9 Sustaining Biodiversity: - PowerPoint Presentation

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9

Sustaining Biodiversity:

Saving Species and Ecosystem Services

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Bees play a key role in pollinationGlobally, about one third of the food supply comes from insect-pollinated plants

Currently, agriculture depends heavily on a single species of bee

Suffering from Colony Collapse DisorderEach year, 30-50% of colonies in Europe and the U.S.Watch this Bee CCD Viddy…

Core Case Study: Where Have All the Honeybees Gone?

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Failure to protect honeybees Loss of vital ecosystem services

Farmers are:

Breeding bees resistant to harmful parasitic mites and fungiRaising their own coloniesImproving bee nutritionCase Study: Protecting Honeybees and Other Pollinators

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Honeybee

Fig. 9-1, p. 190

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Passenger pigeon hunted to extinction by 1900

Commercial hunters used

"stool pigeons” (decoy), giant nets, or setting fire to nesting trees

Archeological record shows evidence of five mass extinctions

Human activities: hastening more extinctions?

Core Case Study: The Passenger Pigeon: Gone Forever

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Human activity has disturbed at least half of the earth’s land surface

Fills in wetlands

Converts grasslands and forests to crop fields and urban areasDegraded aquatic biodiversity in a wide array of ways

Human Activities Are Destroying and Degrading Biodiversity

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Species are becoming extinct 100 to 1,000 times faster than they were before modern humans arrived on the earth

By the end of this century, the extinction rate is expected to be 10,000 times higher than that background rate

9-1 What Role Do Humans Play in the Loss of Species and Ecosystem Services?

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Background extinction – continuous low level extinctions which occur

naturally (without human involvement, since beginning of time…)

Extinction rate – the percent or number of species that go extinct in a certain time periodMass extinction (50-90% of species) Causes?

Extinctions Are Natural but Sometimes They Increase Sharply

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Biological extinctionNo species member alive

Trophic cascade -

Trophic cascades occur when predators limit the density and/or behavior of their prey and thereby enhance survival of the next lower trophic level.Mass extinction

Many species in a short amount of time

Levels of Species Extinction

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Background extinction rate1 extinct species / 1 million species / year (based on studies of marine fossils, since humans are a “young” species..)

Extinction rates have risen recently

Using data for recent extinctions among birds and mammals (which are pretty well known), we can estimate that about 1% of species go extinct every 100 years.This means that about 1 in every 10,000 species are currently going extinct each year.These estimates suggest that the current extinction rate is about 100-1000 times greater than the background

rate.

Other

estimates that have been made range from about 40 times the background rate, to 10,000 times the background rate.

Some Human Activities Hasten Extinctions and Threaten Ecosystem Services

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Animal Species Prematurely Extinct Due to Human Activities

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Rate of extinction and threats to ecosystem services likely to rise sharply in the next 50-100 years

Due to harmful human impacts

Biodiversity hotspotsExtinction rates projected to be much higher than averageBiologically diverse environments are being eliminated or fragmented

Some Human Activities Hasten Extinctions and Threaten Ecosystem Services (cont’d.)

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Effects of a 0.1% Extinction Rate

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Endangered speciesSo few members that the species could soon become extinct

Threatened species (vulnerable species)

Still enough members to survive, but numbers declining May soon be endangeredEndangered and Threatened Species Are Ecological Smoke Alarms

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Regionally extinctIn areas a species is normally found

Functionally (ecologically) extinct

To the point at which species can no longer play a functional role in the ecosystemEndangered and Threatened Species Are Ecological Smoke Alarms (cont’d.)

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Fig. 9-2, p. 193

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Endangered Natural Capital: Species Threatened with Premature Extinction

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Characteristics of Species That Are Prone to Ecological and Biological Extinction

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Percentage of Various Species Threatened with Premature Extinction

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We should avoid speeding up the extinction of wild species because:

Of the ecosystem and economic services they provide

It can take millions of years for nature to recover from large-scale extinctionsMany people believe that species have a right to exist regardless of their usefulness to us (ethics)9-2 Why Should We Care about the Rising Rate of Species Extinction?

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Major reasons to prevent extinctionsSpecies provide vital ecosystem services

Help keep us alive and support our economies

Many species also contribute economic servicesPlants for food, fuel, lumber, and medicineEcotourism

Species Are a Vital Part of the Earth’s Natural Capital

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It will take 5-10 million years to regain species biodiversity after this century’s extinctions

Many people believe species have an intrinsic right to exist

How do we decide which species to protect?Species Are a Vital Part of the Earth’s Natural Capital (cont’d.)

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Fig. 9-6, p. 196

Pacific yew

Taxus

brevifolia

, Pacific Northwest Ovarian cancer

Rosy periwinkle

Cathranthus

roseus

, Madagascar Hodgkin's disease, lymphocytic leukemia

Rauvolfia

Rauvolfia

sepentina

, Southeast Asia Anxiety, high blood pressure

Neem

tree

Azadirachta

indica

, India Treatment of many diseases, insecticide, spermicides

Foxglove

Digitalis

purpurea

, Europe Digitalis for heart failure

Cinchona

Cinchona

ledogeriana

, South America Quinine for malaria treatment

Nature’s Pharmacy

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Fig. 9-7, p. 196

Many species of wildlife such as this endangered hyacinth macaw in

Mato

Grosso, Brazil, are sources of beauty and pleasure. It is endangered because of habitat loss and illegal capture in the wild by pet traders.

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The greatest threats to any species are (in order):Loss or degradation of its habitat

Harmful invasive species

Human population growthPollutionClimate changeOverexploitation

9-3 How Are We Threatening Species and Ecosystem Services?

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Habitat destruction, degradation, and fragmentationInvasive (nonnative) species

Population and resource use growth

PollutionClimate changeOverexploitationLoss of Habitat Is the Single Greatest Threat to Species: Remember HIPPCO

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Habitat fragmentationLarge intact habitat divided by roads, crops, and urban development

National parks and nature reserves as habitat islands

Loss of Habitat Is the Single Greatest Threat to Species (cont’d.)

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Causes of Depletion and Premature Extinction of World Species

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Stepped Art

Indian Tiger

Range 100 years ago

Range today

Black Rhino

Range in 1700

Range today

African Elephant

Probable range 1600

Range today

Asian or Indian Elephant

Former range

Range today

Fig. 9-8, p. 198

Natural capital degradation: These maps reveal the reductions in the ranges of four wildlife species, mostly as the result of severe habitat loss and fragmentation and illegal hunting for some of their valuable body parts. Question: Would you support expanding these ranges even though this would reduce the land available for human habitation and farming? Explain.

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Many species introductions are beneficialNonnative species may have no natural:

Predators, competitors, parasites, pathogens

Nonnative species can crowd out native speciesInvasive speciesWe Have Moved Disruptive Species into Some Ecosystems

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Stepped Art

Deliberately introduced species

Purple loosestrife

European starling

African honeybee (“Killer bee”)

Nutria

Salt cedar (Tamarisk)

Marine toad (Giant toad)

Water hyacinth

Japanese beetle

Hydrilla

European wild boar (Feral pig)

Accidentally introduced species

Sea lamprey (attached to lake trout)

Argentina fire ant

Brown tree snake

Eurasian ruffe

Common pigeon (Rock dove)

Formosan termite

Zebra mussel

Asian long-horned beetle

Asian tiger mosquito

Gypsy moth larvae

Fig. 9-9, p. 199

These are some of the estimated 7,100 harmful invasive species that have been deliberately or accidentally introduced into the United States.

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Imported from Japan in the 1930s Help control soil erosion

Very difficult to kill

Could there be benefits of kudzu?Kudzu bug – imported from JapanCan kill Kudzu vineAlso kills soybeans

Case Study: The Kudzu Vine and Kudzu Bugs

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Fig. 9-10, p. 200

Kudzu has grown over this car in the U.S. state of

Georgia

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Argentina fire ant – introduced in the 1930sReduced populations of native ants

Painful stings can kill

Pesticide spraying in 1950s and 1960s worsened conditions Tiny parasitic flies may help control fire antsSome Accidentally Introduced Species Can Disrupt Ecosystems

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Accidentally introducedReproduce rapidly and are hard to kill

Greatly depleted Everglades populations of:

Rabbits, foxes, raccoons, opossums, and deer* The next slide shows University of Florida researchers holding a 15 foot long Burmese Python, caught in the everglades after it had eaten a 6 foot long American Alligator

Case Study: Burmese Pythons Are Eating Their Way through the Florida Everglades

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Fig. 9-11, p. 201

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Research programs identifying invadersEstablishing international treaties banning transfer between countries

Public education about exotic pets and plants

What else can be done to prevent invasive species?Prevention Is the Best Way to Reduce Threats from Invasive Species

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Fig. 9-12, p. 202

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Human population growth and overconsumptionDegrading habitat

Pollution

Bioaccumulation can cause extinctions of species not directly affected by pollutionClimate changeSome species will become extinct, some will spread

Other Causes of Species Extinctions

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Stepped Art

DDT in water 0.000003 ppm, or 3 ppt

DDT in small fish (minnows)

0.5 ppm

DDT in zooplankton 0.04 ppm

DDT in fish-eating birds (ospreys)

25 ppm

DDT in large fish (needle fish)

2 ppm

Fig. 9-13, p. 202

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Live only in the ArcticArctic ice is melting

Decreasing polar bear habitat

Polar bears must swim farther between iceWeaker females; less reproductionCase Study: Polar Bears and Climate Change

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Fig. 9-14, p. 204

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Poaching and smuggling of animals and plantsAnimal parts

Pets

Plants for landscaping and enjoymentPreventionResearch and educationIllegal Killing, Capturing, and Selling of Wild Species Threatens Biodiversity

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Fig. 9-15, p. 205

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West and Central African wild animalsSupply major cities with exotic meats

Hunting has driven one species to extinction

Miss Waldron’s red colobus monkeyThreatened species:Monkeys, apes, antelope, elephants, and hipposA Rising Demand for Bushmeat Threatens Some African Species

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Bush Meat: Lowland Gorilla

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70% of the world’s bird species are decliningHabitat loss and fragmentation of the birds’ breeding habitats

Forests cleared for farms, lumber plantations, roads, and development

Intentional or accidental introduction of nonnative speciesThese species eat the birdsCase Study: A Disturbing Message

from the Birds

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Exposure to pesticidesOverexploitation

For pets

Birds are indicator speciesRespond quickly to environmental changesBirds perform critical ecosystem and economic servicesExtinctions could affect many other species

Case Study: A Disturbing Message

from the Birds (cont’d.)

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Fig. 9-17, p. 206

This endangered

Attwater’s

prairie chicken lives in a wildlife refuge in the U.S. state of Texas.

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We can reduce species extinction and sustain ecosystem services by:

Establishing and enforcing national environmental laws and international treaties

Creating protected wildlife sanctuariesTaking precautionary measures to prevent such harm9-4 How Can We Sustain Wild Species and Their Ecosystem Services?

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9-4 How Can We Protect Wild Species from Premature Extinction? (1)

We can use existing environmental laws and treaties and work to enact new laws designed to prevent species extinction and protect overall biodiversity.

We can help to prevent species extinction by creating and maintaining wildlife refuges, gene banks, botanical gardens, zoos, and aquariums.

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9-4 How Can We Protect Wild Species from Premature Extinction? (2)

According to the

precautionary principle, we should take measures to prevent or reduce harm to the environment and to human health, even if some of the cause-and-effect relationships have not been fully established, scientifically.

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1975 – Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)

Signed by 172 countries

Convention on Biological Diversity (BCD)Focuses on ecosystemsRatified by 190 countries (not the U.S.)International Treaties and National Laws Help to Protect Species

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Endangered Species Act (ESA) – 1973 and later amended in 1982, 1985, and 1988

Identify and protect endangered species in the U.S. and abroad

National Marine Fisheries Service for ocean speciesU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for all othersCase Study: The U.S. Endangered Species Act

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Endangered Species Act (ESA): 1973 and later amended in 1982, 1983, and 1985 – Identify and protect endangered species in the U.S. and abroad and outlaws the sale of these species or products made from these species

Hot Spots – areas of especially rare and imperiled species

Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) colony – allows habitat destruction in exchange for habitat conservation/protections elsewhere

ESA

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Forbids federal agencies (except Defense) from funding or authorizing projects that jeopardize endangered or threatened species

In 2012, 1,394 species officially listed

Offer incentives to private property owners to helpCase Study: The U.S. Endangered Species Act (cont’d.)

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Is the ESA a failure?Species are listed only when in serious danger

Conditions for more than half of listed species are stable or improving

Budget is about 57 cents per U.S. citizenCase Study: The U.S. Endangered Species Act (cont’d.)

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Case Study: The U.S. Endangered Species Act (2)

Mixed reviews of the ESA

Weaken itRepeal itModify it

Strengthen it

Simplify it

Streamline it

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Science Focus: Accomplishments

of the Endangered Species Act (2)

Suggested changes to ESAIncrease the budgetDevelop recovery plans more quickly

Establish a core of the endangered organism’s survival habitat

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Confiscated Products Made from Endangered Species

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Fig. 9-19, p. 209

The American bald eagle has been removed from the U.S. endangered species list. Here, an eagle is about to catch a fish in its powerful talons.

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In 1903, Theodore Roosevelt established the first federal wildlife refuge

Pelican Island, Florida

Wildlife refugesMost are wetland sanctuariesMore needed for endangered plantsAre not immune from disturbance

We Can Establish Wildlife Refuges

and Other Protected Areas

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Fig. 9-20, p. 210

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Seed banksPreserve genetic material of endangered plants

Botanical gardens and arboreta

Living plantsFarms can raise organisms for commercial saleSeed Banks, Botanical Gardens, and Wildlife Farms Can Help Protect Species

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Techniques for preserving endangered terrestrial speciesEgg pulling

Captive breeding

Artificial inseminationEmbryo transferUse of incubatorsCross-fostering

Zoos and Aquariums Can Protect

Some Species

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Goal of ultimately releasing/reintroducing populations to the wildLimited space and funds

Zoos and Aquariums Can Protect

Some Species (cont’d.)

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Fig. 9-21, p. 211

The Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, California (USA), contains this tidewater pool, which is used to train rescued sea otter pups to survive in the wild.

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Fig. 9-22, p. 212

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Precautionary principleAct to prevent or reduce harm when preliminary evidence indicates acting is needed

Species are the primary components of biodiversity

Should we focus on the preservation of species or the preservation of ecosystems?The Precautionary Principle