What is Conservation Biology

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Chapter 1

• What is Conservation Biology?

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The beauty and genius of a work of art may be
reconceived, through its first material
expression be destroyed, a vanished harmony may
yet again inspire the composer but when the last
individual of a race of living things breathes no
more, another heave and earth must pass before
such a one can be again.

• William Beebe, 1906naturalist, oceanographer,
  ornithologist, and curator of the New York
  Zoological Society

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Why the concern over loss?
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Ectopistes migratorius
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Humans and their activities affect

• Other organismsHabitatsEcosystems

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More humans result in

• more consumption.
• Net Primary Productivity (NPP)
• The energy from the sun transformed into biomass
• Biomass is the base of all food webs
• Loss of NPP caused by a variety of actions
• Food consumption
• Lumber for construction
• Clear-cutting to make way for
• Disproportionate consumption across the world

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4 of the worlds population
16.7 of the worlds population
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Effects of humans everywhere
83 of land influenced by one or more human
activities agriculture, population,
urbanization, roads, night pollution
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Reason for Hope

• World pop. growth rates have slowed
• Education/job skills/economic development reduce
  family size
• Increased awareness of human impacts
• Efforts to reduce CO2 emissions
• Focus on using less and recycling
• Recognition that biodiversity depends on
  conservation and sustainable development

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Conservation Biology

• (another reason for hope!)

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Conservation Biology

• Response of the scientific community to the loss
  of biological diversity
• Recent field, formalized in 1980s
• Synthetic field, combining basic scientific
  pursuits with applied science

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Is Conservation Biology new?
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ConBio as a field

• Application of theoretical/academic principles to
  real world situations, in some cases bringing
  about new policies.

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ConBio as a field

• Transition from utilitarian philosophy to
  recognition that all parts of nature have at
  least inherent value.

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ConBio as a field

• Transition from utilitarian philosophy to
  recognition that all parts of nature have at
  least inherent value.
• OLD management of a single species for the
  benefit of man
• NEW stewardship of biodiversity and natural
  ecosystems

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ConBio as a field

• Participation of non-biologists is critical to
  success of conservation efforts

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Goal of ConBio

• to understand natural ecological systems well
  enough to maintain their diversity in the face of
  an exploding human population that has
  fragmented, simplified, and destroyed many
  ecosystems.

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The commons

• Public lands
• Early Europe, these areas were part of the few
  areas NOT owned by wealthy monarchs
• Often the first areas to be exploited and
  overused
• This process occurs virtually everywhere

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Exploitation of U.S. commons

• Forests and wetlands of US more pristine, rich in
  resources than Europe
• Intense use of these areas occurred after
  colonization due to demand in Europe
• Forests produced lumber for ship building,
  railroad construction, and development
• Wetlands used for agriculture
• Conservation efforts implemented to avoid
  significant loss, destruction

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Conservation in the U.S.

• Romantic-Transcendental Conservation Ethic
• Resource Conservation Ethic
• Evolutionary-Ecological Land Ethic

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Romantic-Transcendental Conservation Ethic
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Romantic-Transcendental Conservation Ethic

• Nature has uses other than economic gain
• Quasi-religious view of woods as a temple to
  commune with god
• Pristine environments allow man to cleanse
  himself from civilization
• Preservationist approach to conservation

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Resource Conservation Ethic

• Chief of USFS, 1905-1910
• Nature natural resources
• Anthopogenic view of nature
• Motto The greatest good of the greatest number
  for the longest time
• Approach to conservation stressed equity

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Resource Conservation Ethic

• Developed multi-use concept
• Different uses of land/water simultaneously
• Accomplish logging, grazing, preservation,
  recreation, and protection
• Advocated government regulation and/or public
  ownership to ensure conservation and guard
  against the non-equitable free-market system
• Mandate for USFS and BLM

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Evolutionary-EcologicalLand Ethic

• A Sand County Almanac
• Forester trained in the Pinchot tradition
• Ecologist and environmentalist
• Believed strict utilitarian treatment of natural
  resources scientifically unsound

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Evolutionary-EcologicalLand Ethic

• Nature like a Swiss watch
• Interrelated parts and components
• Some parts directly useful to man
• Other parts serve no apparent function, but can
  not be discarded
• Equilibrium view of nature all parts needed to
  work together in harmony

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Which ethic governs conservation biology today?
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Modern Conservation Biology

• A synthesis of ideas
• Sciences for theory and practice
• Stewardship for philosophical context
• Expanded view of ecosystems
• Large animals, soils water
• Less visible (but essential) components
• Broad partnerships in Cons Biol
• Scientists, governments, NGOs, public

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Guiding Principles of Conservation Biology
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Guiding Principles of Conservation Biology
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Evolutionary Change

• Organisms adapt in response to changes in the
  environment
• Genetic composition in populations changes over
  time
• Genetic drift, immigration, emigration, natural
  selection
• Ensure populations CAN change/adapt in response
  to future environmental change

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Equilibrium Paradigm

• Balance of nature
• Ecological systems are in equilibrium and can
  reach climax community
• Assumes closed, self-regulating systems
• Makes for easy conservation biology
• Leave ecosystems undisturbed once they reach
  climax community
• Protect areas already stable

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Equilibrium Paradigm

• The balance of nature changes also
• Nothing stays the same forever
• Changes in
• Ecological structure
• Number of a species
• Species composition
• Evolutionary structure
• Physical or behavioral characteristics of a
  species

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Dynamic Ecology

• Indefinite equilibrium, at best
• No ultimate or long-term stable state
• External processes occur
• Fires, floods, droughts, storms, earthquakes
• Some ecosystems DEPEND on external processes
• Habitat types patchily distributed, not uniform

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Jack Pine Barrens

• Critical habitat for KIWA
• Prefers Jack Pine forests 16-20 years old
• Initial management suppressed fire
• Fire removes older trees, generating new growth

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Dynamic Ecology

• Dynamic, not chaotic
• Fluid community structure
• Ecosystems are open systems, subject to change,
  and interact with surroundings
• Conservation efforts can not focus on areas in
  isolation
• Recognize spatial and temporal change

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Human Presence

• No way to protect against human influence
• Rather, account for human activities in
  conservation efforts
• Indigenous peoples and their culture
• Part of the landscape and ecosystem(s)
• May demonstrate models of sustainability

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Guiding Principles of Conservation Biology
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For your consideration

• Pervasive aspects of Conservation Biology and
  conservation efforts

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Response to a crisis

• Crises demand quick action
• Scientists trained in the scientific method
• Which is better
• Maintain scientific credibility but risk inaction
• Advocate method of action but risk professional
  reputation
• Disparate pressures with similar intensities

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An inexact science

• Simple answers not always available
• Answers generally given in probabilities,
  likelihoods generated from statistics
• Scientific uncertainty requires safety margins
• Precautionary Principle

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Precautionary Principle

• Safety net when information is incomplete but
  decisions need to be made
• Avoid practices that lead to harm
• Wingspread Statement
• Lack of scientific certainty is no excuse to take
  steps to minimize threats to biodiversity.

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A value-laden science

• Researchers are supposed to be free from bias,
  opinion, goals, or desires
• Clear goal in conservation biology and for
  conservation biologists

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The goal of Conservation Biology is how to
preserve and promote biological diversity and
ecosystem integrity in the face of the expanding
and influential human population.
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