BLG 181 Lecture Notes - Lecture 16: Cites, Population Genetics, Soil Fertility
Document Summary
Release of poisons, toxins, excess nutrients, and other waste. Eutrophication: excess fertilizer run off into ponds and lakes and rivers causes excess growth of algae and bacteria on water, blocking sunlight and depleting oxygen levels. Biodiversity is important for food, fuel, and resources. Soil fertility organic matter and organisms, nutrient cycling. Population must be large enough to endure fluctuations predators, food sources, weather, predation, reproduction. Minimum viable population (mvp): minimum isolated population having 99% chance of surviving 1000 years despite foreseeable environmental effects. Minimum dynamic area (mda): minimum area of sustainable habitat required for maintaining the mvp. Case study: yello(cid:449)stone national park isn"t large enough to support mvp of bears. Conservation biology: draws on population genetics, evolution, biogeography, wildlife management, economics, sociology, goal is to preserve biodiversity and ecosystem function. Plant diversity is the foundation for hotspot diversity, as it is the base of the food chain and therefore is primary determining factor of how diverse other species can be.