Chapter 22 Sustaining Wild Species

1. Chapter 22Sustaining Wild Species

2. The Story of Martha Oh high above the trees and the reeds like rainbows they landed soft as moonglow in greens and reds they fluttered past the windows ah but nobody cared or saw til the hungry came in crowds with their guns and dozers and soon the peace was over God what were they thinking of? Oh on and on til dreams come true you know a piece of us all goes with you Oh the birds went down they fell and they faded to the dozens Til in a Cincinnati Zoo was the last one Yes all that remained was the last with a name of Martha Very proud, very sad, but very wise Oh as the lines filed by there were few who cared or could be bothered how could anyone have treated you harder and it was all for a dollar or more Oh on and on til dreams come true you know a piece of us all goes with you Oh and surrounded there by some of whom wept around her in a corner of the cage they found her she went as soft as she came so shy til the last song oh the passenger pigeon was gone... John Harold

3. The last word in ignorance is the person who says of an animal or plant: “What good is it?...If the land mechanism as a whole is good, whether we understand it or not…Harmony with land is like harmony with a friend; you cannot cherish his right hand and chop off his left. Aldo Leopold

4. Key Concepts • Human effects on biodiversity • Importance of biodiversity • How human activities affect wildlife • Management of wildlife

5. 22.1 Human Impacts on Biodiversity A. Factors that increase biodiversity • Physically diverse habitat • Small - moderate environmental disturbances • Evolution

6. B. Factors that decrease biodiversity • Environmental stress- *decrease habitats is greatest threat • Largedisturbances • Extreme conditions • Limitation of essential resources • Introduction of alien species • Geographic Isolation

7. 1% Probably extinct 7% Critically imperiled 8% Imperiled 16% Vulnerable 1% Other 67% Secure or apparently secure Fig. 22.4, p. 554

8. How Serious is a Loss of Biodiversity? • Some argue that the threat is exaggerated… • We don’t know how many species there are • We don’t know the true value of all species in ecosystems • Estimates are based on models that lack data

9. Should We Focus on Sustaining Species or Ecosystems? A. Ecosystem Approach • Major goal is to assure that there is enough protected land and water to provide habitat. B. Species-by-Species Approach • Identify most at-risk species • Understand the species • Focus on protecting them

10. C. SANCTUARY APPROACH - Creation of Refuges - Gene Banks/Botanical Gardens - Zoo/Aquariums * Egg Pulling * Captive Breeding

11. The Species Approach The Ecosystem Approach Goal Goal Protect populations of species in their natural habitats Protect species from premature extinction Strategies Strategy • Identify endangered species • Protect their critical habitats Preserve sufficient areas of habitats in different biomes and aquatic systems Tactics Tactics • Protect habitat areas through private purchase or government action • Eliminate or reduce populations of alien species from protected areas • Manage protected areas to sustain native species • Restore degraded ecosystems • Legally protect endangered species • Manage habitat • Propagate endangered species in captivity • Reintroduce species into suitable habitats

12. 22.2Three Types of Extinction A. Local Extinction: Species is no longer found in an area it once was, but it is found in other areas. Ex. White tail deer was near a local extinction but has recovered to a large population size. *Roosevelt was most influential in increasing the White Tailed Deer population.

13. B. Ecological Extinction: • So few that it can no longer play its ecological role

14. C. Biological Extinction: • Species is no longer found anywhere on the earth • Biological Extinction is Forever • Irreversible loss of genes

15. What are Endangered and Threatened Species? Endangered: • So few individual survivors that the species can become extinct over all or part of its range Threatened or Vulnerable: • Still abundant in its natural range and may become endangered

16. Threatened and Endangered Species of Pennsylvania Links: • PA GAME COMMISSION • PA FISH AND BOAT COMMISSION • US FISH AN WILDLIFE SERVICE

17. Rare Species: • Naturally small populations due to limited geographic range • Locally depleted by human activities • Vulnerable to extinction

18. Characteristic Examples Blue whale, giant panda, rhinoceros Low reproductive rate (K-strategist) Blue whale, giant panda, Everglades kite Specialized niche Many island species, elephant seal, desert pupfish Narrow distribution Bengal tiger, bald eagle, grizzly bear Feeds at high trophic level Blue whale, whooping crane, sea turtles Fixed migratory patterns Many island species, African violet, some orchids Rare Snow leopard, tiger, elephant, rhinoceros, rare plants and birds Commercially valuable Large territories California condor, grizzly bear, Florida panther

19. Background vs. Mass Extinction Background Extinction- A small, naturally occurring, low rate extinction. Fossil records show 1-14 species a year (Approximately 1 species / million) 0.0001% per year

20. B. Mass Extinction- A rise above the background rate, often catastrophic and global. Estimated to be five in the past 500 million years

21. Carboniferous Cretaceous Devonian Jurassic Silurian Triassic Tertiary Ordovician Permian Quaternary Cambrian 408 245 2 Geological Periods Mass extinctions 800 600 Number of families of marine animals ? 400 200 0 570 505 438 360 286 208 144 65 0 Millions of years ago Fig. 22.10, p. 558

22. Extinction of the Dinosaurs

24. 22.3 Why Care About Biodiversity? The Earth’s Overall Biodiversity has 2 Types of Value: • Instrumental Value: • Usefulness to humans • Intrinsic Value: • Because they exist regardless of their value

25. SIDE NOTE Biologists claim that species have medical and scientific value, ecological value, and economic value.

26. Value of Nature Instrumental Intrinsic (species or ecosystem centered) (human centered) Non-utilitarian Utilitarian Existence Goods Ecological services Aesthetic Information Bequest Recreation Fig. 22.11, p. 561

27. Utilitarian (Use) -Economic goods -Ecological Services -Information -Recreation Non-Utilitarian (Nonuse) -Existence -Aesthetic -Bequest Instrumental Values

28. Rauvolfia Rauvolfia sepentina, Southeast Asia Tranquilizer, high blood pressure medication Fig. 22.12a, p. 561

29. Foxglove Digitalis purpurea, Europe Digitalis for heart failure Fig. 22.12b, p. 561

30. Pacific yew Taxus brevifolia, Pacific Northwest Ovarian cancer Fig. 22.12c, p. 561

31. Cinchona ledogeriana, South America Quinine for malaria treatment Cinchona Fig. 22.12d, p. 561

32. Rosy periwinkle Cathranthus roseus, Madagascar Hodgkin's disease, lymphocytic leukemia Fig. 22.12e, p. 561

33. Neem tree Azadirachta indica, India Treatment of many Diseases acts as an insecticide Fig. 22.12f, p. 561

34. Causes of Premature Extinction Habitat loss Overfishing Habitat degradation Basic Causes Introducing nonnative species Climate change • Population growth • Rising resource use • No environmental accounting • Poverty Commercial hunting and poaching Pollution Sale of exotic pets and decorative plants Predator and pest control Fig. 22.13, p. 564

35. 22.4 CAUSES FOR PREMATURE EXTINCTION A. Habitat loss and degradation -Greatest threat to wild species -In U.S. the major disturbances are… *agriculture *development *outdoor recreation *grazing *pollution

36. Habitat Fragmentation –A large, continuous area of habitat is reduced in area and divided into a patchwork of isolated areas.

37. Can result in loss of genetic diversity, create barriers, create limited habitats.

38. Former range Range today (34,000–54,000 left) Fig. 22.14d, p. 565 Asian or Indian Elephant

39. Range 100 years ago Range today (about 2,300 left) Fig. 22.14a, p. 565 Indian Tiger

40. Range in 1700 Range today (about 2,400 left) * endangered* Fig. 22.14b, p. 565 Black Rhino

41. Decline due to habitat loss, legal ivory trade, and poaching Probable range 1600 Range today (600,000 left) African Elephant

42. 2. Harm by Nonnative Species -U.S. has 50,000 Nonnative species -49% of 1,200 endangered and threatened species are threatened by nonnative species. **Can decrease biodiversity. -Nonnativespecies fall into two catagories… A.Deliberately Introduced B. Accidentally Introduced

43. A. Deliberately Introduced -Supply 98% of U.S. food -Can have detrimental affects w/no predators, parasites, or competition to control numbers. • Example: Asian Carp

44. KUDZU VINE:

45. B. Accidentally Introduced Many times they are transported in shipping products

46. 1918 2000 Expansion of the fire ant in southern states. Fig. 22.18, p. 570

47. Tiger Mosquito- introduced the West Nile disease Formosia termite

48. -Control of Nonnative species begins with identifying characteristics that allow them to succeed Characteristics of Successful Invader Species Characteristics of Ecosystems Vulnerable to Invader Species • High reproductive rate, short generation time (r-selected species) • Pioneer species • Long lived • High dispersal rate • Release growth- inhibiting chemicals into soil • Generalists • High genetic variability • Similar climate to habitat of invader • Absence of predators on invading species • Early successional species • Low diversity of native species • Absence of fire • Disturbed by human activities

49. 3. Commercial Hunting/Poaching -International trade of wild plant and animals is worth $10-$20 billion dollars per year. -1/4 of total is in illegal sales. Animals worth more if made an attraction for Ecotourism. • Gorilla - $150,000 • Chimp - $50,000 • Rhino Horn - $13,000/lb. • Bushmeat - $150 million /yr.

50. Fig. 22.24, p. 576