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67 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
Where is the majority of the world's biological diversity? |
developing countries
weak governments
high poverty
economic inequality
social inequality
population growth
habitat destruction |
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How does IUCN protect biological diversity? |
conservation of global species since 1948
NGO with objective approach
international conservation organization previously named International Union for the Conservation of Nature (hence IUCN)
CITES was drafted (effective 1975) because of the work of the IUCN |
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What is CITES? |
CITES = Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild flora and fauna
an international agreement between governments to ensure international trade does not affect species survival |
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What does CITES protection of trade include? |
live animals
plants
food products
exotic leather goods
wooden musical instruments
timber
medicines |
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How can African cherry/stinkwood (Prunus africana) bark be used as medicine? |
boiled bark in goat stone soup: strength to Kenyan hunter-gatherers
prostate issues in men, esp. where 60% of men are estimated to experience prostate issues
tree found only in montane Africa and Madagascar
protected by CITES in 1995 |
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How many countries are signatories to CITES? |
180 |
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How many plants and animals are listed on the CITES list? |
>35,000 |
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How are materials banned by CITES prevented from being traded? |
they are burned |
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What is fueling catastrophic declines in elephant and rhino populations in Kenya, Tanzania, and throughout Africa? |
the international demand for ivory (elephants) and rhino horn |
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What is the significance of species in Appendix I? |
strongest protected species
These species are considered to be threatened with extinction in the wild.
These species are banned from international trade. |
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What is the significance of species in Appendix II? |
next strongest protection (after Appendix I)
species are not considered to be threatened with extinction in the wild at the present but may become so if trade continues unregulated
to trade under Appendix II, an export permit is required; this is granted by the national government is the species is legally obtained and the trade is not detrimental to the species |
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What is the significance of species in Appendix III? |
next strongest protected species (after I and II)
used when a country requires assistance from other countries in controlling trade of a species, even if the species is not globally threatened
species require a permit to trade |
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Who is the biggest importer of orchids from Brazil? |
Netherlands --> 140,000 (then Germany, then USA) |
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What is the issue with the importation of fish from Brazil? |
Sept 2014: Brazil's aquaculture and fisheries decreed last month that 2,000 different species of ornamental fish can be legally removed from the Brazilian Amazon
the fish will be farmed to supply the aquarium trade
raises concerns about overall threats to biodiversity |
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What is the most common species of orchid exported from Brazil? |
Ludisia discolor (by a landslide; 5,000,000) |
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Who is the biggest importer of invertebrates from Australia? |
USA --> 340,000 (then Germany, then United Kingdom) |
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What is the top trade invertebrate species by Australia? |
Tridacna maxima (giant clam) |
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What is the top trade reptile species by Egypt? |
Testudo graeca (spur-thighed tortus)
listed as vulnerable |
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What are nearly all exports of mammals by China? |
Live! 97.7% |
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What is the top trade mammal species in China? |
Macaca fascicularis (monkey) |
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What is the purpose of the IUCN Red List of threatened species? |
identifies species at risk of extinction via assessment with clear rules
provides global conservation priorities
monitors status of species in all major ecosystems
IUCN currently manages data on >70,000 species |
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Describe tigers. |
largest felid
originally 9 subspecies, ALL are now endangered or extinct
considered endangered on red list
Bengal = <2,000 Siberian = 450 Indochinese = 750-1,300 South Chinese = extinct in wild Sumatran = 400-500 Malayan = 600-800 Caspian = extinct Javan = extinct Bali = extinct |
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At what rate have tigers declined in the last 3 generations? |
50% |
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How many protected sites exist for tigers? |
42 --> current breeding estimate (2011) = 2,154 |
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Where are population declines of tigers currently the greatest? |
outside of protected areas |
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When do tiger populations tend to decline? |
when mortality of breeding females rises over 15% |
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Where are most Amur Tigers in unprotected areas located? |
Russia |
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What is the rate of tiger population decline over the last 2 generations? |
20% |
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What is the tiger's historic range and how much of this has been lost? |
historic range = Asia (from Turkey to Russia, SW, SE, central and eastern Asia, Java and Bali)
93% has been lost |
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Subpopulations of tigers with more than ________ individuals do not exist. |
250 |
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Species migrate across international borders. What does this mean for conservation? |
Conservation must protect species, independent of political borders
This includes movement from national to international waterways (think whales) and from breeding to overwintering habitat (think migratory songbirds). |
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What are the benefits of biological diversity on an international scale? |
Globally, we use biodiversity in agriculture, medicine, and industry.
We need ecosystem preservation to regulate climate.
We value biodiversity in parks and for tourism. |
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What are some problems of environmental pollution that threaten ecosystems and require international collaboration? |
acid raid (CA-USA)
aquatic pollutants that run across international boundaries (US-MX), or even state boundaries (NW-SW)
climate change (biggest footprint) |
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What are the key international agreements to protect species? |
These are MEAs or Major multinational Environmental Agreements (150-200 parties involved):
CITES (international trade in endangered species)
World Heritage (protection of world cultural and natural heritage)
CBD (Convention on biological diversity)
UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change)
Ramsar (wetlands of international importance) |
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What does the term "Data Deficient" (DD) mean? |
inadequate information to make a direct or indirect assessment of risk of extinction baed on distribution and population status
some data may not be known about the species, but not enough to determine risk of extinction
this category acknowledges that future research may demonstrate a species in peril |
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Describe an Antarctic minke whale. |
Data deficient
no estimate of current abundance
population size is estimated to be large (hundreds of thousands); may live up to 20 years
model analysis shows a likely decrease in population by 60% in the ate 70s-early 90s and again in 90s-mid 2000s; When these whales declined, other whales did not.
cause for decline is unknown |
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Why is the unknown cause of decline in Antarctic minke whales an issue? |
If this is artefact, the species can be listed as of "least concern". If it is real, the species would qualify as "Endangered".
Since the cause is unknown the species remains listed as "Data Deficient" |
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What is Japan's plan for research whaling for the Antarctic? |
targets capturing 333 minke whales annually as part of a 12-year-long research effort to "achieve conservation of resources while pursing their sustainable utilization and to understand and predict the effects of factors such as climate change." |
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Describe Cuvier's beaked whale. |
status: least concern
thought to have the most extensive range of any beaked whale species
found in offshore waters of all oceans
only beaked whale in the Mediterranean
global abundance not estimated, but regional estimates are 20,000 --> 80,000
has the longest and deepest dives of any mammal (dive as deep as 10,000 ft) and can remain underwater for 138 min.
only broadly distributed whale for which population genetic data: whales remain within their ocean basis |
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Why is the Goodman's mouse lemur considered "data deficient"? |
because it was only recently discovered in 2005
has a population trend that is unknown
distribution is unknown throughout Madagascar
has only been identified in protected areas
such little information makes it difficult to protect these animals |
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From which sources does funding of global conservation come? |
development banks
governments
organizations (NGOs)
foundations
Action plans are implemented by international and local NGOs, as well as governments. |
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What are international development banks? |
primarily run by developed nations
fund large scale projects with international funding (hydroelectric power and resettlement of large rural populations)
one of the largest MDBs is the World Bank
The World Bank lends to developing countries throughout the world. |
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List the international development banks. |
Inter-American Development Bank
Asian Development Bank
African Development Bank
Multilateral banks have committed over $100 billion in loans to 151 countries to finance projects in 2009 and 2010 alone!
This may also provide additional matching funding from other organizations. |
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What is the outcome of MDB funding in the Amazon? |
development of roads across the Amazon
subsequent large scale clearing of forests
forest fires
novel illness to indigenous and required moves
New construction has been funded and will double the amount of forest accessible by road.
This expansion allows for soybean farming but costs the globe ecosystem services like CO2 reduction and causes losses of biodiversity. |
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What is the most comprehensive, objective, global approach for evaluating the conservation status of plant and animal species? |
IUCN Red List of Endangered Species |
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How many species are threatened with extinction on the Red List? |
22,103 of 73,686 species |
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Of the 4 existent families of baleen whales, which family is considered Data Deficient? |
rorqual Antarctic minke whale |
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What are the purposes of whaling? |
historically popular for food and oil
later for baleen ("whalebone") and oil
baleen uses: corset, buggy whips, umbrella ribs |
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Why are most baleen species severely depleted? |
due to our use of them for goods |
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Cuvier's beaked whale are the only broadly distributed whales for which population genetic data exists. How has this genetic data been used? |
to determine that whales remain within their ocean basin |
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What did the letter to President Enrique Pena Nieto regarding the impending extinction of the Vaquita address? |
urging President Nieto and the Mexican government to take strong, immediate action to prevent the first extinction of a cetacean endemic to North America |
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Almost ______ of temperature slipper orchids are threatened with extinction, according to the IUCN Red List. |
80% |
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Almost ________ of lemurs are threatened with extinction, according to the IUCN Red List. |
94% |
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What is the Species Survival Plan Program (SSPP) goal? |
self-sustaining, genetically diverse, demographically stable population |
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What makes the survival difficult for all lemurs? |
<10% of original forest remains
hunting lemurs for food has also emerged as a serious threat |
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What threatens lemurs the most? |
by tropical forest habitat destruction (in Madagascar) including burning, overgrazing, wood harvesting for charcoal production
Political uncertainty and increasing poverty have accelerated illegal logging |
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What are MDBs stated to have a goal of? |
sustainable economic development and poverty alleviation |
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What issues can arise from projects funded by MDBs? |
often overexploit and cause the loss of natural resources to allow for export of good to international buyer's and industrial markets
have led to soil erosion, flooding, water pollution, loss of local indigenous income, loss of biological diversity |
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What is the benefit of Nam Thurn 2 Dam in Laos? |
funded by World Bank and Asian Developmental Bank and others
objections voiced from Environmental Defense Fund and International Rivers
generates power and income for Laos
floods 410 sq km of river habitat
displaces 6200 locals
expected impact downriver for 100,000 people and to the ecosystems |
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IUCN currently manages data on ______________ species. |
>70,000 |
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In order for a prunus tree to be harvested, what are the requirements? |
trunk must be at least 30 cm
tree shows no sign of trauma or ill health |
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What is the status of tigers, according to the IUCN Red List? |
endangered |
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What is an example of overexploitation due to demand from other countries? |
Rhino horn --> used in daggers, medicinally, and as an aphrodisiac |
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Where is the summer distribution of Minke whales? |
largely in the Antarctic (but can be seen outside of this range) |
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Where is the winter distribution of Minke whales? |
less is known about winter, but whales were seen near Brazil |
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What is the status of Cuvier's beaked whale, according to the IUCN Red List? |
least concern |
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What are the top 10 worst invasive species? |
Asian carp
rabbits
cane toads
kudzu
gray squirrel
killer bees
starlings
Northern Snakehead
zebra mussels
Burmese python |