-234
• Class time is Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:30-1:50
• The course textbook can be found online

January 7, 2025: Introduction

• Group members can consist of up to 4 people

January 9, 2025: Defining Conservation Biology

• Case Study: Peregrine falcons in Canada showcases conservation biology principles

Basic Information: Falco peregrinus

• Peregrine falcons are present in Canada during the summer
• They are widespread across the world
• They are effective for pest control by preying on pigeons
• Pigeons are not commonly preyed upon by other native animals
• Peregrine falcons are not found in desert areas
• These birds of prey hunt other birds
• They dive very fast

Concern and Problems: Eggshell Thickness and DDT

• DDT is a pesticide/insecticide
• DDT is used to target insects
• Predators consuming insects and prey that have been exposed to DDT can experience a decline in species
• This is due to the consumption of the chemical, which leads to decreased eggshell thickness
• A study on Herring gulls (seagulls) revealed that DDT exposure thins eggshells
• Higher DDT levels correlate to lower eggshell thickness and weight

Peregrine Egg Study

• Peregrine eggs collected after the common use of DDT were lighter and thinner
• Areas with high eggshell thinning have a population decline
• Thinner eggshells are more likely to break, leading to lower reproductive success
• Over time, population decreases as a result

Observations of Broken Eggs

• Broken eggshells in a North American peregrine eyrie were first observed in 1947
• Egg-eating was inferred in Quebec in 1948 and observed in Pennsylvania in 1949 and 1950

Reintroduction and Recovery Efforts

• The Peregrine falcon population began to increase, particularly in the 2000s, due to the efforts below
• Population monitoring showed peregrines returning to previous habitats
• Reintroduction and captive breeding were used to increase the peregrine falcon population
• DDT was banned

Results

• These efforts were successful in recovering the Peregrine falcon population
• Peregrine falcons are no longer threatened with extinction

Conservation Biology Definition

• Conservation Biology focuses on protecting and restoring biodiversity, or the diversity of life on Earth
• Conservation biology has a goal and is goal-oriented to bring species back from extinction

Three Goals of Conservation Biology

• How is the diversity of life distributed around the planet?
• What threats does this diversity face?
• What can people do to reduce or eliminate these threats and restore biological diversity and ecosystem health?
  • This case study showcases the goals of conservation biology

Ethical Principles of Conservation Biology

• Biological diversity has intrinsic value because nature is important and has value
• The untimely extinction of populations and species is to be prevented, as well as understanding how to keep species from going extinct and the establishment of laws and legislations
• The diversity of species and the complexity of biological communities is to be preserved
• Science plays a critical role in the understanding of ecosystems
• Collaboration among scientists, managers, policymakers, and the public is important and often necessary

Models of Conservation Biology

• Biocentric and social

Guiding Review Questions

• Conservation biology focuses on protecting and restoring biodiversity
• Peregrine falcons were threatened due to the pesticide DDT, which led to eggshell thinning
• Banning DDT, reintroduction, captive breeding, population monitoring, helped bring species back
• Ethical principles are demonstrated by preventing the untimely extinction of populations and species and using the DDT ban to avert it
• Biocentric models emphasizes on impacts to affected species, and how to counteract them
• Social models: prioritize science, economy and organization in aiding biological conservation processes
• Biocentric models only identify whats needed to counteract

History of Conservation Biology

• Philosophers, Muir and Pinchot: shared belief in importance of nature
• Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau (1800s): Nature is important for human spirituality
• Emerson: Nature is a temple and a way to achieve enlightenment
• Thoreau: Argued against social and materialistic society & advocated for nature
• Muir: Preservationist ethic places a greater value in natural areas than in economic exploitation
• Muir: Natural areas should be protected and separated from humans

Pinchot and Leopold

• Pinchot: First head of the US forest service
• Pinchot: Advocated for resource conservation ethic and using world in a way that provides goods for the largest number of people possible
• Pinchot: focused on natural resources
• Aldo Leopold Land ethic should be used to protect organisms and processes
• Aldo Leopold: Humans viewed as a member of the community, be good neighbours

Rachel Carson and Michael Soule

• Rachel Carson promoted Environmentalism in goal of advocating for world
• Rachel Carson wrote silent spring which educated the public about species
• Rachel Carson is credited with starting the environmental movement
• Micheal soule led conservation biology
• Micheal Soule: Organized an international conference then proposed a conservation biology field
• Micheal Soule: Created the Society for Conservation Biology (1985)

History Missing

• The exclusion of women in history
• Colonialism and racism such as Scientific racism
• Controlled burns aid wildfire management.

January 16, 2025: Topic 2 - Biodiversity & Species Definitions

• 3 elements; Species Diversity, Genetic Diversity and Ecosystem Diversity

Three Species Definitions

• Morphological Species: Defined by physical similarities
• Biological Species: Defined by ability to breed with each other
  • Challenge: Hybridization can be difficult in defining
• Evolutionary Species: Defined by shared evolutionary history
• Required to define species in order to conserve them/ Protect species with legislation
• Understanding species key to sustainable hunting/ disease.

Species Richness Definition

• Bighorn sheep can be affected by disease
• Conservation decisions have consequences.
• Richness: diversity in area

Alpha, Gamma, Beta Diversities

• Alpha: Species number in area
• Gamma: Species number in larger area
• Beta: The smaller region habitats compared to the region. A number close to 1 means same species. Above 1 means diff species
• Shannon Diversity Index measures a relative abundance
• Species Diversity Question.

Effective Population Size

• Measures; Total Population Size, total individulas
• Effective Population Size has Number of breeding individuals in a population

Organizations

• Include IUCN, assesses species globally
• COSEWIC, Canadian committee for wildlife
• SARA, Species At Risk Act

January 21, 2025: Genetic Diversity & Cougar Conservation

• In the 1990s, there were 20 - 25 individual Cougars
  • Consequence = interbreeding from population.
• Inbreeding can result: kinked tails/ sperm count and low testosterone and fecundity
• Florida Panther: established the travel, and sourcing for new genetics
• Relocation: individuals from Texas

Population Impact

• Used 8 Individuals successfully breed with the Florida population
• Measured by measures how many genetically individual
  • High heterozygosity indicates the high rate of genetic diversity. Introduced cougars: increase In heterozygosity & reproduction & reduced number of fecundity fertility issues
• Ongoing issues
• Habit changes and fatalities , diseases Hunting has Genetic Consequences

Genetic Basis

• Research; Monitored for effect of hunting

January 30, 2025: Arctic Grayling in Alberta, Guest Lecture - Joshua Miller

• Conservation, molecular & genetic information. Molecular Ecology: Genetic groups
• Conservation Genetics: To provide ecological information to inform management
• By selecting species then protect
• Economic cultural value

Grayline Facts

• Analysed species conservation, sensitive, special - Canada not Listed
• Objectives of designatable Arctic Standards for designatable units
• Biodiversity in A unit, discreet, smaller pieces, Independent assessment = different status.

COSEWIC Facts

• Du, divided smaller pieces. Designatable, identified, named for taxonomic, population, phylogenetic adaption ecoregions
• Follow up objectives with morphological Beringla-catch Analysis and compares

Future Research

• Genetic adaptation Hybrid range

Conservation, February 4, 2025

• negative effect, deformities, low reproduction Study and case: Fencing - Depression, south reserves there were no gene flow Out breeding population : new, negative impact
• Low : adaptation Flexiblility helps climate change genetic diversity, cope with heavy metals, pollution

Genetic Diversity

• Manage male, hunting: protect diversit

Diversities

• Ecosystem function and individual. Terminology and examples:
• Kelp is otter Otter present, population low Absent, more then overgraze Forests disappear

Predator Impact

• Wolves, reintroduced and allowed, predator allow with predator to extinct and study Willow wolves

February 9, 2025: Threats to Biodiversity

• Large reduce will result; mesopredator abundance of sizes reduce competition They chance behaviors Change behavior Reduce is reproduction Landscape predators

Consumptive and Fear Effects

• Consumptive and change/ behavior with changes when removed
• Major, effect , cascade, ecosystems with disproportionate effect

Climate Changes

• Long term shifts with human gas Conditions , Effect,warming. Traps heat Levels green Planet
• Temperature change
• Glacier Melting, Sea Ice
• Climate Increase and Impact

Climate Change Impact

• Change: Phenology ,habit

Climate Warming

• reduce /loss They emerge same as butterfly 🦋 More : squirrel study Climate :Over , Fishing. Population,

Commercial Concerns

• Hard with Elephant population due to trading

Invasion

• Human : locations - Harm: Ecological Species Introduced: Accidentally / purpose

Economic harm

• Infection 11, 2025

Habitat Loss Issues

• Habitat destruction Conversions Common.

Habitat loss,broken

• Clearing: Creation with food limitations

Population Limitations

• barbed Restructions

Metapopulations

• Extinction edges to effect change

• Effects of change with edges

• Increased. Predation Invasive degradation activities

Habitat Loss in Degradation

• Pollution because: Chemical, change
• Chemical Concentrated degradation

February 27, 2025 Threats

• Pesticide, targeting
  legislation: Abundance

Agriculture Concerns

• Exploitation, Market Recreational Increase Due: Pesticides

Industry

• Area and pressure herbicide

gas,fragments

Loss Of Support

• Use increases ♻️ decline and food, populations Health tech Total effect

Human Impact

Global Capita. Comparison index Standard ecological

high levels for the view

• Limit: paper : Control: birth

March 4, 2025, Extinction

Risked Extinct 🏞️

• Captivity: COSEWIC,IUNC, 😥 Low No role ecosystem Not available Caribou

Extinction and Threats

• Need genetics ferret in conservation What if the Vortex effects new land Bats in invasive with: 🪴 , size Deer traits

• Narrow and 3, Size Adaption and Populations

Pandas and Giant Pandas

• Migratory with

Popfish in 2025

• Characteristics Declared / feeder Giants Extinction reproduction migration Impacted ability disturbance
• Protected and species

Approach

Target ⛳️ conserv

Approach Benefits

• Ecosystems Benefit/ Hot: High Many hot

• An approach

• The with high levels by collaboration. . Idaho The lecturer Alberta Industrial Long Edwards

• Management : list by Stakeholder Best With Caribou

Management Approach

• The fact is the management is hard to limit to decline Herds . That is is not