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1. Question one

a. Effect: Increased temperatures and incidence of heat waves

Species scientific and common name: American pika (Ochotona princeps)

How is the species being impacted? (one sentence): American pikas are being impacted by

increased temperatures and heat waves, which are causing them to move upslope to cooler

habitats and resulting in population declines at lower elevations.

b. Effect: Melting glaciers and polar ice

Species scientific and common name: Polar bears (Ursus maritimus)

How is the species being impacted? (one sentence): Polar bears are being impacted by the

melting of sea ice, which is causing them to have less access to their prey and leading to

population declines.

c. Effect: Rising sea level

Species scientific and common name: Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta)

How is the species being impacted? (one sentence): Loggerhead sea turtles are being impacted

by rising sea levels, which are causing the loss of nesting habitat due to erosion and inundation.

d. Effect: Earlier spring activity

Species scientific and common name: Great tit (Parus major)

How is the species being impacted? (one sentence): Great tits are being impacted by earlier

spring activity, which is causing them to lay their eggs earlier, but the availability of food for

their chicks may not have advanced at the same rate.

e. Effect: Earlier spring activity

Species scientific and common name: Great tit (Parus major)

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How is the species being impacted? (one sentence): Great tits are being impacted by earlier

spring activity, which is causing them to lay their eggs earlier, but the availability of food for

their chicks may not have advanced at the same rate.

f. Effect: Shifts in species ranges

Species scientific and common name: Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus)

How is the species being impacted? (one sentence): Arctic foxes are being impacted by shifts in

species ranges, which are causing them to compete with red foxes and hybridize with them,

leading to genetic and demographic threats to the Arctic fox population.

g. Effect: Population declines

Species scientific and common name: Hawaiian honeycreepers (Drepanidinae family)

How is the species being impacted? (one sentence): Hawaiian honeycreepers are being impacted

by population declines, which are caused by habitat loss and fragmentation due to rising

temperatures and changes in rainfall patterns.

Summary: The effects of global warming are not felt equally around the world, as different

regions and species are impacted differently based on their geographic location, habitat type, and

ecological interactions. For example, some regions experience more severe and rapid warming

than others, and some species are more vulnerable to the effects of warming due to their life

history traits or restricted geographic ranges.

2. Question 2

a. The empirical formula for species-area relationship is S = CA^Z, where S is the number of

species, A is the area, C is a constant and Z is a slope. Using the constants provided (C =

1.20, Z = 0.18), we can calculate the number of orchid species that could grow on green

roofs of different sizes:

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10 m2: S = 1.20 x 10^0.18 = 3.67 species (rounded to two decimal places)

100 m2: S = 1.20 x 100^0.18 = 6.61 species

1000 m2: S = 1.20 x 1000^0.18 = 11.87 species

10000 m2: S = 1.20 x 10000^0.18 = 21.27 species

b. As shown below. Representation from (Sher and Primack 2020).

species
25

20

15
Axis Title

species
10 Power (species)

0
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000
Axis Title

c. To convert 4,000 square feet to square meters, we can use the conversion factor 1 square

meter = 10.764 square feet

4,000 sq ft ÷ 10.764 sq ft/m2 = 371.6 m2

According to the graph, a green roof with an area of 371.6 m2 could support approximately

13.5 orchid species.

d. Factors other than green roof size that could affect the potential for local extirpation of

orchid species on green roofs include:

Habitat quality and suitability: Green roofs vary in their substrate composition, depth,

moisture content, and microclimate, all of which can affect the growth and survival of orchid
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species. For example, orchids may be more likely to thrive on green roofs with deeper

substrate layers that can retain moisture and provide more nutrients.

Species interactions: Orchids may interact with other plant species, pollinators, and

herbivores on green roofs, which can affect their abundance and distribution. For example, if

a particular orchid species relies on a specific pollinator that is not present on the green roof,

it may be less likely to persist.

Connectivity: Because green roofs are isolated habitats, the degree of connectivity to other

green roofs or natural areas can affect the potential for colonization and recolonization by

orchid species. For example, a green roof located near other green roofs or natural areas may

be more likely to receive colonizers from those areas and support a higher number of orchid

species.

3. Question three

a. The authors of the study by Potvin et al. (2016) looked into how habitat fragmentation

affects the genetic diversity of the Australian tree frog Litoria paraewingi. They

discovered that genetic variety had decreased in populations that were isolated from one

another as a result of habitat fragmentation, and that this loss of genetic diversity was

probably brought about by genetic drift and inbreeding.

In contrast, Walisch et al. (2022) investigated how the genetic diversity of the alpine

plant Saxifraga granulata was impacted by climatic change. They discovered that

although the genetic variety of populations of this species had decreased over time,

inbreeding or genetic drift were not to blame for the loss of diversity. Instead, the authors

propose that the loss was probably brought on by population mobility, which may have

decreased the genetic diversity of nearby groups.

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b. It is challenging to decide which species, Litoria paraewingi or Saxifraga granulata, is

more susceptible to extinction in light of the findings of these research. To make an

accurate approximation, we can take into account two pieces of data from the journal

articles. First off, habitat fragmentation is a serious concern to many amphibian species

globally and is a well-known factor in extinction risk, which is what caused a decrease in

genetic diversity in Litoria paraewingi. Second, compared to Litoria paraewingi, which is

confined to a smaller area of Australia, Saxifraga granulata may have a larger effective

population size due to its widespread distribution throughout Europe and Asia.

c. There is no proof shown in the journal publications to imply that Saxifraga granulata,

Litoria paraewingi, or Litoria ewingii have attained their minimal viable population. The

genetic diversity of these communities has decreased, according to both studies, however

this may be a sign that they are under some stress. According to Potvin et al. (2016),

Litoria paraewingi is a species that needs further study in order to fully understand the

possible effects of habitat fragmentation on the long-term sustainability of this species in

Australia. Similar to this, Walisch et al. (2022) assert that their findings demonstrate the

necessity of conservation efforts to save Saxifraga granulata populations, particularly in

view of continuous climate change.

4. Question four

a. The Interstellar Conservation Translocation Team's proposal falls under the category of

assisted colonization translocation, which entails relocating a species or group of species

outside of their natural range in order to preserve them or increase their chances of

survival. While it is admirable to want to protect every species on Earth, there are issues

with this plan's practicality and viability. The technical and logistical difficulties of
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freezing and storing tissue samples from every living thing on Earth, as well as the

hurdles of transforming the tissue into living beings and successfully rearing them in

captivity on a new planet, are feasibility problems.

This approach also assumes that the abiotic conditions on the new planet will be suitable

for all of Earth's species, which may not be the case. The cost and materials required to

put such a plan into reality, as well as the ethical repercussions of introducing live

organisms into an alien ecosystem, are practical concerns. Also, the few resources set

aside for the conservation of endangered species might be better applied to worthwhile

projects like habitat preservation and reducing the circumstances that lead to extinction

on Earth.

b. There are various special factors that must be taken into account when bringing animals

to a new ecosystem, including the possible impact on already-existing native species and

the possibility of introducing illnesses (Paton et al., 2019). For instance, the introduction

of non-native deer to Australia has significantly harmed the environment since the deer

have grown invasive and negatively influenced the country's natural species and plants.

c. To avoid the necessity for future use of such drastic measures, the planning team might

think about concentrating on conservation activities on Earth. Initiatives to lower

greenhouse gas emissions safeguard and restore habitats, and control the wasteful use of

resources could all fall under this category. We can lessen the necessity for severe actions

like assisted colonization translocations by being proactive in addressing the core causes

of biodiversity loss.
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Bibliography

Paton DG, Childs LM, Itoe MA, Holmdahl IE, Buckee CO, Catteruccia F. 2019. Exposing
Anopheles mosquitoes to antimalarials blocks Plasmodium parasite transmission. Nature.
567(7747):239–243. doi:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-0973-1.

Potvin DA, Parris KM, Smith Date KL, Keely CC, Bray RD, Hale J, Hunjan S, Austin JJ,
Melville J. 2016. Genetic erosion and escalating extinction risk in frogs with increasing wildfire
frequency. Carvalho S, editor. Journal of Applied Ecology. 54(3):945–954.
doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.12809.

Sher A, Primack RB. 2020. An introduction to conservation biology. New York: Sinauer
Associates.

Walisch TJ, Colling G, Hermant S, Matthies D. 2022. Molecular and quantitative genetic
variation within and between populations of the declining grassland species Saxifraga granulata.
Ecology and Evolution. 12(11). doi:https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.9462.