Conservation in Biodiversity Why should we conserve anything?

Species have value as sources for medicine  Madagascar’s rosy periwinkle has revolutionized treatment of childhood leukemia and Hodgkin’s disease  The Chinese star anise’s fruit is used in Tamiflu  Paclitaxel from the Pacific yew tree treats ovarian, breast, and small-cell cancers  Ethnobotany: studies relationships between plants and people  3,000 plants have anticancer properties  The search for beneficial drugs has helped create parks  Bioprospecting: studies indigenous people’s use of plants

The rosy periwinkle

Recreational, aesthetic, and scientific uses

Values support commercial interests  Recreational and aesthetic values support commercial interests  In 2006, 87.5 million U.S. adults participated in wildlife-centered recreation (e.g., bird-watching, hunting)  Generated 2.6 million jobs and $108 million  Ecotourism: tourists visit a place to observe wild species or unique ecological sites  It is the largest foreign exchange-generating enterprise for many developing countries  Environmental degradation affects commercial interests

Scientific value  We learn basic laws of nature  The way ecosystems and the world work  Biota provides the nature we study  But most scientific work is done to gain medicines, agricultural benefits, and other outcomes

A cautionary note  Using wild species and biodiversity causes problems  Little money from the rosy periwinkle’s success went back to Madagascar, a very poor country  Large companies have patented ancient herbal remedies  But indigenous people may not benefit  Ecotourism may bring money to poor countries  It increases pollution, harms wildlife, changes cultures  Whale-watching boats disrupt whale feeding  Tourist boats frighten flamingoes and reduce their feeding

The loss of instrumental value  Biodiversity loss has tremendous negative effect on the world  The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity’s (TEEB) 2008 report detailed the economic and life-quality effects of biodiversity loss  Loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services = $78 billion/yr  Highest for the world’s poorest  Such an outcome is morally wrong

Species have value for their own sake  The usefulness (instrumental value) of species is obvious  But it’s not enough to protect many species  Some species have no obvious value  Another strategy: emphasize the intrinsic value of species  Extinction is an irretrievable loss of something valuable  The existence of a species means it has a right to exist  Living things have ends and interests of their own  “Destroying species is like tearing pages out of an unread book”  Humans have a responsibility to the natural world

Religious support for intrinsic value  Jewish and Christian traditions show God’s concern for wild species  God declared his creation was good and blessed it  All wild things have intrinsic value and deserve care  The Islamic Quran (Koran) says the environment is Allah’s creation and should be protected  Native American religions have a strong environmental ethic  Hindu philosophy has strong grassroots environmentalism  Religions represent a potentially powerful force for preserving biodiversity

How many species?  Most people are unaware of the great diversity of species  Groups that are rich in species: flowering plants and insects  Conspicuous or commercially important groups are more explored and described  Birds, mammals, fish, trees  Fully exploring biodiversity would require a major effort  Estimates continue to rise as rain forests are explored

learn/changing-planet Disappearing Lizards & Survival of Trees

The state of U.S. species

Protecting Wild Species: A. Legal and Economical Approaches International treaties have helped reduce the international trade of endangered and threatened species, but enforcement is difficult. 1. One of the most powerful is the 1975 Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES). Signed by 169 countries, lists 900 species that cannot be commercially traded.

2. The U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) One of the world’s most far-reaching and controversial environmental laws is the 1973 U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA). ESA forbids federal agencies (besides defense department) to carry out / fund projects that would jeopardize an endangered species. ESA makes it illegal for Americans to engage in commerce associated with or hunt / kill / collect endangered or threatened species.

Congress has amended the ESA to help landowners protect species on their land. Some believe that the ESA should be weakened or repealed while others believe it should be strengthened and modified to focus on protecting ecosystems. Many scientists believe that we should focus on protecting and sustaining biodiversity and ecosystem function as the best way to protect species. - But…at present only % of the land is in preserve or protected

Because of scarcity of inspectors, probably no more than 1/10 th of the illegal wildlife trade in the U.S. is discovered.

4 / 15 / 2009 – Endangered Species Act Species Recovery Endangered Threatened Total Plans Mammals Birds Reptiles Amphibians Fishes Snails Clams Crustac Insects Arachnids Plants TOTAL 1, ,889 1,131 (589)

Endangered Species by State

We could choose to preserve habitats, ecosystems, and biomes.. BUT, at present there are too many economic and legal blockades to such an approach. SO, Therefore, we take a single-species approach, and because we take a single-species approach we need to choose species carefully, given that there are so many endangered species and so little money. Yeah.. We wish.

When Choosing a Species The Criteria should be as following: Likelihood of extinction Likelihood that we can help the species Taxonomic distinctiveness Ecological “key” species “Flagship” species (e.g., spotted owl)

Population viability analysis also supports the contention that protection is coming too late for most species. For example: the IUCN Captive Breeding Specialist Group recommends that captive populations be established for vertebrate species with wild populations below 1000 individuals.

Protecting Wild Species: The Sanctuary Approach The U.S. has set aside 544 federal refuges for wildlife, but many refuges are suffering from environmental degradation. Pelican Island was the nation’s first wildlife refuge.

The best sanctuaries…  One large area  Area with least perimeter  Less ecotone  If they have to be split up, use a cooridor, so creatures can get from one area to the next

A. Legal and Economical Approaches Biodiversity hotspots in relation to the largest concentrations of rare and potentially endangered species in the U.S.

The Sanctuary Approach Gene banks, botanical gardens and using farms to raise threatened species can help prevent extinction, but these options lack funding and storage space. Zoos and aquariums can help protect endangered animal species by preserving some individuals with the long-term goal of reintroduction, but suffer from lack of space and money.

III. Protecting Wild Species: Reconciliation Ecology Reconciliation ecology involves finding ways to share places we dominate with other species. Replacing monoculture grasses with native species. Maintaining habitats for insect eating bats can keep down unwanted insects. Reduction and elimination of pesticides to protect non-target organisms (such as vital insect pollinators).

IV. What can you do? Do not buy furs, ivory products, and other materials made from endangered or threatened animal species. Do not buy wood and paper products produced by cutting remaining old-growth forests in the tropics. Do not buy birds, snakes, turtles, tropical fish, and other animals that are taken from the wild. Do not buy orchids, cacti, and other plants that are taken from the wild. Spread the word. Talk to your friends and relatives about this problem and what they can do about it.