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53. Conservation Biology
Conservation Biology

53. Conservation Biology

Conservation Biology

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Textbook Question
Which of these statements best describes what conservation biologists mean by the 'the rapid loss of biodiversity'? a. Introduced species, such as starlings and zebra mussels, have rapidly expanded their ranges. b. Harvests of marine fishes, such as cod and bluefin tuna, are declining. c. The current species extinction rate is as much as 100 times greater than at any time in the past 100,000 years. d. Many potential medicines are being lost as plant species become extinct.
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Textbook Question
The population size of mountain pine beetles in the American Northwest has long been held in check by freezing temperatures during the winters. As winters warm, populations of pine beetles are increasing, killing whitebark pine forest. Grizzly bears rely on the nuts of whitebark pine trees. Do you think climate change is affecting the fitness of the grizzly bear population? a. No, because climate change is not a problem yet. b. No, because climate change is affecting the beetles, not the bears. c. Yes, because climate change is decreasing the food supply of the bears, which means they will be less strong. d. Yes, because climate change is decreasing the food supply of the bears, which is likely to reduce their ability to survive or reproduce.
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Textbook Question
SCIENTIFIC THINKING The human-generated increase in greenhouse gases (see Module 38.3) provides many opportunities to study the effects of climate change. For example, snowshoe hares are adapted to the climate of their habitat in the taiga of the high mountains and northern regions of North America. One adaptation is seasonal changes in fur color—a white winter coat that turns brown in the spring—that camouflage hares from a long list of predators. These color changes are triggered by day length. As increasing spring temperatures cause earlier snowmelt in the taiga, biologists have observed many white hares sitting on brown earth. Suggest how this natural experiment could be used to investigate the effects of climate change on populations and communities in the taiga ecosystem (assume historical data are available).
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Textbook Question
SCIENTIFIC THINKING Researchers studied active and abandoned pika colonies at two sites (one in southeast Oregon and one in northwest Nevada) to understand how elevation might influence pika range (see Module 38.0 and Module 38.11). Sites were classified as old (no longer occupied) or current. How would you summarize the findings? Does this study support the hypothesis that pika ranges are shifting to higher elevations due to climate change? What are some limitations to describing patterns in nature as compared to doing a controlled experiment?

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Textbook Question
Until recently, response to environmental problems has been fragmented—an antipollution law here, incentives for recycling there. Meanwhile, the problems of the gap between rich and poor nations, diminishing resources, and pollution continue to grow. Now people and governments are starting to envision a sustainable society. The Worldwatch Institute, a respected environmental monitoring organization, estimates that we must reach sustainability by the year 2030 to avoid economic and environmental disaster. To get there, we must begin shaping a sustainable society during this decade. In what ways is our present system not sustainable? What might a more sustainable society be like? Do you think a sustainable society is an achievable goal? Why or why not? What is the alternative? What might you do to work toward sustainability? What are the major roadblocks to achieving sustainability? How would your life be different in a sustainable society?
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Textbook Question
SCIENTIFIC THINKING Will increasing atmospheric levels of CO2 make you sneeze as well as itch? Scientists studying the effects of rising CO2 levels have looked at ragweed, whose pollen is the primary allergen for fall hay fever. They grew ragweed in three levels of CO2: a pre-industrial concentration of 280 ppm, a year 2000 level of 370 ppm, and a projected level of 600 ppm. They found that pollen production increased by 131% and 320% in the plants exposed to the recent and projected CO2 levels, respectively. What was the hypothesis of this experiment? Do the results support the hypothesis? Given what you know about climate change, what other variables would you like to test, and what other measurements would you like to take?
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Textbook Question
Most scientific experts agree that climate change is already occurring and has potentially catastrophic consequences for all of life on Earth. The Paris Agreement of 2015 represented a global consensus on the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, in 2017 the United States announced its intention to withdraw from the Agreement in 2020. Go online to research and summarize the main agreements reached in this historic global climate accord and the U.S. government's reasons for withdrawing. What roles do you think scientists, politicians, and citizens will need to play to cut emissions and limit global warming?
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