BIOC52H3 Lecture Notes - Cites, Endemism, Habitat Destruction
Document Summary
Devoted to preserving the diversity of life on earth. Draws heavily on concepts and knowledge from population genetics, evolution, ecology, biogeography, wildlife management, economics and sociology. Conservation biology is a normative discipline embraces certain values and applies scientific methods to the goal of achieving these values; motivated by the belief that preservation of biodiversity is good and that loss is bad. Is guided by three principles: evolution is a process that unites all of biology, the ecological world is dynamic, humans are a part of ecosystems. Very first organisms probably reduced the supply of energetically and structurally useful compounds (replacing them with waste products). Early photosynthetic prokaryotes and eukaryotes generated oxygen (unsuitable for anaerobic organisms). Plants colonized the land, accelerating the weathering of rocks thus, gaining access to rock- bound nutrients. Weathering of phosphorus increased global productivity = rise of oxygen concentrations. Rise of vascular plants increased oxygen concentration; lower carbon dioxide concentrations.
