REN R110 Lecture 31: Biodiversity Lecture 1

• School: University of Alberta
• Department: Renewable Resources
• Course: REN R110
• Professor: Rick Pelletier

Document Summary

Charismatic and endangered species are important but they are not by themselves biodiversity: policy and legislative tools, endangered species, species at risk legislation, conservation measures for single species. Whooping crane (grus americana) the conservation problem in a nutshell: 10 000 in pre-european settlement times, 1400 birds by 1870. Overall cost of the program: unown< at least . 1m/year. It is that range of biodiversity that we must care for- the whole thing- rather than just 1 or 2 stars. david attenborough. Why should we conserve biodiversity: practical/economic reasons. We exploit many species for food, fibre and recreation. Many resources, both species and genetic, likely remain undiscovered: ecological reasons. Ecosystem function, recovery and adaptation depends on biodiversity: ethical reasons. Humans are diminished by causing the extinction of species. We should be stewards of nature: aesthetic and education reasons. Diversity is essential to understanding our place in world and there is much evidence that tit contributes to the well-being of individuals.