Unit 3

Question 1

How many historical mass extinctions were there?

Answer 1

5 unless counting the current human induced one

Question 2

What caused the mass extinctions?

Answer 2

Massive disturbances like volcanoes, asteroid impacts, and climate change

Question 3

Why could some argue that we are in another mass extinction event?

Answer 3

Because of human impacts, extinction rates are accelerating past the point of species replacement

Question 4

What is the difference between extinct and extirpated?

Answer 4

Extinct is when a species no longer exists anywhere, extirpated is local extinction (species no longer present in an area where it was historically found)

Question 5

What are some traits that increase species rate of extinction?

Answer 5

Small range, small population, island dwelling, hunted by people, large body size and slow reproduction, seasonal migrations, low genetic variation, low tolerance for disturbance

Question 6

What does the relationship (S n /S o ) = (A n /A o ) 0.25 say about predicting extinctions?

Answer 6

shows that species loss due to habitat reduction is slower than the proportional area loss, allowing ecologists to predict extinctions: as habitat decreases, species loss is directly correlated to habitat loss

Question 7

How should we think about vulnerability in conservation planning?

Answer 7

Like heat spots. Which areas are more vulnerable and need protection vs lower priority areas

Question 8

How do we know something is vulnerable?

Answer 8

Exposure to dangers, how it reacts to danger (poorly/well), how it recovers. Vulnerability = Exposure x Sensitivity x Ability to Cope

Question 9

How are concepts of vulnerability and irreplaceability related to conservation planning?

Answer 9

They help conservationists determine what species or areas are in the greatest need of protection.

Question 10

Why are some species more important than others?

Answer 10

This refers to “focal species”; if the focal species is protected, it also protects its community or ecosystem

Question 11

What does irreplaceability mean in conservation planning?

Answer 11

How unique the area or species is. If lost, would it be possible to replace? Helps determine what to protect.

Question 12

What 2 types of focal species are there?

Answer 12

indicator species (associated with endangered community) and flagship species (pandas, sea turtles)

Question 13

What is the IUCN?

Answer 13

The International Union for Conservation of Nature

Question 14

What is the IUCN mission?

Answer 14

Conserve the integrity of the world’s nature and ensure sustainable and equitable natural resource use

Question 15

What does the IUCN provide in terms of info?

Answer 15

Info about range, pop. size, habitat and ecology, threats, conservation actions on many species throughout the world. Have IUCN red list

Question 16

What is NatureServe?

Answer 16

Carry on legacy of work by The Nature Conservancy

Question 17

What is the goal of NatureServe?

Answer 17

(Mostly for US) to collect and manage data about status and distribution of species and ecosystems of conservation concern

Question 18

What is G1-G5 NatureServe rankings?

Answer 18

G1 is Critically Imperiled
G2 is Imperiled
G3 is Vulnerable
G4 is Apparently Secure
G5 is Secure

Question 19

What is the rationale for establishing multi-use conservation area?

Answer 19

Mutual benefits of protecting biodiversity but still provide natural resource use. Larger than strict protection land
Greater benefit to locals (gain local support)

Question 20

Goal of gap analysis?

Answer 20

Identify gaps between biodiversity priorities and existing protected areas to refocus on important species/communities/environments

Question 21

What is the gap analysis process?

Answer 21

1. Map what already exists (distribution of species, ecosystems, habitat)
2. Identify conservation goals
3. Compare goals to existing protections
4. Fill gaps with additional protections / refocus conservation efforts

Question 22

What are 4 R’s to designate protected area?

Answer 22

Representation (represent as much biodiversity as possible
Resiliency (large enough to maintain all aspects of biodiversity and can stand stress)
Redundancy (should include enough examples to maintain long term biodiversity health)
Reality (is it attainable? enough funding and support for long term management?)

Question 23

How do the 3 R’s relate to recovery plan process?

Answer 23

All 3 R’s should be considered to give the species the best chance possible with adequate representation, placing it somewhere it can handle natural change (resiliency) , and make sure there are plenty of them around (redundancy)

Question 24

What is the SLOSS debate?

Answer 24

Better to have single large area or several small areas?

Question 25

Pros and cons for large reserve size

Answer 25

Pros: maintain large populations, reduce edge effects, more area=more species Cons: Sometimes species protection plateaus

Question 26

Pros and cons for small reserve size

Answer 26

Could be used to protect more species across a landscape/region and provide redundancy

Question 27

What is the ESA?

Answer 27

The Endangered Species Act

Question 28

Who is able to place species onto the ESA?

Answer 28

US Fish and Wildlife and National Marine Fisheries

Question 29

What is a DPS?

Answer 29

Distinct population segment, a vertebrate population(s) that is distinct from other populations of the same species (think nelsoni infraspecies)

Question 30

How do we designate a DPS? 3 elements

Answer 30

1. Discreteness of population: markedly separated from other populations 2. Significance: ecological and biological 3. Status of the DPS: may be appropriate to assign different classifications to diff DPS's of the same species

Question 31

What is the difference between endangered vs threatened under ESA?

Answer 31

Endangered is a species that is in danger of extinction through all or a part of its range. Threatened is at risk of becoming endangered in the foreseeable future

Question 32

What is section 7 under ESA?

Answer 32

Section 7 prevents any harmful potential actions to be taken on a protected species or its environment without first consulting USFWS

Question 33

What is jeopardy in Sec. 7 ESA?

Answer 33

when an action is expected to diminish species number so greatly that the chance of survival and recovery in the wild is greatly reduced

Question 34

What is critical habitat?

Answer 34

Designated by USFWS, it is specific geographic location featuring essentials to conservation of E or T species (may have special protections or management)

Question 35

How is critical habitat part of recovery process?

Answer 35

It protects a geographic location and its populations from agencies development. Agencies cannot destroy or adversely modify habitat

Question 36

What is reintroduction?

Answer 36

Releasing an individual to an environment where it was historically found but no longer occur

Question 37

What is reinforcement?

Answer 37

Releasing an individual into an already established population

Question 38

What is introduction of a species?

Answer 38

Releasing an individual to suitable areas outside their historic range

Question 39

What is translocation?

Answer 39

Moving individuals from one site where it is threatened to another site that is protected

Question 40

How does the process of headstarting work?

Answer 40

Take young animals (either from wild or captivity) and raise them up to adulthood in captivity to be released back into the wild

Question 41

What is a hard release?

Answer 41

Drop off with no monitoring or care

Question 42

What is soft release?

Answer 42

Provide special treatment to enhance likelihood of success in wild (ex. enclosure in habitat, supplemental food) monitored and enhances chance of survival

Question 43

How can biology and behavior of species influence translocation projects?

Answer 43

Good example: Gopher tortoise knows where its home was and will leave protected area to go back. This behavior must be mitigated somehow (enclosing it in)