Salit Kark, Conservation Biology, Hebrew University, Lecture 1

Salit Kark

Department of Evolution, Systematics and Ecology

The Silberman Institute of Life Sciences

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Conservation Biology (Ecology)

Lecture 1 – what is conservation

biology?

Oct 2009

Salit Kark, Conservation Biology, Hebrew University, Lecture 1

The course will deal with two directions:

Conservation biology: theory

Conservation biology in practice

Salit Kark, Conservation Biology, Hebrew University, Lecture 1

What is your personal experience (with conservation biology)?

Salit Kark, Conservation Biology, Hebrew University, Lecture 1

Human impact on the environment – long

North America – extinctions

Africa – fires

Mediterranean Basin and Levant – domestication, grazing, agriculture…

Traditional and modern society – urbanization

Salit Kark, Conservation Biology, Hebrew University, Lecture 1

Approaches to nature and biodiversity:

Traditional native societies

Religions

Modern “Western”

Salit Kark, Conservation Biology, Hebrew University, Lecture 1

Approaches to nature and biodiversity:

Traditional Native American Societies

(Touch the Earth pg. 15, 23, 47, more)

Salit Kark, Conservation Biology, Hebrew University, Lecture 1

Some religious approaches:

In many religions we find humans physically and spiritually connected with nature

Hindu, Buddhist, Chinese Tao, Japanese Shinto philosophy: wilderness areas and natural settings are protected for their ability to provide intense spiritual experiences.

Direct connection between the natural world and the spiritual world, which humans need to protect.

Salit Kark, Conservation Biology, Hebrew University, Lecture 1

Approaches to nature: Biblical Jewish approaches

'בראשית פרק א' וב

Third Century Fresco, Rome

Salit Kark, Conservation Biology, Hebrew University, Lecture 1

בראשית א', כ"ו-ל"א

"ויאמר אלהים נעשה אדם בצלמנו כדמותנו וירדו בדגת הים ובעוף השמים ובבהמה ובכל-הארץ ובכל-הרמש הרמש על-הארץ. ויברא אלהים

את-האדם בצלמו בצלם אלהים ברא אתו זכר ונקבה ויברך אתם אלהים ויאמר להם אלהים פרו ברא אתם.

ורבו ומלאו את-הארץ וכבשה ורדו בדגת הים ובעוף ויאמר אלהים השמים ובכל-חיה הרמשת על-הארץ.

הנה נתתי לכם את-כל-עשב זרע זרע אשר על-פני כל-הארץ ואת-כל-העץ אשר-בו פרי-עץ זרע זרע לכם

ולכל-חית הארץ ולכל-עוף השמים ולכל יהיה לאכלה.רומש על-הארץ אשר-בו נפש חיה את-כל-ירק עשב

וירא אלהים את-כל-אשר עשה לאכלה ויהי-כן.והנה-טוב מאד ויהי-ערב ויהי-בקר יום הששי."

Salit Kark, Conservation Biology, Hebrew University, Lecture 1

בראשית

ויקח ה' אלוקים את האדם ויניחהו בגן עדן לעבדה ""ולשמרה

בראשית ב', ט"ו)("בשעה שברא הקדוש ברוך הוא את האדם הראשון,

נטלו והחזירו על כל אילני גן עדן, ואמר לו: ראה מעשי כמה נאים ומשובחין הן, וכל מה שבראתי בשבילך

בראתי. תן דעתך שלא תקלקל ותחריב את עולמי, שאם תקלקל אין מי שיתקן אחריך"

)'(קהלת רבה, ז

Salit Kark, Conservation Biology, Hebrew University, Lecture 1

Originated in the old English word "wildeornes", which meant "the place of wild deer“ (wildeor meaning wild beast (wild + deor = beast, deer).

Effort to protect nature was made by the kings of England in the Middle Ages.

Motivated by a desire for private hunting preserves.

Needed to protect the wildlife from poachers and the land from the villagers who would cut down the trees for firewood.

Wilderness

Salit Kark, Conservation Biology, Hebrew University, Lecture 1

European Colonialism, explorers and governors:

Mauritius French Colonials (1769) set aside 25% of forest landholdings for preventing erosion, protected allk forests 200m from water and planted trees in degraded areas…

Tobago Caribbean island: British officers set aside 20% of land as “reserved in wood for rain”

Some history of modern conservation thinking

Salit Kark, Conservation Biology, Hebrew University, Lecture 1

Europe – some conservation history

Establishment of the:

Commons, Open Spaces and footpaths Preservation Society (1865) in England

National Trust for Places of Historic Interest and Natural Beauty (1895)

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (1899)

Preserved together over 5 million dunam (500,000 ha) of open lands

More in other countries, such as Poland.

Salit Kark, Conservation Biology, Hebrew University, Lecture 1

British Mandate: Jerusalem Valleys preserved as open areas…

Salit Kark, Conservation Biology, Hebrew University, Lecture 1

Some history of modern conservation thinking

Two opposing views had emerged within the environmental movement by the early 20th century: the conservationists and the preservationists.

The conservationists (such as Pinchot) focused on the proper use of nature, whereas the preservationists (such as Muir) sought the protection of nature from use.

Salit Kark, Conservation Biology, Hebrew University, Lecture 1

Some history of modern conservation thinking

Environmental thinkers and leaders in the US: Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau (mid 19th century): Transcendental Conservation Ethic. Nature has uses besides economic gain.

John Muir: Preservationists Ethic, natural areas have great spiritual and artistic values, as well intrinsic value.

Countered by Pinchot’s Resource Conservation Ethic (early 20th century). Multiple uses of nature and fair resource distribution.

Salit Kark, Conservation Biology, Hebrew University, Lecture 1

Some history of modern conservation thinking

Environmental thinkers and leaders in the US: Aldo Leopold (government officer, early-mid 20th Century): evolutionary-ecological land ethic maintain natural ecosystems and processes, with humans taking a part, ecosystem management.

The idea of protecting nature for nature's sake began to gain more recognition in the 1930s with him calling for a "land ethic" and urging for wilderness protection.

Salit Kark, Conservation Biology, Hebrew University, Lecture 1

Some history of modern conservation thinking

Early perception of equilibrium and later of nonequilibrium, dynamics.

Salit Kark, Conservation Biology, Hebrew University, Lecture 1

Conservation Biology – scientistsFirst meeting in San Diego by Michael Soulé, Paul Ehrlich, Jared Diamond (1978)

Some history of modern conservation thinking

Environmental movements – public, NGOs (Sierra Club, Audubon Society, SPNI)

Salit Kark, Conservation Biology, Hebrew University, Lecture 1

What is Conservation Biology?

A new, quickly advancing scientific discipline

textbooks

Scientific journals

Salit Kark, Conservation Biology, Hebrew University, Lecture 1

Conservation biology Principles – the scene: (Meffe):

Evolutionary Evolutionary processesprocesses

Dynamic Dynamic ecology ecology

nonequilibriumnonequilibrium

The human The human rolerole

Salit Kark, Conservation Biology, Hebrew University, Lecture 1

Conservation biology (Soulé):

Diversity of organisms

Ecological complexity

Evolutionary processes

Biotic diversity (has inherent value)

Aim to conserve (Meffe):

Salit Kark, Conservation Biology, Hebrew University, Lecture 1

Conservation biology (Primack):

Three aims:

• “To document the full range of biological diversity…

• To investigate human impact on species, communities and ecosystems…

• To develop practical approaches to prevent extinction of species, maintain diversity within species and to protect and restore biological communities and their associated ecosystem functions”

Salit Kark, Conservation Biology, Hebrew University, Lecture 1

Conservation Biology – Conservation Biology –

some characteristics:some characteristics:

Multidisciplinary – combines natural and social sciences

Combines applied management with theoretical approaches

Salit Kark, Conservation Biology, Hebrew University, Lecture 1(Primack Fig. 1.1)

Salit Kark, Conservation Biology, Hebrew University, Lecture 1

Conservation Biology – Conservation Biology –

some characteristics:some characteristics:

Ties “pure” science and practice (“real world”)

Value-laden, mission oriented…but methodology is based on good, objective science

A “crisis” discipline, decision making with incomplete knowledge