Biology B20: Conservation of species by Carrinna Tong https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg 9C Liane Poon, 9D Grace Chu, 9D Carrinna Tong, 9E Daniel Cheung en-us 2023-06-02 03:36:43 UTC 2023-10-15 03:49:31 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.net/icons/png/1f331.png What is Artificial Insemination? s2014011124 https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2649377961 Artificial insemination (AI) is the process by which a fresh or frozen-thawed sample of sperm (collected and washed) is injected into the female's cervix at the time of fertility, oftentimes prompted with fertility drugs.]]> 2023-07-22 01:26:12 UTC https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2649377961 Captive breeding programmes s2014011124 https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2649382532 What is a captive breeding programme?
Programmes that aim at 
(1) artificially breeding the animals to create the most favourable outcomes, oftentimes aiming to create a large, healthy population
(2) increasing the size of the population to counter extinction and ensure species' survival

]]> 2023-07-22 01:47:57 UTC https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2649382532 What is in vitro fertilisation? s2014011124 https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2649403802 In-vitro fertilisation (IVF), alias Aspiration or Ovum Pick Up, starts with treating the mother with fertility drugs to encourage follicle production.

Then, eggs from the female and sperm from the male are harvested and then fertilised outside of the organism-- in vitro. (Sperm inserted into the eggs)

The fertilised eggs will then be put into an incubator (that mimics the host's uterus) to allow the embryo to grow for about a week.

An embryo can be chosen to be transferred back to the egg donor and will await birth, and excess embryos can be stored frozen, or to be used in scientific research.]]> 2023-07-22 03:12:33 UTC https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2649403802 Pros of artificial reproductive methods s2014011124 https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2649405605
  • Can cherry-pick gametes from high-quality donors
  • Allows genetically superior offspring 
  • Can reduce infertility problems
    • Counter abnormal or damaged reproductive tracts, poor response to stimulation or idiopathic reasons.
  • More effective than natural breeding
    • More mechanistic approach to breeding
      • Can extract a higher number of gametes and systematically create many zygotes = less time-consuming and ensures a higher success rate than natural breeding methods
    • Less risk to humans as compared to natural breeding
      • Animals can become aggressive and irritated if natural breeding is forced
    • Less risk for the female (adult male animals, again, can be aggressive)
    • Less risk to animals in terms of STIs (both parents and offspring)
      • Process of reproduction is more sterile, where semen can be screened
    • ]]>     2023-07-22 03:20:29 UTC https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2649405605     Monitoring and protecting species and habitats: s2014010981 https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2653464699 -Worldwide, extensive systems of protected areas have been developed and include national parks, state/provincial parks, wildlife refuges, and nature reserves, all of which differ in their management objectives and degree of protection
    -The IUCN has defined six protected area management categories, based on primary management objective (strict nature reserve, wilderness area, national park, natural monument, Habitat/Species Management Area, Protected Landscape/Seascape, Managed Resource Protected Area)
    - Some countries use remote-activated camera traps. These are essentially remotely activated portable cameras that are triggered by motion through infrared or a motion sensor, it is non-invasive and can examines current and potential threats + assess status of endangered/protected species]]>     2023-07-31 08:54:07 UTC https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2653464699     Environmental education: s2014010981 https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2653611718 -With environmental education, we can spread awareness, promote sustainable behavior and foster positive attitudes towards animals. This is especially important among people who can't easily access this kind of information. 
    -The conservation education hypothesis (CEH) suggests that people are more likely to defend conservation if they have been exposed to knowledge about endangered species and ecosystems
    -Many international non-profit organizations have invested tremendous time and effort into providing educational resources to encourage conservation efforts among their target populations, Conservation biology (CB) courses, are also taught worldwide at universities]]>     2023-07-31 14:35:58 UTC https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2653611718     Captive breeding programmes s2014010981 https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2653613487 Captive-breeding programs breed endangered species in zoos and other facilities to build a healthy population of animals and plants. Endangered species are provided a safe, controlled environment to produce offspring, which increases the population size of a threatened species. 
    Species-survival plans coordinate with zoos around the world to bring species together for breeding that ensures genetic diversity.]]>     2023-07-31 14:39:46 UTC https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2653613487     Seed Banks s2014010981 https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2653617336 A seed bank is a place where seeds are stored to preserve genetic diversity for the future. They are usually flood, bomb and radiation-proof vaults holding jars of seeds from different plant species.

    The seeds are typically kept at low humidity and in cold conditions - around -20°C. This helps to preserve the seeds, ensuring they can still grow when they are needed later.

    More than 1,000 seed banks exist around the world, varying in type, size and focus. The largest in the world is the Millennium Seed Bank in Sussex, managed and coordinated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. It opened in 2000 and holds seeds from almost 40,000 species around the world, including nearly all the UK’s native trees and plants.

    Seed banks is a good way of conserving plants as they are a convenient means of long term storage of genetic diversity, as the samples are small in size, are easily handled, require low maintenance and frequently remain viable for long periods.

    ]]>     2023-07-31 14:46:11 UTC https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2653617336     Cons of artificial breeding methods s2014011124 https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2654860023
  • Ethical concerns with AI and IVF
    • Risk of multiple births in IVF
    • "Foreign" nature of AI and IVF may stress animals
  • Can be expensive to start using, but this will be countered if mass production takes place (technical economies of scale)
  • If a select few animals are used as donors, this can decrease genetic variation in the population and bring repercussions (next column)
    • ]]>     2023-08-02 15:05:39 UTC https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2654860023     Correlation between population size and genetic diversity s2014011124 https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2654867093 If population size decreases (e.g. due to natural disaster):
    --> Genetic shift may occur (frequency of an existing gene variant in a population changes due to an event) 
    --> Some gene variants may be obliterated 
    --> Reduced genetic variation]]>     2023-08-02 15:17:36 UTC https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2654867093     Why do Organisms become endangered or extinct? s2014010242 https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2659543773 What is the main reason that many species are becoming endangered?
    Habitat loss is the primary cause of higher extinction rates. Other causes include habitat changes, over-exploitation of wildlife for commercial purposes, the introduction of harmful non-native species, pollution, and the spread of diseases.
    ]]>     2023-08-10 15:39:54 UTC https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2659543773     Maintaining or increasing biodiversity s201401015 https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2661452816 It allows ecosystems to remain stable by a secure food chain, so not any species, no matter whether they are predators or prey, the number will be balanced and wouldn't cause a specific chain level of animals to go extinct because of having a lesser amount or prey or increased number of predators. ]]> 2023-08-14 12:16:49 UTC https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2661452816 s2014010981 https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2663167483 2023-08-16 06:14:43 UTC https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2663167483 Climate change s2014010242 https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2663541235  Global rise in temperature due to climate change and the amount of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane, (heavily impacted by human activities such as farming and deforestation etc.) causing the atmosphere to gradually become warmer and warmer. Sea levels are rising rapidly as a result. Melting ice releases a lot of extra water into the ocean causing sea levels to rise (flooding may occur). People are being forced to move inland due to thermal expansion. Melting ice can also lead to the salinity alter of seawater as freshwater is added to the ocean. Consequences include increased intensity of storm surges, flooding, and damage to coastal areas. The survival of coral reefs, mangroves, seagrasses and other critical habitat-forming species hinges on their ability to move into shallower waters. Slow-growing species are most unlikely to be able to keep pace with the rising sea level.]]> 2023-08-16 14:27:40 UTC https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2663541235 Habitat Destruction s2014010242 https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2663541818 Habitat destruction: Much water is taken from the river upstream for intensive livestock production and growing crops that only a very limited amount of water really flows to the sea.  Habitats are also destroyed because humans cut down native vegetation to make land to grow crops, farming, building houses and factories etc. Mining for natural resources and adding pollutants to land and water can kill plants that habitat there. Deforestation is also an important factor because the loss of tropical rainforests means a huge loss of habitat for many different species of animals which threatens extinction. Global warming is endangering coal reefs, which could heavily impact the habitat and other living organisms that depend on corals and their tiny photosynthetic algae, which is the start of every food chain on the reef. ]]> 2023-08-16 14:28:26 UTC https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2663541818 Hunting s2014010242 https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2663542194
  • Hunting causes injuries, pain, and suffering to animals who cannot defend themselves from bullets and traps.
  • Hunting destroys animal families and habitats.
  • It leaves baby animals behind, causing them to starve to death.
  • Overhunting can drive evolutionary change.
  • Woolly mammoths, giant armadillos, and three species of camels were hunted to extinction by North American humans 13,000 to 12,000 years ago.

    • ]]>     2023-08-16 14:28:51 UTC https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2663542194     Over harvesting s2014010242 https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2663542505
  • Over-harvesting, particularly in the case of overfishing, leads to the depletion of certain species and can drive them to extinction.
  • This unsustainable practice reduces the availability of valuable living resources.
  • Intensive farming has the advantage of providing food for a larger population while using less land compared to extensive farming.
  • By leaving more land in a natural state, habitats for other species can be preserved.
  • Over-harvesting and intensive farming can result in the production of waste and the spread of diseases.

    • ]]>     2023-08-16 14:29:08 UTC https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2663542505     Pollution s2014010242 https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2663542803 Carbon dioxide and methane are the two main greenhouse gases emitted to Earth's atmosphere. Carbon dioxide reflects the Sun's radiation back, not allowing it to escape Earth, furthermore leaving it trapped in the atmosphere causing the atmosphere to be warmer. Methane is a serious greenhouse gas caused by farming activities. Moreover, cutting down rainforest leaves fewer trees to remove carbon dioxide from the air and when trees are burnt or left to rot it releases carbon dioxide which continues to harm the atmosphere. Another factor is due to human-made materials (Non-Biodegradable plastics), which mostly are made from fossil fuels. Much rubbish is washed up onto the beach causing pollution in both land and water. Sea creatures living in the waters would be heavily affected by the pollution such as sea turtles who might mistake plastic as jellyfish and eat them. ]]> 2023-08-16 14:29:26 UTC https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2663542803 Introduced species s2014010242 https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2663543226 Introduced Species: Corals are key species for the whole coral reef habitat, and the removal of coral reefs endangers hundreds of species of other animals that depend on corals to live. This shows how damaging the food webs in a habitat can seriously affect all the living organisms that live there. 

    Rainforests have a high biodiversity because it provides perfect conditions for the growth of plants, but deforestation is affecting many species living there. Examples are of the direct loss of wildlife habitat, with the removal of trees and other types of vegetation reducing the available food, shelter, and breeding habitat for animals.

    Farm animals and plants are carefully selected by farmers to produce new varieties to increase world food production. Farm animals now produce much more products than they did in the past all as a result of selective breeding. 
    Extinct animals such as the black footed ferret used to be common on the prairies of North America, however the humans took over more land for farming, and the loss of habitat and food supply eventually lead to their extinction. 

    Eutrophication, the gradual increase in the concentration of phosphorus, nitrogen, and other plant nutrients in an aging aquatic ecosystem such as a lake. The productivity or fertility of such an ecosystem naturally increases as the amount of organic material that can be broken down into nutrients increases. An overabundance of nutrients—primarily nitrogen and phosphorus—in water starts a process called eutrophication. Algae feed on the nutrients, growing, spreading, and turning the water green. Algae blooms can smell bad, block sunlight, and even release toxins in some cases. ]]>     2023-08-16 14:29:47 UTC https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2663543226     Problems with reduced genetic variation s2014011124 https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2668240841
    • Useful genes may be obliterated: genes make protein
      • = affects enzyme production, antibody production etc.
        • Overall less fit population
        • Weaker immune system
        • Lower rate of metabolism
      • ∴ More susceptible to diseases
      • ∴ increased risk of extinction
    ]]>     2023-08-22 03:14:26 UTC https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2668240841     Reducing extinction s2014011124 https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2668244795
    It helps to retain iconic species that are almost endangered or vulnerable due to the low number of the population remaining alive, to ensure that the specific type of species of animal can have enough offspring to continue to reproduce, to protect every species of animal to ensure that they will not be extinct.]]>     2023-08-22 03:18:07 UTC https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2668244795     Protecting vulnerable ecosystems s2014011124 https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2668246145 It helps protect ecosystems that are destroyed by human activities, such as pollution of the water and the air from factories, deforestation, natural disasters, and poaching. By protecting these vulnerable ecosystems, we can ensure fewer species of animals will be extinct, and balance the food chain to try our best to balance the ecosystem.]]> 2023-08-22 03:19:22 UTC https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2668246145 Maintaining ecosystem functions s2014011124 https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2668247086
    The ecosystem has a lot of parts, including the exchange of nutrients, like photosynthesis, respiration, and breathing, to excrete gases that are wasted and to absorb or intake gases that are needed, and needed nutrients diffuse into their bodies through the needed gas and waste nutrients diffuse into their air through excreted gas. ]]>     2023-08-22 03:20:15 UTC https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2668247086     Conserving plants s2014011124 https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2668255331 Some plants may be very precious due to them having medical value. ]]> 2023-08-22 03:28:38 UTC https://padlet.com/s2014011124/luxce7o23hvaqbjg/wish/2668255331