Sustaining Terrestrial Biodiversity: the Ecological Approach

Chapter 10 Reading Q’s Sustaining Terrestrial Biodiversity: The ecological Approach Miller: Living in the Environment

I. Reintroducing Wolves to Yellowstone a. What happened to the gray wolves between 1850 and 1900? b. How many and where were the wolves located in 1973? c. List 5 ecological roles wolves play in their native ecosystems. d. List 3 problems that occurred without the wolves in their ecosystems.. e. List 5 benefits to the Yellowstone ecosystem that have emerged since the wolves have been reintroduced. II. Human Impacts on Terrestrial Biodiversity a. Effects of Human Activities on Global Biodiversity a.i. List 4 direct effects and 2 indirect effects of human activities on biodiversity. a.ii. What percentages of the US and California have been developed? b. Why should we care about biodiversity? b.i. What is intrinsic value? b.ii. List 5 instrumental reasons to protect biodiversity. b.iii. List 5 use values of biodiversity. b.iv. List 3 existence values of biodiversity. b.v. What is bequest value? III. Managing and Sustaining Forests a. Economic and Ecological Services Provided by forests a.i. List 7 ecological and 7 economic services of forests. b. Spotlight: Putting a Price Tag on Nature’s Ecological Services b.i. What is the estimated economic value from the Earth’s ecological services every year? b.ii. Give 2 reasons why haven’t we started including this cost into our accounting systems? c. Types of Forests c.i. List and describe the 3 types of forests. c.ii. Which 5 countries have ¾ of the world’s old growth forests? c.iii. Which countries have 2/3 of the world’s tree plantations? d. Global Outlook: Extent of Deforestation d.i. What percentage of the worlds forests have been destroyed by human activity? d.ii. What rate are we destroying forests at? d.iii. List 7 problems associated with deforestation. d.iv. What are 2 encouraging trends when it comes to forests. e. Case Study: Deforestation and the Fuelwood Crisis e.i. Describe what has happened to the forests in developing countries like Haiti and why? e.ii. What are 2 solutions to reduce the problems of deforestation in these countries? f. Harvesting Trees f.i. List 3 harmful effects of building roads through a forest. f.ii. Describe selective cutting. f.iii. What are 4 advantages and 4 disadvantages of clear cutting forests. f.iv. What is strip-cutting? g. Solutions: Managing Forests More Sustainably g.i. Identify 10 ways we can manage our forests more sustainably. IV. Case Study: Forest Resources and Management in the US a.i. Describe the state of the US forests presently. b. Types and Effects of Forest Fires b.i. List and describe the 3 types of forest fires. c. Solutions: Controversy over Fire Management c.i. What will be the consequence if we put out all forest fires? Is that good or bad? c.ii. What are 2 strategies for reducing fire-related harm to forests and people? c.iii. Describe the Healthy Forests Restoration Act. c.iv. How will this law increase severe forest fires? d. Controversy over Logging in US National Forests d.i. List 4 advantages and 6 disadvantages of logging in the US National Forests. e. Solutions: Reducing Demand for Harvested Trees e.i. List 6 ways wood is wasted in the US. f. American Forests in a Globalized Economy: f.i. Where will our wood products come in the future? f.ii. What are 2 consequences of this shift in production? V. Case Study: Tropical Deforestation a. Global Outlook: Tropical Forests are Disappearing a.i. Explain what has happened to the tropical rainforest over the past 60 years. b. Why should we care about the Loss of Tropical Forests? b.i. List 3 reasons why we should care about the loss of the tropical forests. c. Causes of Tropical Deforestation and Degradation c.i. List 5 basic causes of tropical deforestation and 10 secondary causes. d. Solutions: Reducing Tropical Deforestation and Degradation d.i. List 9 ways to prevent destruction of the rain forests and 3 ways to restore degraded rain forests. VI. Managing and Sustaining Grasslands a. Rangelands and Overgrazing a.i. Define rangelands, pastures, overgrazing, and undergrazing. b. Solutions: managing Rangelands more sustainably b.i. List 3 solutions to managing rangelands. c. Case Study: Grazing and Urban Developments in the American West c.i. Describe the change in the American west ranches over the past 30 years and how ranchers, conservationists, and ecologists are working together to solve the problems. VII. National Parks a. Global Outlook: Threats to National Parks a.i. List 3 problems in National Parks in developing countries. b. Case Study: Stresses on US National parks b.i. List 7 stresses on US National parks. b.ii. List 11 solutions to solve these problems in US National Parks. VIII. Nature Reserves a. Protecting Land from Human Exploitation a.i. How much of the Earth is actually protected from humans? How much is reserved for humans? a.ii. How much of the Earth do conservation biologists want protected? b. Designing and Connecting Nature Reserves b.i. What is a habitat corridor and how does it connect reserves? b.ii. What is a buffer zone concept? c. Connecting Reserves on an Ecoregion scale c.i. What is an ecoregion? d. Protecting Biodiversity Hotspots d.i. What 3 countries have the most biodiversity? d.ii. Look at figure 10-26 and identify the areas on the earth where 52% of species are found. Did any areas surprise you? e. Community-Based Conservation: Thinking and Acting Locally e.i. What is community based conservation? f. Natural Capital: Wilderness f.i. What is wilderness? g. Case Study: Controversy over Wilderness Protection in the US g.i. Describe the controversy over wilderness protection in the US. IX. Ecological Restoration a. Rehabilitating and Restoring Damaged Ecosystems a.i. What is ecological restoration? a.ii. List and describe 4 approaches to speeding up repair of ecosystems a.iii. List and describe 5 scientific principles for carrying out ecological restoration. b. Will Restoration Encourage Further Destruction? X. What can we do? a. Solutions: Establishing Priorities a.i. List 8 ways we can protect the remaining ecosystems and species. a.ii. List 8 ways you can help sustain terrestrial biodiversity.