What are the ethical concerns regarding human elimination of problem species?
Ethical issues concern whether humans are justified in exterminating species perceived as harmful or unbeneficial, including pathogens, parasites, or agricultural pests.
What is the significance of the disease smallpox in the context of species extinction?
Smallpox, caused by two types of viruses (Variola major and Variola minor), was a deadly disease that was successfully eradicated in 1978 thanks to a worldwide vaccination campaign by the World Health Organization.
What are the different goals various groups might have for species conservation?
Groups may have diverse goals for species conservation, including preventing predictable extinctions, promoting phylogenetic diversity, safeguarding keystone species, and preserving culturally significant species.
How can different ethical perspectives affect the decision-making in species conservation?
Different ethical perspectives, such as consequentialism and motivism, can result in different decisions on species conservation. Factors like environmental, political, social, cultural, and economic implications further complicate this decision-making process.
What conservation dilemma surrounds the red wolves?
The conservation of red wolves is contentious because they face classification issues—whether they're a subspecies of grey wolves or a separate species. This classification uncertainty can affect their protected status, leading to conservation challenges despite their critical population level.
Why are some species targeted for more intense conservation efforts than others according to the EDGE of Existence project?
Species that are both Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) are targeted for more intense conservation because they are unique (few or no close relatives) and under high threat of extinction.
What criteria does the EDGE of Existence project use to prioritize species for conservation?
EDGE prioritizes species based on two criteria: 1) evolutionary distinctiveness, meaning the species has few or no close relatives (unique in its clade), and 2) imminent risk of extinction, with all remaining populations currently under threat.
What is germplasm and how is it utilized in conservation?
Germplasm refers to the living material that can be used for propagation in the future. In plants, this often involves storing seeds in seed banks at low temperatures to maintain viability for long periods. For animals, the stored material may include samples of tissue, eggs, or sperm.
What are the key strategies of ex situ conservation?
Ex situ conservation includes captive breeding, botanical gardens, seed banks, and relocating endangered species. Germplasm storage, like seeds or genetic material, is a more advanced method.
What is ex situ conservation?
Ex situ conservation is the preservation of species outside their natural habitats. This often involves removing organisms from the wild and propagating them in controlled environments like botanic gardens and zoos. It may also involve long-term storage of living material (germplasm) that can be used for propagation in the future.