• Conservation biology addresses a crisis—the loss of biodiversity.
  
  
• Conservation biology is an applied, goal-oriented, multidisciplinary field.
  
  
• Extinction rates have risen to many times their natural levels, and many types of ecosystems are disappearing.
  
  
• Biodiversity includes species diversity, genetic diversity, community diversity, and landscape diversity in marine, freshwater, and terrestrial habitats.

1. What is the goal of conservation biology?
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2. Conservation biology relies on what fields of biology?
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3. What are the three types of biodiversity, and how is biodiversity distributed throughout the biosphere?
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Essential Study Partner

• Approach
• Issues
• Species

• Biodiversity has both direct and indirect value.

1. What are some of the direct values of biodiversity?
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2. What are some of the indirect values of biodiversity?
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3. How does a high degree of biodiversity help ecosystems function more efficiently?
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• Habitat loss, introduction of alien species, pollution, overexploitation, and disease are now largely responsible for the loss of biodiversity.
  
  
• Global warming will shift the optimal range of many species northward and disrupt many coastal ecosystems.

1. What factors cause extinctions?
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2. Why might global warming affect biodiversity?
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3. What are some examples that a positive feedback cycle promotes overexploitation?
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4. How do today's fishing practices destroy marine ecosystems?
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Essential Study Partner

• Extinction
• Air
• Water
• Land
• Concept Review

Art Quiz

• Greenhouse Effect

• Because of fragmented habitats, it is often necessary to conserve subdivided populations today.
  
  
• Identifying and conserving biodiversity hotspots and/or keystone species can save many other species as well.
  
  
• Computer analyses can be done to select areas for preservation and to determine the minimal population size needed for survival.
  
  
• Ecological preservation often involves restoration of habitats today.

1. Why is it advisable to save hotspots and keystone species?
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2. Why is it advisable to save source populations in order to preserve a metapopulation?
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3. How can computer analyses help protect species?
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4. What three principles are fundamental to effective restoration ecology?
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Bioethical Focus

• Ecosystem Preservation

Case Study

• The Wolf in Yellowstone National Park