Conservation

Question 1

Biomimetics

Answer 1

Developing man made systems that mimic biologically produced substances, mechanisms and processes

Question 2

Ring tailed lemur - not hunted for food and does not produce any harvestable resource.
Give 2 reasons why they should be conserved.

Answer 2

Species interdependence
Ethical reasons
Educational reasons
Biomimetics
Aesthetic reasons

Question 3

Why might it not be enough to simply protect the individuals of a species in order to conserve them?

Answer 3

Need suitable habitat
May depend on other species

Question 4

EDGE species

Answer 4

Evolutionary Distinct and Globally Endangered - threatened species that have few or no close relatives on the tree of life.

Question 5

Flagship species

Answer 5

Species selected to act as an ambassador, icon or symbol for a defined habitat, issue, campaign or environmental cause.

Question 6

Keystone species

Answer 6

A species that influences the survival of many other species in an ecosystem.

Question 7

Endemic species

Answer 7

Species that are native to and found only within a limited area.

Question 8

Roles of IUCN
(International Union for Conservation of Nature)

Answer 8

1. coordinating global data on biodiversity conservation
2. increasing understanding of the importance of biodiversity
3. deploying nature based solutions to global challenges in climate, food and sustainable development

Question 9

Human activities that threaten biodiversity. (Biodiversity is the variety and abundance of life on Earth. As humans, our survival depends on the other species with which we share the planet.)

Answer 9

1. Deliberate exploitation
2. Accidental harm
3. Deliberate eradication
4. Change in biotic factors (living things within an ecosystem eg. plants, animals and bacteria).
5. Change in abiotic factors (non living things within an ecosystem eg. water, soil and atmosphere).
6. Habitat destruction.

Question 10

CITES

Answer 10

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species

Question 11

role of CITES

Answer 11

Regulates the international trade in endangered species and their products.

Question 12

Wildlife and countryside act

Answer 12

1. bans certain methods of killing or taking wild animals
2. restricts introduction of certain animals and plants
3. designation of protected areas eg SSSIs and NNRs (National Nature Reserve)

Question 13

Examples of management activities

Answer 13

• maintaining a plagioclimax (a managed ecosystem)
  -removal of introduced species
• fencing off visitors
• restricting building development
• provision of food sources or nesting sites

Question 14

protected areas in the UK

Answer 14

Studland Bay (SSSI - Site of Special Scientific Interest)
Lundy Island (MNR - Marine Nature Reserve)

Question 15

IWC

Answer 15

International Whaling Commission

Question 16

IWC purpose

Answer 16

• conserve whale populations but facilitate sustainable whaling in special circumstances

Question 17

IWC roles

Answer 17

• total protection of some species
• setting limits on numbers hat can be taken
• having designated sanctuaries where no whaling can take place
• protection for mothers and calves
• carrying out research

Question 18

CFP

Answer 18

EU Common Fisheries Policy

Question 19

CFP purpose

Answer 19

To ensure sustainable harvesting of fish

Question 20

ITTO

Answer 20

International Tropical Timber Organisation

Question 21

ITTO purpose

Answer 21

moving towards all exports of tropical timber coming from sustainably managed sources

Question 22

Limitations with legal protection

Answer 22

• financial cost
• can be hard to enforce (especially in remote areas)
• wildlife does not necessarily respect borders
• may require agreement of several countries

Question 23

Captivity positives

Answer 23

• may be only place a species can survive
• people are able to see wildlife they would otherwise not / education
  -generates income (for conservation)

Question 24

Captivity negatives

Answer 24

• cost of keeping them in captivity
  -many animals need very specific condition s or complex species interactions
• doesn’t solve issues with wild populations

Question 25

Ex situ conservation

Answer 25

conserving wildlife outside of their natural habitat

Question 26

Problems with captive breeding

Answer 26

- possible inbreeding -difficult for mobile or large species -diet may be difficult to provide -may be unable to recreate suitable abiotic conditions -unable to house large groups -low breeding success rate

Question 27

how breeding success can be increased

Answer 27

-artificial insemination -embryo transfer - provision of suitable abiotic factors -recreating population dynamics and conditions for breeding

Question 28

artificial insemination

Answer 28

-sperm from desired male obtained -injected into female of same species this increases the likelihood of successful fertilisation but means a female can become pregnant without physical contact. Sperm can be transported to different locations.

Question 29

embryo transfer

Answer 29

-female give hormones to stimulate the release of eggs which are collected -sperm that has been collected and the egg can be fertilised in vitro (in a lab) -embryos can be implanted into another surrogate female -cryopreservation used to store semen / eggs / embryos by freezing this allows a single female to be the mother of many more offspring than she could naturally

Question 30

problems with releasing into wild

Answer 30

- possible association with humans -may not be immune to local diseases -loss of habitat -unsuitable age / sex ratio -lack of survival skills eg finding food or avoiding predators

Question 31

soft release

Answer 31

release of animals from captivity where they are provided with post release support eg food.

Question 32

hard release

Answer 32

release of animals from captivity where they are not provided with post release support

Question 33

seed banks

Answer 33

stores seeds as source for planting in case others are destroyed

Question 34

seed banks limitations

Answer 34

- to store all seeds for all species would be hard - especially larger seeds - viability of seeds declines over time - reduces gene pool -seeds with high water content are difficult to store

Question 35

Local elephant in a keystone species - what ways could other local species be affected if elephant population dies out

Answer 35

-reduce seed dispersal -less food for predators -less trampling / grazing so plants grow -plant competition increases -more food for herbivores -less faeces for detritivores (creatures that absorb nutrients by absorbing dead and decomposing matter eg worms and beetles)