3.4 Conservation of Biodiversity

Significant Ideas

• The impact of losing biodiversity drives conservation efforts.

• The variety of arguments given for the conservation of biodiversity will depend on EVSs.

• There are various approaches to the conservation of biodiversity, each with associated strengths and limitations.

Knowledge and Understanding

1. Arguments about species and habitat preservation can be based on aesthetic, ecological, economic, ethical and social justifications.

2. International, governmental and non‑governmental organizations (NGOs) are involved in conserving and restoring ecosystems and biodiversity, with varying levels of effectiveness due to their use of media, speed of response, diplomatic constraints, financial resources and political influence.

3. Recent international conventions on biodiversity work to create collaboration between nations for biodiversity conservation.

4. Conservation approaches include habitat conservation, species-based conservation and a mixed approach.

5. Criteria for consideration when designing protected areas include size, shape, edge effects, corridors, and proximity to potential human influence.

6. Alternative approaches to the development of protected areas are species-based conservation strategies including:

   • CITES

   • captive breeding and reintroduction programmes, and zoos

   • selection of “charismatic” species to help protect others in an area (flagship species)

   • selection of keystone species to protect the integrity of the food web.

7. Community support, adequate funding and proper research influence the success of conservation efforts.

8. The location of a conservation area in a country is a significant factor in the success of the conservation effort. Surrounding land use for the conservation area and distance from urban centers are important factors for consideration in conservation area design.

Applications and Skills

1. Explain the criteria used to design and manage protected areas.

2. Evaluate the success of a given protected area.

3. Evaluate different approaches to protecting biodiversity.

Guidance

• Economic arguments for preservation often involve valuation of ecotourism, of the genetic resource, and commercial considerations of the natural capital. Ecological reasons may be related to the ecosystem. Ethical arguments are very broad, and can include the intrinsic value of the species or the utilitarian value.

• International conventions on conservation and biodiversity have been adopted over the past decades.

• A specific example of a protected area and the success it has achieved should be studied.

Key Vocabulary

• XYZ

Textbook Reading and/or Activities

Click HERE for a pdf of chapter 4.

• Pages x-xx

  • Challenge Yourself (p.x)

  • Worked Example (p.x-xx)

  • Exercises (p.x)

Notes

i-Biology Notes (Not available)

A detailed set of notes, created by Stephen Taylor, examining U1 - U8 and A1 - A4.

i-Biology Study Questions (Not available)

A series of questions, created by Stephen Taylor, to help check your understanding of the IB learning expectations. This is VERY GOOD practice.

Bioknowledgy Notes (Not available)

A detailed set of notes, created by Chris Paine, examining all of the IB learning expectations.

Bioknowledgy Study Questions (Not available)

A series of questions, created by Chris Paine, to help check your understanding of the IB learning expectations. This is VERY GOOD practice.

Learning Activities

Case Study - Protecting the Ozone Layer

This case study, prepared by the Australian Government (Sept.2015), will help you better understand the issues related to ozone depletion, how it can affect a country and what can be done to resolve the problem (K&U 1-8 as well as A&S 1).

Supplemental Reading