Conservation biology
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Template:Environmental technology Conservation biology is the protection and management of biodiversity that uses principles and experiences from the biological sciences, from natural resource management, and from the social sciences, including economics. Put another way, conservation biology is the scientific study of the phenomena that affect the maintenance, loss, and restoration of biological diversity.
The term "conservation biology" refers to the science and sometimes is used to encompass also the application of this science.
The concern of this branch of biology is to help save the diversity of life on Earth through applied conservation research. In the realm of research, biologists seek creative and effective ways to address a wide diversity of ecological problems, ranging from endangered species to regional conservation planning. This translates to developing better conservation tools, analyses, and techniques.
One theoretical tool useful in conservation biology is the Unified neutral theory of biodiversity. Template:TOCright
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Importance of conservation
Extinction of a species is an irreversible act. Once gone, an exterminated species represents a lost resource of unknown value. While the net value of any one species is virtually impossible to represent in pure numerical or monetary figures, individual reasons for conservation can be demonstrated.
Health and medical
While some are available synthetically or from abiotic sources, humans still depend on other species for caloric intake, vitamins, minerals, and medicine.
In 2004 over half of all prescriptions in the United States contained natural plant or animal products.
Image:Bristol.zoo.crocskin.handbag.arp.jpg
Aesthetic value
Interaction between species is a source of aesthetic pleasure for humans. Most would say a world with fewer species would be less desirable.
Additionally, studies in evolutionary psychology have determined correlations between exposure to natural environments and increased mental health and morality.
Soil health
Soil is essentially a biotic substance. The health of soil is directly related to the health of surrounding primary producers, which supports the surrounding food web. Healthy ecosystems that have been properly conserved generate and maintain fertile soils, prevent soil erosion, detoxification and recycling of waste products, regulation of the hydrological cycle and the composition of the atmosphere, control of agricultural pests, and pollination of plants.
Monetary value
While it is difficult to establish the net value of a species, it can be estimated.
In Cape Province, South Africa the native vegetation of the area is the fynbos, a type of shrub. The fynbos are able to survive long periods of drought, periodic fires, and poor soil conditions; the plants are harvested annually with annual a yield of about $19 billion. Recently exotic plants have threatened the endemic fynbos. The new plants grow larger; increasing the severity of periodic fires. More importantly they transpire more water; reducing the local streams to half their normal water flow.
Removing the exotic species will cost between $140 US and $830 US per hectare and $8 US per hectare to maintain every year after. Alternatively, a sewage purification plant would cost $135 million US to build and $2.6 million US per year to maintain. Desalination of surrounding coastal waters would cost four times as much.
Conservation threats
Many of the environmental issues present a threat to conservation. Conservation is one of the concerns of conservationists in the conservation and environmental movements.