Summary Wildlife Ecology and Conservation (WEC-32806)

Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
Introduction
Conservation
 Act in which people make conscious efforts to protect the global biological diversity

Biodiversity
 Genetic
 Species
 Ecosystem

Diversity means stability
 Monoculture is very vulnerable for one specific opponent. In a diverse culture one opponent
can’t take out everything

Anthropocene
 Anthropos: human
 Human is driving the world’s six mass extinction

Threats
 Anthropogenic threats are dependent on
o Income
o Human population density
o Development activities
What to do
 More conservation efforts
 Proactive policies, shifts in agriculture practices, increased agriculture trade
 Improved land-use
 Shifting diets



Invasive species
Non-native to the ecosystem under consideration
Its introduction causes or likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health

Characteristics
 Cause damage to native range
 Ecological flexibility
 High fecundity
 Long longevity

, Successfulness of invasive species
 3 hypothesis
o Better environment attributes, like resources
o Fewer or poorer competitors
o Release from natural enemies, such as predators and parasites

Control measures
 Eradication
 Lethal control
 Fencing
 Introduction of diseases
 Fertility control



Landscape modification
In Europe, a lot of places are abandoned
and nature can go its way in these places.
This also means a return of wildlife.




Challenges habitat modification
 Disentangle different factors
 Species diversity
 How to replicate a landscape