BIODIVERSITY CP Environmental Science-2010 DEFINITIONS BENEFITS THREATS BIODIVERSITY PROTECTION

What is Biodiversity Species diversity Genetic biodiversity Ecological and ecosystem diversity

How Many Species Over 2 million known Numbers may up to 50 million, maybe 30 million insects Inverts 70%of known & may be 90% of existing species Most in tropics

Benefits of Biodiversity Food- –especially genetic “bank” to improve domestic crops –many potentially valuable food plants Drugs and medicine - studying native cultures Ecological benefits Aesthetic and cultural benefits

Natural Extinction Evolutionary time: most species extinct-99% Through evolution - “genes” may remain from evolutionary predecessors Mass extinction: end of dinosaur age and end or Permian period (over 1/2 of all animals) In “normal times”: perhaps one species per decade in undisturbed ecosystem

Human Caused Extinction Much accelerated rate of extinction Hundreds or even thousands of species, subspecies, or varieties to become extinct Estimates are at more than 20,000 species per year, but may be many more thousands of not even identified species

Extinction is Forever

Figure 22-6 Page 563 Passenger pigeon Great aukDodo Dusky seaside sparrow Aepyornis (Madagascar)

Class Activity Introduction to Endangered Species - What Is Happening to These Animals? What Is Happening to These Animals? Effects of PA cutting forests in 1800s Persecution of predators - animals extirpated Introduced species Lost or damaged habitats –some details on wetlands - what happens to them? What agencies in PA deal with End. Spp?

Class Activity - Introduction Classification meanings Classification meanings List and define the different classifications List several examples of each Endangered species in P –PA Game CommissionPA Game Commission –PA Fish CommissionPA Fish Commission

Threats to Biodiversity Habitat Loss Number one cause Especially wetlands, coastal Tropical forest – great diversity Includes filling, pollution, even ozone depletion! Pollution- –DDT, PCBs, –Lead poisons Global Climate Change – N.G.video the polar bear

Threats of Biodiversity Direct Killing and Persecution Commercial Products and Live specimens –Furs, hides, horns, petsFurs, hides, horns, pets Predator and pest control –1995: Animal Damage Control Program: –$24 M to kill 700,000 birds and animals Hunting and fishing-overharvesting –making a renewable resource unstainable –American passenger pigeon –Great whalesGreat whales –Buffalo –Many island species

Figure Page 584 DO NOT POST TO INTERNET

Threats of Biodiversity Introduced Species Exotic species introduction –Plants: Purple loosestrife, honeysuckle, multifloral rose –Zebra mussels –Feral animals - cats and dogs Diseases-American chestnut blight, Dutch elm disease Insects

African honeybee (“Killer bee”) Figure (1) Page 576 Purple looselifeEuropean starlingNutriaSalt cedar (Tamarisk) Marine toadWater hyacinthJapanese beetleHydrillaEuropean wild boar (Feral pig)

Figure (2) Page 576 Sea lamprey (attached to lake trout) Argentina fire antEurasian muffleBrown tree snakeCommon pigeon (Rock dove) Formosan termiteZebra musselAsian long-horned beetle Asian tiger mosquitoGypsy moth larvae

Type of Nonnative OrganismAnnual Losses and Damages Crop disease Crop weeds Rats Feral cats and outdoor pet cats Crop insects Livestock diseases Forest insects and diseases Zebra mussels Common pigeon Formosan termite Fishes Asian clam Feral pigs Starlings Fire ant $23.5 billion $23.4 billion $19 billion $17 billion $14 billion $9 billion $4.8 billion $3 billion $1.1 billion $0.8 billion $0.6 billion Figure Page 575

Protecting Biodiversity Hunting and fishing laws Endangered Species Act-1973 –State laws International laws –CITES –Ban on whaling Habitat protection- parks and refugees Zoos and botanical preserves Captive breeding and release programs

Endangered Species Act Classifications –Endangered –Threatened –Vulnerable Regulates –Taking in any form –Habitat protection –Harassment or interference during breeding

ESA - Numbers and Classification 1530 endangered & threatened species 500 candidate species Vertebrates: 91% Hundreds of species “warranted but precluded” from protection - just no staff or dollars

Zoos, Botanical Gardens, Captive Breeding Purposes: preservation and public education - or another expression of human dominance? Exposure of people to wild animals Who do we protect - only the humanly defined beautiful and interesting?

Breed and Release Peregrines California Condor How to reduce genetic inbreeding High Cost

Capture, transfer and release Elk in PA Turkey in PA Wolves in Yellowstone Whopping crane Sea turtles (egg “capture”)

CITES Treaty International-What is purpose? Need economic sustainability as well as protect endangered species Role of ecotourism

Figure 22-7 (3) Page 565 West Virginia spring salamander Giant panda (China) Knowlton cactus Mountain gorilla (Africa) Swamp pink Pine barrens tree frog (male) Hawksbill sea turtle El Segundo blue butterfly Whooping crane Blue whale

Figure 22-7 (1) Page 564 Florida manatee Northern spotted owl (threatened) Gray wolfFlorida panther Bannerman's turaco (Africa) Devil's hole pupfish Snow leopard (Central Asia) Black-footed ferret Symphonia (Madagascar) Utah prairie dog (threatened) Ghost bat (Australia) California condor Black lace cactus Black rhinoceros (Africa) Oahu tree snail

Indian Tiger Range 100 years ago Range today (about 2,300 left) Figure (1) Page 573 The Tiger – critically endangered - NG video

Figure (4) Page 573 Asian or Indian Elephant Former range Range today (34,000–54,000 left)

African Elephant Probable range 1600 Range today (300,000 left) Figure (3) Page 573

Why Be Concerned? Plants –Source of drugs - rosy periwinkle (78) –genetic diversity for food crops Loss of ecosystems - cascading effects –keystone species - sea otter in California –killing predators - lose limiting factors - Elk in Yellowstone, deer in pa Moral, ethical, aesthetic

Foxglove Digitalis purpurea, Europe Digitalis for heart failure Figure (2) Page 569

Pacific yew Taxus brevifolia, Pacific Northwest Ovarian cancer Figure (3) Page 569

Endangered Species in PA Class Activity Wade Island - Tough Decisions to Protect Endangered SpeciesWade Island - Tough Decisions to Protect Endangered Species 4What two end Class Activity endangered species nest on Wade Island? 4Describe what is happening with cormorants on the island 4Discuss at least three problems caused by the cormorant 4What is going to be done? 4Do you agree or disagree with this approach? 4Do we humans have a right to decide what species survives on the island?

Wildlife Management (textbook 1.15, game commission website, class videos)game commission website What are the goals of a wildlife manager? How are wildlife populations studied and assessed? What are the techniques used today and in the past to manage and enhance PA wildlife populations? –Hunting –Habitat management –Endangered species –Other What are some PA wildlife “success stories”? What are advantages/disadvantages of hunting in PA?

Preserving Nature

Vital Habitats Coral Reef - video

Land Use in the United States Fig p. 595 Rangeland and pasture 29%

Types of US Public Lands  Multiple-use lands:  National Forests  BLM  National Forest Service in Dept of Agr.  Multiple-use lands:  National Forests  BLM  National Forest Service in Dept of Agr.  Moderately-restricted use lands: National Wildlife Refuges - USFWS  Restricted-use lands:  National Park System- Dept of Interior  National Wilderness Preservation System  Wilderness Act of 1964 (pg 627)  Preservationist philosophy  Restricted-use lands:  National Park System- Dept of Interior  National Wilderness Preservation System  Wilderness Act of 1964 (pg 627)  Preservationist philosophy

US Public Lands Fig p. 596 Fig p. 596

US National Parks The First: Yellowstone in 1872 Yosemite: thanks to John Muir Why a national park - what are the purposes?

Wildlife Refuges Teddy Roosevelt in the system Hunting not only allowed, but in many have become number one activity

Land Use In PA Pennsylvania Land Area 28,863,000 acres Forested (Public and Private) 20,078,000 acres State Forest Land 2,100,000 acres State Forest Wild Areas 145,000 acres Protected Natural Areas 79,000 acres Even if we protect all 145,000 acres of state forest wild areas, only a fraction of Pennsylvania - less than 1% - will be left wild and protected for future generations to enjoy.

Types of PA Public Lands PA Wildlands State parks

Tropical Rain Forests Sustainable Logging Why are rainforests being cut and SO WHAT?Why are rainforests being cut and SO WHAT?

Summary State of the Earth Animals – State of the Earth