Lecture # 16 3/12/98

Corresponding Readings in Primack, Richard B. Essentials of Conservation Biology.
Chapter 16: pages 429-445 & Chapter 17: pages 466-469

Reserve Design

Goal: Recognize and discuss the biological complexities of reserve design

Task 1: You are groups of consultants hired to evaluate and improve upon existing park design in Ann Arbor.

Task 2: As biologists, we recognize that reserve design has social, economic, political, psychological, and historical considerations - but today we will focus on biology.

Concepts: MVP 50/500 "Rule"

Island biogeography theory

Species-area relationship

Edge effects / buffers

Habitat complexity

Demographic / climatic catastrophes

Single large vs. several small

Area outside of reserve

Analogy: continental vs. oceanic islands?

Age of parcel

Biological vs. political boundaries

Reserve shapes

Corridors

The class breaks up into four groups, each one a proponent of one of the following concepts:

1) Larger/fewer reserves

2) Smaller/more reserves

3) Isolates

4) Corridors

Some of the goals, concepts, and ideas identified in class included:

- small parcel protection

- large area protection to protect predators, keystone species

- preserve riparian habitat along river (use biological topography to define reserves)

- consider dangers of corridors (disease, exotics)

- consider catastrophes (e.g. flooding)

- multiple preserves with corridors connecting them

- improve distribution of preserves (e.g. rounder shape, extend in all directions)

- enhance habitat complexity - many small reserves to maximize species diversity as a whole

- consider inbreeding and demographic risks

- transfers/reintroductions of species to stir up gene pool (unnatural selection?)

An interesting link to check out would be the Fish and Wildlife Service's Wildlife Refuge cite.